THE RELEVANCE OF STUDYING THE SOCIAL STATUS OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS IN CHARLES DICKENS'S OLIVER TWIST AND GREAT EXPECTATIONS

Abstract

The study of children's and adolescents' social status remains one of the most important areas of literary and social research. Charles Dickens's novels Oliver Twist and Great Expectations provide a vivid representation of the challenges faced by young people in Victorian England. This article discusses the relevance of investigating the social status of children and adolescents in these novels and demonstrates how Dickens's portrayal of poverty, class inequality, and social exclusion continues to resonate with contemporary issues. The research argues that Dickens's works remain valuable sources for understanding the relationship between childhood experiences and social structures.