David Copperfield (1846)

Why am I listening to a soap opera?

Tough start for mr copperfield ( )

This was written when Dickens was in his 30s and is thought to be his most autobiographical. This book contains one of the most lovable Dickens characters in Mr. Micawber and arguably (not really - it's a given) the most repulsive one -- Uriah Heep. It is hard to write a summary of a Dickens book because he writes about dozens of characters so I will give you the briefest one possible.

David is a boy who, as he says, is born "a posthumous child" -- after the death of his father. He lives a happy childhood with his mother and their servant Peggotty. When he is still young, his mother remarries a Mr. Murdstone who turns out to be the prototypical evil stepfather. David is sent away to school for a brief time and while he is there, his mother dies. Murdstone recalls him home and tells him that he is now on his own and sends him to London to work in a factory. Eventually he runs away from this horrible life to try his luck with his aunt, Miss Betsey Trotwood. She decides to take guardianship of him and this time he goes to Canterbury to study and become a gentleman and a man of business. Many sad and unfortunate things happen to him and those he loves but he constantly moves forward. Through all of this and through the following years, he retains his innocence and good nature even while coming into contact with treacherous and vile people. On the other hand, he is also rewarded with true friends and true love.

That seems like a very poor summary of the book because much of the value of it is in the well-written and diverse characters: Peggotty and her father Mr. Peggotty, Em'ly and Ham (Peggotty's cousins), Steerforth (David's school friend), Betsey Trotwood and her simple-minded friend Mr. Dick, the Micawber family that David lives with while he works in the factory in London, Mr. Wickfield and his daughter Agnes who David lives with when his aunt sends him to study, and finally the repulsive Uriah Heep. Each of these characters has something to add to the story which is why David, in starting the book, uses the words that he does -- that he may or may not be the hero of his own story.

http://webereading.com/2008/09/favorite-book-number-two-david.html ( )

Compared to other Dickens books, this is written in the first person. As a result, the story revolves around David Copperfield. He takes us through the major events in his life as he looks back on them. He manages to retain his admiration of Steerforth in spite of the latter almost ruining the life of Little Emily. The book abounds with memorable characters - Uriah Heep must be the most vivid villain Dickens has created; the respectable but ultimate hypocrite Mr. Littimer; the truly respectable Mr. Pegotty; the resilient Mrs. Gummich; and the surprising Miss Mowcher. Of course, there are many others; too many to write of here. The book also smacks with several delicious scenes, like Mr. Dick fulfilling Betty Trotwood's expectations and the revelation of Uriah Heep. There is just a little flaw - too many coincidences. For example, Mr. Micawber walking past Uriah Heep's house when Copperfield was inside and Copperfield bumping into Mr. Micawber at his new residence when he visits Traddles. If not for Dickens, it might be hard to overlook these coincidences. ( )

"David copperfield" is one of the books that I found really interesting. At first, I thought this book was a very boring one because it looked really thick. However, as I read page by page, the story kept on making me curious about what the next story would be like.

There are some parts of the book that are not really important. Furthermore, there are some parts that are too dramatic for me, but on the other hand, those parts made the story more interesting. The love story part, especially, made the story so emotional.

I think if only they could create the thinner one, from the original version, it would be really great. The reader would not be bored while reading this story and would like it as I do. ( )