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Chapter 14: My Aunt Makes Up Her Mind About Me
Explanation and Analysis—Mr. Dick's Memorial:
In Chapter 14, David learns about the memorial Mr. Dick is writing. This piece of writing, which Mr. Dick is constantly struggling to write without letting his memory and his literary mind distort facts, is a parody of David Copperfield's own autobiography:
In fact, I found out afterwards that Mr Dick had been for upwards of ten years endeavouring to keep King Charles the First out of the Memorial; but he had been constantly getting into it, and was there now.
Related Themes:
Chapter 29: I Visit Steerforth at His Home, Again
Explanation and Analysis—I Thought, I Saw, I Knew:
In Chapter 29, the narrator describes the strange, antagonistic relationship between Steerforth and Rosa Dartle. The language of the passage emphasizes the way it is impossible not be an unreliable narrator when telling the story of one's own life:
Unlock with LitCharts A+That [Rosa] should struggle against the fascinating influence of [Steerforth's] delightful art—delightful nature I thought it then—did not surprise me either; for I knew that she was sometimes jaundiced and perverse. I saw her features and her manner slowly change; I saw her look at him with growing admiration; I saw her try [...] to resist the captivating power that he possessed; and finally I saw her sharp glance soften, and her smile become quite gentle, and I ceased to be afraid of her as I had really been all day [...]
Related Themes:
Chapter 43: Another Retrospect
Explanation and Analysis—Mr. Dick's Memorial:
In Chapter 14, David learns about the memorial Mr. Dick is writing. This piece of writing, which Mr. Dick is constantly struggling to write without letting his memory and his literary mind distort facts, is a parody of David Copperfield's own autobiography:
Unlock with LitCharts A+In fact, I found out afterwards that Mr Dick had been for upwards of ten years endeavouring to keep King Charles the First out of the Memorial; but he had been constantly getting into it, and was there now.
Related Themes:
