Youyang’s Reviews > David Copperfield > Status Update

As much as I respect Dr. Strong’s noble character and kind heart, the narrative which describes him as his wife’s father, teacher, friend, husband who taught her everything and formed her mind is disturbing. In a Pygmalion manner, he practically educated her to be his ideal wife since her childhood. Stories like this serve as precedent and moral justifications for self-righteous criminals (i.e. Humbert Humbert).

I like Traddles so much even when Copperfield/Dickens makes fun of his hair to no end. Doctor Strong is another great character, can’t think of anyone who could be kinder at heart and more respectable. I so hope nothing bad happens to either of them. Dora seems to be a mirror image of Copperfield’s mother, young, beautiful, naive, childlike, tender, and loving—what would Freud say about their marriage?

Can’t say I am enjoying this but it is very well written. Dickens is such an observant, thoughtful, sensitive, and kind soul. He never makes fun of people even when he is making fun of them. When he criticizes, he really makes your blood boil and tears burst without seemingly doing much. I’m in awe.

Funny that Steerforth keeps feminizing David Copperfield, asking him to tell stories like Scheherazade and calling him Daisy because he looks young and innocent. I wonder whether this is how Fitzgerald got the inspiration to name his character in the great Gatsby?

First few chapters remind me of Jane eyre and the scenes in which aunt Marge visits the Dursleys and humiliates Harry Potter.