Serialization in David Copperfield

686 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: David copperfield as a social novel

There would be a lot more pressure put on an author writing a book in instalments, and this would apply to Charles Dickens when he wrote David Copperfield. Writing in serial form would keep the reader's attention and anticipation piqued because they were limited as to how much material they can read at one time. It is also a means of control by the author; the reader can only read and find out as much as the author allows them to. For the reader to want to read and buy the next instalment in the series the author would have to end with a cliffhanger in each chapter to keep the readers in suspense.

Writing a novel using the serialization format would be a challenging and demanding undertaking. There are obligations to a set reader base who expect a certain standard, and there are also deadlines to meet for delivery with new material. It would be important to the author to meet requirements not just for his or her readers but also for their livelihood, and profit would choose what gets published. Much is the same with television today; if a show has no regular audience and fan base, it will be cancelled. Shows that continually build on a storyline will have to use the same cliffhanger technique as novelists do to keep the viewer coming back the next week.

An added feature that Dickens used with each release was the illustrations in each issue. These images would illustrate to the reader precisely how to envision what the characters and setting looked like. Dickens would limit the imagination of the reader this way; he did not let the mind picture an inaccurate interpretation of his characters. This was another means of control for the author.

Dickens would have to keep his characters appealing; whether they were heroic or villainous, Dickens would have more room for creativity and changeability with his characters based on the reader's response as opposed to his contemporary literary critics. In David Copperfield each instalment leaves the reader wondering what is going to happen and how the characters will develop. At the end of the second number, the reader is left with David's idea of his new best friend Steerforth: "He was a person of great power in my eyes; that was of course the reason of my mind running on him. No veiled future dimly glanced upon him in the moonbeams" (44).

Show More
Related

  • Serialization in A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

    310 Words  | 1 Pages

    Charles Dickens uses an unusual method of serialization that resembles that used by daytime soaps. After covering several plot developments of several characters, usually primary ones, he switches to a series of subplots involving other characters, usually secondary ones. For example, after Dickens covers the adventure of the Marquis St. Evremonde, he jumps back to Darnay. The effect is a narrative hook that encourages the readers to go on. This leads to suspense and, of course, a successful tale.

    Read More

  • Exploring the Characters of Havisham and Magwich in Dickens' Great Expectations

    1096 Words  | 3 Pages

    Dickens seems to develop characters who are so compelling that the reader needs to know what’s going to happen next...

    Read More

  • Comparison Of As I Lay Dying And Yoknapatawpha

    926 Words  | 2 Pages

    His novels force us as readers to become more aware of the process of telling and seeing a story; Faulkner wants to make a point: if he provides four, or fifteen versions

    Read More

  • Comparing Walt Disney Films And The Brother's Tangled

    735 Words  | 2 Pages

    Since the beginning of time, stories have been told. Stories have been passed down from the beginning of time, told to younger generations by the old. Every story is based on one original story, however, the author has to create a new storyline with new character, sometimes adding a new, exciting aspect to the plot. There are only a limited number of stories that can be told, as there are only a limited number of messages, or key elements that a reader can take away from each story. After a while, a reader will begin to relate a book, movie, song, or some other kind of story, to a work that they have previously read.

    Read More

  • Difference Between Edgar Poe And Guy De Maupassant

    1110 Words  | 3 Pages

    Amontillado” of Poe and “The Jewelry” of Maupassant, these two texts leave a small gap in the stories, the true of what really happen or how things really started in the stories which leave the reader wondering and trying to figure it out on their own. So why as an author would you do this to you audience, leaving out such as important details that could conclude the end or change the theme?

    Read More

  • The Snowflake Method: Proping The Process Of The Way Of Writing

    702 Words  | 2 Pages

    This method is great for people who like structure and is by no means for every person in the world. It sets rules and strict guidelines that may hurt the creative process for many people. Yet, it will also help you to avoid plot holes. And it will save you from spending unnecessary time trying to figure out where the story should go. Either way it is a great method if you are looking to try something new.

    Read More

  • fdafd

    1213 Words  | 3 Pages

    ... that make it superior to text, but it's also the potential that comics hold, which gives a range of possibilities for telling the story that are not available with text only scenarios.

