Which author is best known for Great Expectations and for social critique of Victorian society?

• A. Thomas Mann
• B. F. Scott Fitzgerald
• C. Charles Dickens
• D. Oscar Wilde

Answer: (C)

Recognizing the author who wrote Great Expectations and used fiction to critique Victorian society. Great Expectations is a novel by Charles Dickens, published in the mid-1800s, and it’s celebrated for its sharp look at class differences, poverty, and the moral growth (or failures) of individuals within the strict rules of Victorian England. Dickens became well known for shining a light on social inequality and the consequences of rigid social norms through vivid characters and interwoven plots. The other writers listed are associated with different times or themes: Thomas Mann is a German author from a later period known for works about European society, F. Scott Fitzgerald depicted the American Jazz Age, and Oscar Wilde, while a keen social critic of Victorian mores, did not write Great Expectations. So the best match for both the famous novel and the social critique of that era is Charles Dickens.