Sketches by Boz（II） 博茲札記（英文版）

Dickens'careerasawriteroffictiontrulybeganwiththiscollectionin1833,whenhestartedwritinghumoroussketchesforTheMorningChronicle,usingthepen-name"Boz".SketchesbyBozisacollectionofshortpiecespublishedbyCharlesDickensin1836.ThefirsteditionwasaccompaniedbyillustrationsbyGeorgeCruikshank.The56sketchesconcernLondonscenesandpeopleandaredividedintofoursections:"OurParish","Scenes","Characters",and"Tales".Thematerialinthefirstthreeofthesesectionsisnon-fiction[citationneeded].Thelastsectioncomprisesfictionalstories.Throughpenportraitsthatoftenanticipatecharactersfromhisgreatnovels,weseethecondemnedmaninhisprisoncell,garrulousmatrons,vulgaryoungclerksandScrooge-likebachelors,whileDickens'spowersforsocialcritiqueareneverfarfromthesurface,inunflinchingdepictionsofthevastmetropolis'sforgottencitizens,fromchildworkerstoprostitutes.Astartlingmixtureofhumourandpathos,theseSketchesrevealLondonaswonderfulterrainforanextraordinaryyoungwriter.