David Copperfield

I remember clearly the first time that I discovered Dickens-a writer that I have developed a life long love affair with. I was a geeky(not much has changed), shy high school girl who spent most of her free time wandering the school's library in search of something to read. It was a hard choice for me, I wanted to read everything but I dreaded checking out a book only to find out half way that it was a boring read. What compelled me to pick such a thick novel as David Copperfield, I don't know. I suspect that I chose it due to its thickness. After all, I wasn't likely to finish it in one study hall.

Thanks to a very thorough public school education, I had never heard of Dickens. So, I had no preconceived notions about him or his writing. Yes, I had heard of Scrooge but I certainly didn't know who had written A Christmas Carol.

I fell in love with the novel. Few authors have made characters come as alive or seem as real as Dickens manages to do.

Here are just some of the wonderful, vibrant characters that will remain in the readers memory:

David's faithful nurse Peggoty

the obsequious and sneaky Uriah Heep

the two women who loved David. First the spoiled and immature Dora and then the wiser more worthy Agnes.

The Micawbers-based on Dickens own family. They end up in debtor's prison just like Dickens own father did

The eccentric Betsy Trotwood, David's aunt and eventual guardian

The books plot is simple. It starts with David's birth, his mother's marriage to his cruel stepfather, David's difficult youth and his eventual escape to his aunt Betsy. From there he is educated, marries twice and becomes a novelist. It is a plot summary that on the surface, doesn't sound very exciting. But the book is wonderful.

Parts of the novel are dark. Dickens deals with the very real problems of child abuse, cruelty, poverty and debtor's prison. Yet, Dickens also has a strongly developed sense of the ludicrous and therefore, is able to find humor in even the darkest parts of his novel. He points out the hypocrisy of the Victorian age and yet is sympathetic to his characters weaknesses.

Overall this is a great novel and one that I think is underrated today.