People Of The Lower Class example essay topic

When you read David Copperfield, it doesn't take long to realize the difference between the upper and lower classes. Dickens had a way of making one-dimensional characters, and he was also good at doing this with the social status of the characters. The best examples of this, I think, would be Daniel Peggotty for the lower class, and Rosa Dartle for the upper class. Daniel Peggotty was portrayed as a man that lived for everyone but himself. He was always willing to go out on a limb. He was kind and jolly, and extremely humble.

He loved his family so dearly, especially his niece, Emily. On page 182, David Copperfield says: "Mr. Peggotty's a very generous fellow... ". I think that describes him quite well.

Dickens wanted us to love Mr. Peggotty, and to see how even though he lived in an overturned boat, he was an extremely happy man, and enjoyed life to its fullest. However, on the opposite side of the spectrum, we have Rosa Dartle. Rosa is the perfect portrayal of the upper class, or at least how Dickens wanted us to see it. Rosa was just a little crazy to say the least. Rosa was the kind of woman men dream about, if you " re in a relationship just based looks. Other than that, she was the bottom of the barrel.

Rosa only thought of herself, she was hateful, and at times psychotic. Rosa lived for herself, and she despised the lower class people, even though she really knows nothing about them. If you look on page 183, you " ll see the limits of her knowledge. She asks Steer forth: "Oh, but really, do tell me!

Are that sort of people really clods and animals and beings of another order from ourselves? I do so much want to know... ". On page 292, Rosa follows Mr. Peggotty and gives him a good piece of her mind, also admitting to despising people of the lower class.

She said "He and his common niece! What a fine pair to champion! I would have her whipped... But as for these other depraved people, I'd have their house pulled down and everything they had set on fire. And I'd have her branded on the face, dressed in rags, and flung out into the streets.

Oh how I detest her (Emily), how I loath the thought of her. I could hunt her to the grave and taunt her as she was dying. Even with that confrontation, Mr. Peggotty stayed fairly calm, and humble. All the while, Rosa was threatening his favorite niece, and telling how much she loathed depraved and lowly people (Again showing her lack of knowledge, for they were far from lowly.) I think Dickens wanted us to like the lower class. To sympathize with them. We can also learn from them.

Even though they worked so hard and had so little, they were happy, and helpful. Then we see Rosa, a rich, stuck up, vicious woman who is out for no one but her self. Even though she had everything, she was far from happy, let alone humble. Maybe Dickens had an underlying theme here. Maybe he wanted to show us that money isn't everything, and how miserable it can make life. Granted, there were good rich people, but in David Copperfield, most were portrayed as selfish and fiendish.