Great Expectations the 1820s and 1830s, presents the flashy elegance and aesthetic frivolities found in high society. In some respects, Dickens conceived "Great Expectations" as an anti silver fork novel, attacking Charles Lever's novel "A Day's Ride", publication of which began January 1860, in "Household Words". This can be seen in the way that Dickens satirises the pretensions and morals of Miss Havisham and her sycophants, including the Pockets (except Matthew), and Uncle Pumblechook. Though "Great Expectations" is not obviously a historical novel Dickens does emphasise differences between the time that the novel is set (c. 1812–46) and when it was written
Francis Dickens twelve years in Canada, only "edited" by Nicol. It is still frequently mistaken for non-fiction. Frank Dickens also appears in the science fiction novel that deals with the NWMP in an alternative history, "The Apparition Trail" (2004) by Lisa Smedman. In the novels "The Winnipeg Wolf" and "The Search for Spade" belonging to the "Inspector Bucket NWMP" series by Jeremy Allen the leading character, Francis Bucket, is based on Francis Dickens. He is played by Joe Prospero in the TV mini-series "". In 2007 a Fringe festival play called "Dickens of the Mounted" based on Nicol's novel toured several Canadian