Ever since humans first developed the capacity to speak, we have been telling tales. Over thousands of years these stories have developed from small oral tall tales, to a form of literature that writers use as a tool to teach morals. The actual definition for the term fairy tale is a story involving fantastic forces and beings. In literary circles, it has evolved into a respected genre. Traditional English tales that were written in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries were mainly used for the entertainment and amusement of adult audiences. The seventeenth century introduction of the chapbook, however, allowed children to be able to read and enjoy these stories, as well. A chapbook is a small book or pamphlet containing poems ballads, stories, or religious tracts. The more famous fairy tales that modern people will recognize hail from France. Some of these include titles Beauty and the Beast and The Three May Peaches. The popularity of fairy tales was not contained to just France, but became an obsession for the entire continent. As a matter of fact, the pre-Victorians, who lived between 1811 and 1820, were also obsessed with fairy tales. The Victorian time period was one filled with many societal issues, including corruption and Darwinism. Writers included allusions to fairy tales in their stories so everyone could understand the morals they were trying to convey. Victorian fairy tale writers had two audiences in mind when they composed their tales. The first was the young middle class readers whose minds and morals they wanted to influence. The second was the adult middle class readers whose ideas they wanted to challenge and reform. Fairy tales seem to possess the ability to appeal to a large audience and they can resemble and reflect subtly on societal issues. Some of the major societal issues of the Victorian era include child labor, prostitution, and poverty. By using allusions to fairy tales, writers such as Charles Dickens were able to criticize the issues . Including fantasy in a writer's work, gives them a wide range of creativity. Because of this, whether intentional or not, they give lessons that can be learned. Dickens especially was a fan of fairy tales saying "it is a matter of grave importance that fairy tales should be respected  ("Frauds ). Dickens took many of his cues from his peer and mentor, the preeminent fairy tale writer Hans Christian Andersen. Dickens and Andersen were devoted fans of each other's works. Because of Dickens' influence from Anderson, he would often make allusions to Anderson's works as well as other authors of fairy tales. Great Expectations, Dickens' sixth novel, is filled with such allusions. The novel can parallel with the