Charles John Huffam Dickens is considered one of the most influential figures in literature, due to his work during the 19th century, called the Victorian era. Throughout his childhood and adolescence, Dickens endured harrowing experiences that significantly shaped his approach to writing. The impact of these experiences is apparent in his various works, in which he uses literary techniques such as satire and dark humor, in order to provide social commentary on the various flaws of Victorian-era society. Charles Dickens' literary perspective was significantly influenced by the emotional and psychological ramifications of the time he spent at Warren's Blacking Factory, his broken relationship with his mother, and the corruption/individualism he observed as a parliamentary reporter; all of this is evident in his Victorian era literary work, Oliver Twist. Dickens' first significant experience that influenced his novel, Oliver Twist, occurred when he was forced to work at Warren's Blacking Factory. At the age of eleven, Dickens had to work in a boot-shine factory to support his family, after his father, John Dickens, was sent to Marshalsea Debt Prison, London, in England (Smith 127). Due to the "Poor Laws" established in England in 1834, Dickens was completely separated from his family and had to resist the abuse and brutality inflicted by those in charge of the workshop. Government bureaucrats ensured that putting the poor to work in these workshops would reduce the cost of their government, relieve beggars, and encourage the poor to work harder to support themselves; However, Dickens defended the denunciation of the Poor Laws with the satirical nature of Oliver Twist ("1834 Po...... middle of paper ......s the Poor Laws of 1834, using satire to describe its profound injustice towards the poor However, Dickens exceptionally uses the situations and characters in Oliver Twist, such as Rose Maylie and Nancy who represent people who can still demonstrate purity and moral values, in order to make a constructive social commentary that. can encourage solutions to alleviate these social ills. Works cited “1834 Poor Law. United Kingdom Government/Public Record Office, 2003. Web April 1, 2014. Dickens, Charles Oliver Twist, 1982. Print.Smith, Jennifer. "Oliver Twist Charles Dickens 1838." Novels for Students. Presenting Analysis, Context, and Reviews of Commonly Studied Novels Vol. 51. University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, nd Web, March 28.. 2014.