Character Sketch of David Copperfield

David Copperfield is an important character of the novel entitled after his own name. David Copperfield written by Charles Dickens. The character of David is widely throught to be e based on Dickens himself incorporating many elements of his own childhood scholars believe that David Copperfield careers friendships and love life were mostly influenced by Dickens experience,  as well as his time working as a child David's involvement with the law profession and later his career as a writer mirror the experience of Dickens.

However there are many difference in the lives the two. Unlike Dickens, David grew up in the country. As an only child where as Dickens was a city boy with several brothers and sisters. Throughout the novel David is rerely called by his birth name. He has many nicknames in the novel. The peggoty family address him as 'David', James steerforth nicknames him 'Daisy' Dora calls him ' Doady' the Micawber family tends to address him by his last name and his aunt and her circle refer to him "trot".

The story traces the life of David Copperfield from childhood to maturity. David was born in Blunderstone near great yar mouth, Norfolk England in 5820, six month after the death of his father.  The pet of his mother Claro Copperfield and faithful nursemidetached peggoty, David loves an  idyllic life,  even through he is futherless David happy childhood is marred by the arrival of his step father Edward Murdstone and David suffers both physical and mental abuse from his new Guardian.

Althrough David narrates his story as adult, he rebuys the Impressions he had from a youthful point of view. We see how Davids perception of the world deep as he comes of age. We see  David initial innocence in the contrast between his interpretation of events and our on understanding of them. Although David is ignorant of steepforth treachery. We are aware from the moment we meet steepforth that he doesn't deserve the adulation David feels towards him. David doesn't understand why he hates Uriah or why he trusts a boy with a donkey cast who steals his money and leaves him in the roads,  but we can sense Uriah devious nature and the boys treacherous intentions. In David's first person narration, Dickens Conveys the wisdom of the older man implicitly through the eye of a child.

David Complex character allows the the contradiction and development over the course of the novels. Though David is is trusting and kind. He also a moment of cruelty. He also displays great tenderness as in the moment when he realises his love can be foolish and romantic. However as he grows he develop a more nature point of view and search for a lover who will challenge him and pulp him grow.

On the whole we can say that David Copperfield is an optimist , diligent and preserving character and us also the protagonist of the novel "David Copperfield ".