David Copperfield by Charles Dickens | Plot Summary

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Course Hero Literature Instructor Russell Jaffe explains the plot summary of Charles Dickens's novel David Copperfield.

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The classic bildungsroman traces the fortunes of young David Copperfield from his early youth of relative affluence to his life in a factory following his mother's death.

Needing to find a better life for himself, he sets out on a path filled with adventure, drama, heartbreak, and rollicking comedy. Meeting a cast of unconventional characters along the way, he manages to find friends wherever he goes, making the best of sometimes harrowing situations.

His loyalty and pluck make him one of English literature's favorite heroes and his story of tragedies and triumphs epitomizes Dickens's indelible style.

The titular protagonist of Charles Dickens's David Copperfield has become synonymous with the spritely youth facing the vicissitudes of life with aplomb, now a literary archetype.

British author Charles Dickens’s David Copperfield was first published 1849-50. Dickens wrote David Copperfield after giving up on writing an autobiography. Parts of his own life story found their way into the novel, such as having to work in a factory. Because of this connection, Dickens referred to David Copperfield as his favorite child.

The novel David Copperfield contains many enduring themes, including the importance of life choices, naivete versus maturity, and perseverance. Important symbols include the sea representing death and the uncontrollable forces in life, flowers representing beauty and innocence, and the Blunderstone Rookery representing the poor life choices of David’s father.

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