In this powerful episode of The Pilgrim’s Interests, we explore how novels have served as catalysts for social reform, focusing on two literary giants: Charles Dickens and Mark Twain. Journey through the grim streets of Victorian England, where Dickens’s Oliver Twist, Hard Times, and A Christmas Carol exposed the harsh realities of industrialization and poverty, inspiring compassion and change. Then, cross the Atlantic to the American South, where Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and other works challenged the moral hypocrisies of slavery and systemic racism with sharp wit and profound humanity. But Dickens and Twain are just the beginning. We also give nods to other landmark works like Uncle Tom’s Cabin, The Jungle, and 1984, reflecting on how fiction continues to confront injustice and inspire reform.

Get full access to The Pilgrim’s Interests at pilgrimsinterest.substack.com/subscribe