    Read More

  • Free Essays on A Tale of Two Cities: Sentimentality

    451 Words  | 1 Pages

    What comes to mind first when dealing with the lively imagination of Dickens is the creative and detailed picture he gives. In describing Dr. Manette, for instance, Dickens exaggerates his characterization by saying Manette’s voice was like “the last feeble echo of a sound made long, long ago.” From this alone you can hear the faintness of his voice and feel the suppressed dreadfulness of his past. In this way, the sentimentality of it all gets the reader involved emotionally and makes the character come alive.

    Read More

  • Pantsing Pros And Cons

    2056 Words  | 5 Pages

    Unfortunately, this does mean that you can end up not knowing where you are going and end up writing yourself into a corner with no idea how to get back to the story. It also means you have to write in a linear way. Once you start, the story must continue as you are writing it. You can’t hop about from chapter to chapter, it must be

    Read More

  • Hard Times and Wuthering Heights

    2280 Words  | 5 Pages

    When considering representation, the ways in which the authors choose to portray their characters can have a great impact on their accessibility. A firm character basis is the foundation for any believable novel. It is arguable that for an allegorical novel - in which Hard Times takes its structure, Dickens uses an unusually complex character basis. The characters in Hard Times combine both the simplistic characteristics of a character developed for allegorical purposes, as well as the concise qualities of ‘real’ people (McLucas, 1995). These characters are portrayed to think and feel like we as readers do and react to their situations in the same way that most of us would. Such attributes are what give the characters life and allow us to relate to their decisions.

    Read More

  • EMMA

    1967 Words  | 4 Pages

    novelist can also circle the main plot with subplots that flesh out the tale. Furthermore,

    Read More

  • Charles Dickens - Oliver Twist

    1795 Words  | 4 Pages

    Although the overall message was clear, coming on the heels of the of Poor Law of 1834 as the book did, the characters Dickens created for the purpose of making his social commentary ranged from one dimensional to multidimensional caricatures. He used them as a means of presenting the "other" side of wealth-the dark, evil side.

    Read More

  • Creating a Memorable Character

    1209 Words  | 3 Pages

    A book is not possible without characters. Stories are given purpose and meaning by their characters, bringing the reader through their struggles and triumphs. The characters are the conduit from which the reader experiences the story in a book. In order to have a successful novel the writer must have a wonderful cast of developed and plausible characters. The keys to writing successful characters and mastering the techniques of character development are: knowing everything about the characters as if they were a real person including traits and appearances, researching how the characters live and their situations, how the characters relates to the plot including rational decision making and the driving forces for the characters, and finally emotional growth of the characters, otherwise known as a character arcs. These aspects will help create characters the reader will never forget, keeping them alive forever.

    Read More

  • The Portrayal of Family in Charles Dickens' David Copperfield

    4652 Words  | 10 Pages

    “David Copperfield” was Dickens' favorite creation. The novel reflects writer’s own life – his autobiography. The image and character of David Copperfield corresponds to the image and character of Dickens himself. The range of personages of the novel recalls to us people which were close to Dickens: Micowber is comical portrait of John Dickens, the father of the author; the image of Dora – is the exact copy of the Marry Bindel – the first sweet-heart of the writer; David’s seeking in marri...

    Read More

  • The Life of Charles Dickens Reflected in Great Expectations

    2656 Words  | 6 Pages

    Charles Dickens is well known for his distinctive writing style. Few authors before or since are as adept at bringing a character to life for the reader as he was. His novels are populated with characters who seem real to his readers, perhaps even reminding them of someone they know. What readers may not know, however, is that Dickens often based some of his most famous characters, those both beloved or reviled, on people in his own life. It is possible to see the important people, places, and events of Dickens' life thinly disguised in his fiction. Stylistically, evidence of this can be seen in Great Expectations. For instance, semblances of his mother, father, past loves, and even Dickens himself are visible in the novel. However, Dickens' past influenced not only character and plot devices in Great Expectations, but also the very syntax he used to create his fiction. Parallels can be seen between his musings on his personal life and his portrayal of people and places in Great Expectations.

    Read More

More about Serialization in David Copperfield

Open Document