In this original and illuminating study, social gerontologist Mervyn Eastman examines the complex world of the "older people" who populate the heart of Dickens's early fiction. Written with the unique perspective of a professional who has spent decades in social care and policy, this book systematically analyses the older adult characters in six iconic works published between 1836 and 1843: The Pickwick Papers, Oliver Twist, Nicholas Nickleby, The Old Curiosity Shop, A Christmas Carol, and Barnaby Rudge.
Mervyn explores a remarkable cast of characters, including the bumbling Samuel Pickwick, the shrivelled Fagin, the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, the warm-hearted Gabriel Varden, Mrs Bardell, Mrs Bedwin, Mrs Nickleby and Mrs Jarley. He locates these figures within the social history of the Victorian era, and he asks how society understood later life then and how those attitudes continue to mirror our own.
We often think of ageism as a modern problem, but the "costumes" of prejudice were tailored long ago. When we dissect the "vivid and contradictory" gallery of older characters created by Charles Dickens, it is ultimately revealed that our current care systems are built upon a Victorian scaffold of dependency, class, and a profound "fear of decline".
This study bridges the gap between 19th-century literature and 21st-century social gerontology, arguing that the ageism Dickens reflected or challenged in 1837 has not disappeared, but has simply changed its outward appearance. Ultimately, Dickens and His Older People is a provocative call to action for care professionals and scholars alike, suggesting that we must understand these historical narratives to effectively dismantle systemic prejudice and restore true dignity to the lived experience of ageing today.
An Interview with Mervyn Eastman on the Recognition of Older Adult Abuse in the 1980s and Beyond
Dr Eastman reflects on his research, campaigning and the development of adult safeguarding policy and practice in the UK.
So Who Is Ageist?
A TEDx talk examining gerontophobia, everyday ageism and the prejudices older people may hold about other older people.
Age Speaks Meets Anna Dixon
Mervyn Eastman interviews the Chief Executive of the Centre for Ageing Better about ageing, social policy and what makes for a good later life.
Dr Mervyn Eastman is a UK social care professional, author, and literary gerontology scholar. His work spans adult safeguarding, elder abuse awareness, ageing policy, public advocacy, and the representation of older people in literature.
DICKENS AND HIS OLDER PEOPLE: Transitional, Middle and Later Novels (1842–1870)
SUBTITLEDAVID COPPERFIELD — PART ONE: Contextual Overview
DATE30 April 2026
DICKENS AND HIS OLDER PEOPLE: Transitional, Middle and Later Novels (1842–1870)
SUBTITLEDOMBEY AND SON — PART TWO: The Cast of Major and Supporting Older Adults
DATE12 February 2026
DICKENS’ OLDER PEOPLE: Transitional and Middle Novels (1842–1861)
SUBTITLEDOMBEY AND SON — PART ONE: Introduction and Context
DATE10 July 2025