Dikensovo siromašno djetinjstvo inspirisaće njegova najbolja djela (Oliver Tvist, Dejvid Koperfild, Zla vremena), koja su imala snažnu društvenu i kritičku notu. Godine 1836. urednik mu je pružio priliku da u mjesečnim nastavcima objavljuje Pikvikov klub, kojim će se proslaviti. Otprilike u isto vrijeme objavio je još jedan roman u nedeljnim nastavcima, Olivera Tvista, u kome je neuljepšano opisao težak život najsiromašnijih ljudi. Knjiga je postigla ogroman uspjeh. Dickens's early economic privations inspired his best novels (Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, Hard Times), which had great social and critical content. In 1836 his editor offered him the cance of writing a monthly serial, The Papers of the Pickwick Club, which would bring him fame. Around the same time, he wrote another novel in weekly episodes, Oliver Twist, in which he crudely described the harsh lives od the poorest. It had enormous success.