Andrea answers “A lot of reviewers have called this book...”

Ami asked this question about The Goldfinch:

A lot of reviewers have called this book "Dickensian." What is it about The Goldfinch that reminds everyone of Charles Dickens so much?

Andrea Is this a serious question? It's because it follows the entire plot structure of David Copperfield. With the exception of the end of The Goldfinch, ev…moreIs this a serious question? It's because it follows the entire plot structure of David Copperfield. With the exception of the end of The Goldfinch, every circumstance in DC has a corollary in The Goldfinch, and so does nearly every character. During the last bit of The Goldfinch, Theo seems stuck in the frame of mind that David had when his marriage to Dora wasn't turning out as he had hoped. I wonder if Tartt is saying that our lives are more complicated than in Dickens' time, so a neat resolution is not possible, or if she thinks it is more interesting to use these other characters in Theo's life to reflect on the best way that we can face life's circumstances. I wonder if the book's resolution appealing more, presumably, to the modern reader than Dickens' resolution means that we are more, or less, evolved than the Victorians.(less)

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