David Copperfield Dickensalong

[Piggywaspushed]

Hello All

Inspired by the Bleak House readalong, I have decided this might be the year to tackle David Copperfield.

Those of us who did BH read it obediently in Dickens' instalments ,which wasn't to everyone's taste! We had a chat at the end of each month. It took 18 months and I think we had three stalwarts left at the end.

DC was published as follows (note different months!):

• I – May 1849 (chapters 1–3);
• II – June 1849 (chapters 4–6);
• III – July 1849 (chapters 7–9);
• IV – August 1849 (chapters 10–12);
• V – September 1849 (chapters 13–15);
• VI – October 1849 (chapters 16–18);
• VII – November 1849 (chapters 19–21);
• VIII – December 1849 (chapters 22–24);
• IX – January 1850 (chapters 25–27);
• X – February 1850 (chapters 28–31);
• XI – March 1850 (chapters 32–34);
• XII – April 1850 (chapters 35–37);
• XIII – May 1850 (chapters 38–40);
• XIV – June 1850 (chapters 41–43);
• XV – July 1850 (chapters 44–46);
• XVI – August 1850 (chapters 47–50);
• XVII – September 1850 (chapters 51–53);
• XVIII – October 1850 (chapters 54–57);
• XIX-XX – November 1850 (chapters 58–64).

I am happy to negotiate reading faster so that we tackle three instalments at a time? Thus , the first would be Chapter 1 -9 and we would be finished in the summer.

What does everyone think?

Sounds good to me!

Oh, that sounds good. I'll get a copy too.

Finally finished Chapter 57 and caught up with your chat, very belatedly!! There's something that confused me that one of you might be able to shed some light on - did Mr Peggoty send money to Steerforth's family when Emily was found and they decided to emigrate to Oz? Why would he do that???

And when are we discussing the end of the book?

Morning!

Sorry for ignoring your Qs now. This thread drops right off my threads I'm On the minute no one post for a day or so, which is very annoying!

I don't know the answer to your question, though!
So, I have finished : I don't remember much of the last instalment. Of course, he marries Agnes. That was inevitable! The chapter with Heep and Littimer was very sardonic. I am not sure Dickens thought the likes of them would ever be redeemable.

Katie from Books and Things has a couple of very enthusiastic readings of the book (although she always seems to overlook Mr Dick). This is the longer and more detailed one :

Like most of us, she has issues with Dora's presentation.

I discovered, via Miriam Margolyes programme on Australia that Dickens' son , Edward, went to Australia (where he was, ultimately, ruined). It is always interesting to reflect on how much of Dickens' books reflect real experiences of Victorian people at the time of writing, and how close to home much of it is for him (especially in this book, of course).

I am glad I read this book. Think it might be my favourite Dickens, not that I have read all that many. It's not as clever as Bleak House but it is genuinely funny and also quite moving, especially 'Barkis is willing'.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one too Piggy. Lots of wonderful memorable characters, the best character name ever (Mealy Potatoes!), and a lovely story. Lots of funny moments - the bit where they all get drunk and the bit describing David and Dora’s housekeeping stick in my mind, and of course the unforgettable ‘Janet! Donkeys!’

I didn’t pick anything up about Mr Peggoty sending money to Steerforth’s family - if that happened I missed it completely!

Are we discussing the film as well now?

And what’s next for the read along - are we going with Our Mutual Friend as suggested on the 50 books thread?

As I said over on the other thread, I loved it, despite its flaws, and thanks to you, Piggy, for conducting the readalong and keeping us in line

My main thought about this last section was how hard Dickens had to work at dispelling the inevitable conclusion that he (sorry, DC ) and Agnes had been in love forever and their marriage was a foregone conclusion. He needed to try and stop Dora from seeming like a throwaway plot device.

Ironically I felt that in trying so hard, with all the 'better angel of my nature' stuff about Agnes, making her so brave and self-denying and pure (the ideal woman of 19th c literature), he defeated his own ends and it was Dora I ended up admiring more, for having a character and sticking to it! Funny because she irritated the hell out of me at first....

I'm with you on that. Dora is much more fun, and comedic and interesting.

I have watched the film now, and that is actually my main discussion point so we need to agree when to discuss (Katie ahs also done a video on that).

I like the bits you pick out the best too chessie and the depictions of the Heeps and the Murdstones. Dickens has such a way with a simile.

I read reviews of DC that call Steerforth ambiguous and complex and I just thought he was a vain bounder and cad.

