Charles Dickens is one of the greatest fiction authors of the Victorian era. However he was more than just a writer; he has inspired changes around the world with the use of writing. For a man to go from the scenario of his childhood to the place where he developed might be seen as surprising, but in reality his struggles are the blessings to his success. Charles Dickens was inspired by the struggles of the poor and oppressed, his writing caused social change and used fictional people and events to represent the real world. Subtopic 1 During the Victorian era in Britain there was a serious gap between the rich and the poor. The poor were often forced to work in dangerous circumstances to avoid debtors' prison. Children had to start working very early to support their families. If you were born poor there was almost no chance of moving up in social class. Charles Dickens dealt with these problems personally. Experiencing life in this way helped him understand and have great compassion for the poor and oppressed. Charles Dickens was trying to support his needy family on his own at an early age. When Charles was 12, his father was sent to debtors' prison along with his wife and five of his six children. Charles was forced to find work in a workhouse to try to pay off his family's debt. When Charles was alone he had to do everything just to eat. This early experience was traumatic for Charles and influenced how he viewed the poor later in life. His experience with debtors' prison inspired what was a common theme in his writings. In many of his novels, the main issue is about people living and living in debtors' prisons. He wrote a novel set in prison and his family was just…half of paper…in debt to a baker. Charles Dickens' mastery of the fictional character gave him the power to illustrate his message in a much greater way. From Oliver Twist to Ebenezer Scrooge Dickens, characters were all created to represent a higher issue. Some characters are so profound that even today we don't fully understand what they could mean. Dickens is one of the greatest writers of all time when it comes to creating fictional characters. Charles Dickens was motivated by the plight of the poor and oppressed, his work caused social change throughout England, and used fictional characters to embody the real world. Charles Dickens, the author, has been a great inspiration to many people over the centuries. His works have been critically acclaimed around the world. Charles Dickens' impact on the world during the Victorian era is unparalleled to this day.