Miscellaneous Papers

"Miscellaneous Papers" by Charles Dickens is a set of essays and articles from the mid-1800s that displays Dickens' thoughts and disapproval of problems in society. He writes about topics such as politics, schooling, crime, important people, and art. Dickens brings to light the hardships and unfairness of his time, especially for the working class, pointing out society's moral duties. The book starts with a funny but sharp look at farming in England, uses a character to complain about how manufacturing and the government supposedly ignore agriculture, presenting it as if it were a plot against farming. The narrator voices his complaints with humor and criticism, examining how farming is represented in professions like law and medicine. This begins a larger criticism of how society values things, showing Dickens' mix of humor and serious commentary, and it asks readers to think about what happens when important social problems are ignored.