Tuesday, June 27, 2006

David Trotwood Copperfield

I feel like I've made peace with Dickens. I only half read a Tale of Two Cities in high school and though I enjoyed Hard Times I still feel like I read it in an attempt to be like my big sister. I finished reading Copperfield last night and I cried and was sad to say good-bye to the characters just as David seemed to be a little sad the book was ending. Charles Dickens is so preachy about how the world should work, but I have to agree with him about so many things. He was even hard on his narrator. As he should have been. It does seem like Copperfield has a greater number of life lessons to teach than A Tale of Two Cities, but I guess it's shorter and so that's what the high schoolers get to read. Although I have no Trotwood in my life I do feel a kindred heart with Agnes. Or maybe I wish someone believed in my heart the way everyone believed in Agnes's. I am going to miss everyone. I love reading without a deadline.

8 comments:

mllr said...

Linda, I believe in your heart!! I am reading Catch-22 just to be like you and Matt, I am going to try to read everyones favorite books...my new required reading...so I am open for suggestions.

linda jean said...

Well, I've listed some of my favorites on the profile. I've started reading At the Back of the North Wind on Chris and Shannon's recommendation. Thanks... I know you believe, sometimes I'm melodramatic. Have you read Copperfield? I was surprised at how much I enjoyed reading it.

jmlo said...

Linda--What does it mean to believe in someone's heart? I have never read Copperfield. Let me know what you think of the Back of the North Wind. Eric has been reading Phantastes to me--but stopped because we just weren't getting into it. (I know that is hard to believe since we were able to get through Davinci Code, which by the way does not make us heathens.) We have started reading The Princess and the Curdie instead and are both enjoying it.

linda jean said...

Everyone in Copperfield believed in Agnes's heart... she didn't speak of her feelings, but they all knew that she was "true". Everything that she did was trusted because they all believed it was done out of a pure heart which it was. She hid her sorrows. She loved in a selfless manner and everyone believed in her heart because what was in it was always true. She was a go-to girl because she would never have done anything out of self-interest and everyone trusted that about her.
I didn't like Curdie as well as the Princess and the Golbin, but it's still nice. Will let you know about the North Wind.

malh said...

I LOVED The Back of the North Wind. It is the best read-aloud book. It makes me feel so good that I have actually read a book before all of my sisters. I think this is a first. I am revelling in the moment. mllr--please do not burst my bubble and tell me you have already read it.

mllr said...

I did read an abridged, dumbed-down version of David Copperfield with Spencer and thoroughly enjoyed it...does it count if you can read it in one day? Revel away Mary Ann, I have not read the North Wind Book, but will put it on my list...I have to read Shell Seekers for Becky next because it was her favorite summer read...

linda jean said...

I have a copy of the Shell Seekers that I started b/c it was Betsy's mom recommended it.

jmlo said...

A pure heart...I wish I was the kind of person whose heart one could believe in as well. "I want to leave a legacy--how will they remember me?"