At the end of the book, must admit, Dickens did that thing of suddenly reintroducing characters (Creakle, Littimer, and Mell) that I had basically forgotten existed! He does that in the last chapter of Oliver Twist, too : I guess he is more invested in his minor characters than me!

I have bought OMF in preparation : the Wordsworth edition is really cheap.

I'm clearly longing to discuss the film, having jumped the gun last month.

If Mr Micawber is largely based on Dickens' own father, it makes the fantasy of his eventual success in Australia more poignant.

I found the end a bit of an anti-climax after the drama of the previous installment, but good to see it all wrapped up.

Overall though I'm really glad I read it and it was great to have company and others' insights along the way. Thank you so much Piggy for hosting it all. This isn't something I would have attempted of my own volition.

I still need to watch the film, but can do that today.

It des biblio. Apparently, Dickens blamed his mother for all the family misfortunes so the presentation of Mrs Micawber seems rather sympathetic comparatively.

I watched the film a few days ago with DS2 who enjoyed most of it especially the Peter Capaldi Micawber, Hugh Laurie's Mr Dick and Tilda Swinton's turn as Betsey Trotwood : it rattles along. Had to explain quite a lot of plot to him though, as it doesn't really explain who anyone is! The camera trickery with the Murdstones is excellent.

Can I ask, as this is not a spoiler: are there people on the donkeys? I always imagined riderless donkeys but may not have been concentrating.

Miss Trotwood's beautiful house in the film is available to rent - not sure whether it still is. Out of my price bracket so a purely academic question!

A little bird in the know tells me that Armando Iannucci lives not far from here (it's not his house, though).

Oh yes please : I'll have that!

When I was young I lived in Glasgow's West End near the BBC studios. Lots of people used to rent out their beautiful Glasgow townhouses for sets of TV programmes and films. I still watch old Taggart and think 'oh look, there's my piano teacher's house'!

My house was far too scruffy for any such scheme.

There are people on the donkeys in the film. Like you I had pictured riderless donkeys just meandering around.

I have relatives in Cardiff and one was once visited by location scouts for Doctor Who. Sadly it never came to anything! Another relative’s house can almost buy not quite be seen on screen in the background of one episode.

buy = but

That's why I asked chessie : glad it's not just me!

They could have been grazing donkeys. We live in a very old house that comes with the ancient right to graze a goose, a third of a donkey or a quarter of a horse (!!) on the local common (we’d need to have more rights for a whole one ). And we live quite a long way from said common.

We decided not to bother.

Just thought I’d throw in that arcane fact...

That's exactly what I imagine. Armando got it all wrong!

Abuse is handed out to innocently grazing donkeys.

Two things: when do we want to discuss film? Monday?

Who is in charge of the OMF readalong?

I've now watched the film and overall it was very well done. Agree about the donkeys. The casting of Jip was completely wrong.

the casting of Jip

I concur!!

Belatedly adding my thanks to Piggy for leading us through the read along. This is only my second Dickens and I absolutely loved it. I haven't seen the film and probably won't get round to it for a while. The donkeys were definitely roaming wild in my mind. I don't think I'll actually ever be able to say the word 'donkeys' without thinking about Janet now!

You are welcome!

here is Katie's review of the film which coincides with many of my thoughts:

I think it entirely went for humour which was fine and all very jolly.

I know it is convention to cut Traddles but I was imagining his hair so a bit disappointed! And I so wanted Barkis to be in it

Interesting decision and quite inventive about Dora, and avoided the syrupy melodrama. I thought she was quite well done and actually thought the same actress playing mother and Dora made a clever little Freudian point without labouring it.

The bits in the bottling factory were witty but again steered clear of any real social comment.

The multi racial cast got some people aerated a while back on MN and DS commented couple of times but it just didn't matter at all really. Emily's accent annoyed me more than anything.

I thought Steerforth the weakest link? Not handsome enough, not dastardly enough. His terrible manipulation of David at school didn't fully come across.

Tilda Swinton was epic and I wanted more! And Peter Capaldi as Micawber.

Did they change quite a lot about Mr Dick? The kite flying seemed different to me and what he was writing about was different. Hugh Laurie was good though but more 'mad eccentric' than wise innocent.

Question : Ham dies in the book, right??

Yes, he does, Piggy

I haven't had a chance to watch my copy of the film yet and frustratingly I can't tonight either, but I'll do my best to watch it tomorrow morning and join in with some thoughts (watching a film in the morning - the ultimate in loucheness!).