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One of Britain's greatest ever writers, Charles Dickens is most associated with Victorian London and in particular the misery and poverty we call Dickensian, so he hasn't - up until now - been much used as a literary brand. Now on an industrial estate in the rather run down town of Chatham in Kent where the writer grew up, Dickens World is opening, a theme park dedicated, so it says, to giving a flavour of life in Dicken's England.

The centrepiece is a boat ride through an elaborate interactive stage set of picturesque slums and their associated smells, to conjure up an illusion of real Victorian life - and misery. It's ignited a familiar debate of entertainment versus education. While critics have attacked the trivialisation of Dickens's legacy, the organisers reply that the writer was a great popular entertainer who would have heartily approved of such a theme park.

The critics say the real Dickens experience is in the books - and trips down fake Victorian sewers won't get people reading. But it is of course ultimately a business proposition, investing 120 million dollars, and predicting 300,000 visitors a year. That shows a lot of confidence in both the pulling power of Dickens and of theme park versions of misery and poverty.

associated with
asociat cu, legat de

a literary brand
un scriitor celebru a cărui operă poate fi valorificată comercial

giving a flavour of life
aici) a le da vizitatorilor o impresie despre viaţa în perioada victoriană

centrepiece
atracţia principală, piesa de rezistenţă

to conjure up
să facă să apară ca prin minune

ignited a familiar debate
a provocat o dezbatere familiară

trivialisation
trivializare, cădere în facil, banalizare

legacy
moştenire

heartily
cu entuziasm

the pulling power
atracţia, fascinaţia