Charles Dickens lived during the best and worst of times in 19th century England. His writings were greatly influenced by the ongoing industrial revolution. He described abhorrent environmental conditions, inadequate sanitary practices, child abuse, and other social maladies of the times. By bringing Charles Dickens into the biology classroom, teachers and students can compare a portrait of the environment in another century to the environmental issues of today. Dickens' writings provide vivid images of a time facing major health, sanitary, and working conditions of the poor, which offer an important historical and social perspective for students. This article presents several excerpts of Dicken's writing and suggests how these writings can be used in biology classroom discussions.