David Copperfield

The novel begins with the lines, “Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show” (17). How does the novel develop this question of heroism? Is David its hero? Why or why not?

Why do you think Dickens includes moments of meta-narration throughout the novel? How does he use them to comment on the processes of writing and remembering?

Memory is an elusive substance in David Copperfield, and David often describes his recollections as “foggy” or “hazy.” Examine at least three moments wherein David discusses the “haze” of his memory and explore the different reasons these memories might seem “hazy.” 

Names play a major role in David Copperfield—for instance, Mr. Murdstone, Mr. Creakle, and Uriah Heep, and Agnes each have names filled with meaning. How does Dickens use names to develop character? Choose at least three characters and analyze their names.

How does Dickens develop water imagery over the course of the novel? How do these images carry the themes, interests, and dramatic tides of the novel?

Compare and contrast three of the novel’s marriages. How do they shape those who enter into them?

Analyze at least two of the novel’s sympathetic outsiders characters and the ways they embody the unique wisdom of outsiders.

David Copperfield focuses very intently on the struggles of women in Victorian English society. Choose at least three female characters from the novel and examine the ways they illustrate gender-specific social issues.