Examine in detail Dickens' portrayal of the flaws in the Victorian education system in his novel 'Nicholas Nickleby'. What were his aims in presenting Dotheboys Hall to his readers? To extent was he successful in achieving his aims?

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Examine in detail Dickens’ portrayal of the flaws in the Victorian education system in his novel ‘Nicholas Nickleby’. What were his aims in presenting Dotheboys Hall to his readers? To extent was he successful in achieving his aims?

Charles Dickens was one of the most popular writers in the history of literature. He was born on the 7th February 1812 in Portsmouth. Dickens spent most of his childhood in London and in Kent, both which appear frequently in his novels. As a young man he went on to write many famous novels such as ‘David Copperfield’, ‘A Christmas Carol’ and ‘Nicholas Nickleby’.

‘Nicholas Nickleby’ was written and serialised between 1838 and 1839 it was then later published as a novel in 1839 and then again in 1848. The novel is about a man called Nicholas Nickleby who went to work as a young teacher at an all boys’ boarding school in Yorkshire set in early Victorian times. All his successes were shadowed by domestic unhappiness.

Dickens’ relations with a young actress called Ellen Ternan led to his separation from his wife in 1858. Unfortunately a Stroke led to his death on the 9th June 1870 and he was buried in Westminster.

The focus of the novel is about the adventures and mis-fortunes of Nicholas Nickleby. Dotheboys Hall is a boys’ boarding school set in Yorkshire. It is thought that it may be based on another school called ‘Bowes Academy’ which was also set in Yorkshire. The school is ran by a man named Mr Wackford Squeers who is mindlessly cruel to the children. His wife also helps at the school and is just as callous as he. Mr Squeers aims to have total power over the children and to become very rich by stealing their money and possessions.

Having read chapter eight the conditions are frightful and very unpleasant. One of the first happening that shows appalling conditions in the school, is that there is no water because the water pump has frozen.

“Be content with giving yourself a dry polish till we break the ice on the well, and can get a bucket full out for the boys.”

The boys cannot even have a wash or clean their teeth with clean water when they awoke in the morning.

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The main rooms are terrible; Nicholas Nickleby describes them as

“A bare and dirty room, with a couple of windows, whereof a tenth part might be of glass, the remainder being stopped up with old copy book and paper.”

By not even cleaning the rooms or fixing the windows shows how much he does not care for any of the children that attend his school.

“The walls were so stained an discoloured.”

Although Squeers has all the money gained from the children and their parents he cannot even make the building look attractive. The dirt and greyness makes the ...

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