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Lisa Houlihan asked this question about Demon Copperhead:
I can map most characters to their origins in David Copperfield, but not Maggot. I am reading the full Dickens for the first time (an abridged version 40 years ago in ninth grade doesn't count) and maybe I'll figure it out. Does Maggot map to an individual character, or is he a composite as others are, or does he not have a counterpart in Dickens?
IvanOpinion I agree that Maggot seems wholly original. I'm not entirely sure why Kingsolver adds him as a character, given that she sticks so closely to the Dicke…moreI agree that Maggot seems wholly original. I'm not entirely sure why Kingsolver adds him as a character, given that she sticks so closely to the Dickens plot and characters otherwise. Adding him raises some interesting themes and issues, but not ones that seem like they needed to be tacked on to this particular story.

I did kind of wonder if he would play a bigger role in the plot in a way that modernised the story in quite a radical way. I won't spell out my theory in case it turns out to be a spoiler, but I'm 90% of the way through the book and so far it looks like Kingsolver is sticking very closely to the original plot, so Maggot seems unnecessary.(less)
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IvanOpinion SPOILERS AHOY: Amy, I just wondered if Demon would eventually realise that the true love of his life was Maggot. So, BK's equivalent of Agnes would tu ...more
Apr 17, 2023 07:02AM · flag
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Madeline I was thinking that it would be that way as well! I am good with the way it did end, but that would've been a really cool commentary and modernisation ...more
Jan 14, 2025 07:03AM · flag
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Demon Copperhead
by Barbara Kingsolver
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