Nicholas Nickleby

Nicholas Nickleby or The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby is a dramatic novel by Charles Dickens. Originally published as a series from 1838 to 1839, it was the author's third novel.

Nicholas Nickleby is a young man who, after the death of his father, must financially support his mother and sister. The family goes to their uncle Ralph for help, but he declines to help them and states that Nicholas will never amount to anything, being the antagonist of the novel.

Nicholas serves as a tutor at Yorkshire College where Mr. Squeers Wackford constantly abuses each of the boys in the school, using barbaric methods. Nicholas flees from there and returns to London, where he will try to find his fortune in other jobs.

The book is a brilliant description of the corrupt society of 19th century England with Dickens taking aim at what he sees as social injustices. In addition, Dickens also delves into the phenomenon of cheap rural schools, where children were often beaten and mistreated.