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Rosa Dartle's Scar
Jip, Dora Spenlow's dog, is a symbol for Dora herself. Jip learns to do impressive tricks that include standing on his hindlegs, but he can never be taught to stop walking across tables or chewing up books. This is likely because Dora spoils him, insisting that he have mutton chops every day and buying him a pagoda to live in. Like Jip, Dora is pretty and charming but completely lacking in practical domestic skills and resists David’s attempts to teach her to do basic things like budget finances or cook. Jip's descent into old age similarly parallels Dora's declining health; significantly, he dies on the same night that she does.
Jip Quotes in David Copperfield
The David Copperfield quotes below all refer to the symbol of Jip. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter 48
Quotes
Finding at last, however, that, although I had been all this time a very porcupine or hedgehog, bristling all over with determination, I had effected nothing, it began to occur to me that perhaps Dora's mind was already formed.
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Chapter 53
Quotes
"I am afraid it would have been better, if we had only loved each other as a boy and girl, and forgotten it. I have begun to think I was not fit to be a wife.
[…] If I had been more fit to be married, I might have made you more so, too. Besides you are very clever, and I never was."
"We have been very happy, my sweet Dora."
"I was very happy, very. But, as years went on, my dear boy would have wearied of his child-wife. She would have been less and less a companion for him. He would have been more and more sensible of what was wanting in his home. She wouldn't have improved. It is better as it is."
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Jip Symbol Timeline in David Copperfield
The timeline below shows where the symbol Jip appears in David Copperfield. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 26: I Fall into Captivity
...take a walk in the garden. On the way there, he comes across Dora's dog, Jip, who snarls at him. Nevertheless, he continues to fantasize about Dora as he takes his...
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...it—declares that he won't leave England for any reason "under existing circumstances." At that moment, Jip appears and begins yapping at David, who in turn grows jealous when Dora picks the...
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...asks whether David knows Miss Murdstone well and complains about her some more, saying that Jip could just as easily be her "protector." She continues to talk to the dog, saying...
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Chapter 33: Blissful
When David arrives at Mr. Spenlow's, he finds Dora sitting in the garden with Jip and a friend named Miss Julia Mills. David presents Dora with a bouquet of flowers...
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David bursts out that he is in love with Dora while Jip stands nearby barking. He grows more and more passionate as he continues, saying he will...
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Chapter 37: A Little Cold Water
...realizes David is talking about himself, she scolds him for lying and threatens to make Jip bite him. David finds her "childish" demeanor adorable, but nevertheless assures her that he is...
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...refuses to listen to anything more about how hard he is working, and insists that Jip must be able to eat mutton-chops every day. David agrees to this and tries to...
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Chapter 38: A Dissolution of Partnership
...many letters from Miss Mills, and eventually managed to get her hands on one that Jip had found and started chewing.
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Chapter 41: Dora's Aunts
...persuade her that she's wrong. Instead, he watches as she shows him a new trick Jip has learned (standing on his hind legs in the corner of the room). Eventually, Lavinia...
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...aunts are scandalized by the odd times at which she visits, like just before tea. Jip, however, does not like Miss Betsey and has to be shut away whenever she visits....
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...more delightful than ever." Eventually, the cookbook ends up serving mostly as a surface for Jip to stand on while holding the pencil case in his mouth. David can't help but...
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Chapter 43: Another Retrospect
...approve. Dora, however, sometimes buys less practical furnishings instead, including a "Chinese dog house" for Jip. Peggotty is also hard at work on David and Dora's behalf, cleaning the cottage and...
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...as its master," although it has already been furnished with everything from Dora's guitar to Jip's dog house.
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...forgetting things. Finally, Dora says her goodbyes to her aunts and leaves with David, carrying Jip to reassure him that she still loves him. Just before she and David get in...
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Chapter 44: Our Housekeeping
...wish there were more room around the table: the cottage is crowded with things like Jip's dog house, Dora's guitar, and David's writing table. What's more, Jip continuously gets up on...
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...to Dora's delight, David agrees, and she spends the rest of the evening playing with Jip. According to David, this conversation lingered in his mind for a long time afterwards.
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...to learn cooking and accounting. She is no more successful than before, in part because Jip keeps walking across the account book and smearing the ink. This then distracts Dora, who...
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...the household keys around with her, although she mostly uses them as a toy for Jip. David lets the matter be, however, because Dora enjoys "this make-belief of housekeeping." Dora also...
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Chapter 48: Domestic
...Dora is worried that David will be cross and tries to distract him by holding Jip up to his face. Eventually, however, she does as David says and sends Jip off...
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...of apologizing for his behavior, he buys Dora some earrings (along with a collar for Jip), and then sits her down for a conversation.
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One day, Dora tells Miss Betsey that when she is well, she will make Jip run around again, because he is growing lazy. Miss Betsey gently tells her that Jip...
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...days pass. Consequently, David begins to carry her downstairs each day, which amuses Dora—particularly because Jip, Miss Betsey, and Mr. Dick often form part of the "procession." However, David can't help...
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Chapter 52: I Assist at an Explosion
...won't forgive them if Miss Betsey stays home on her account: she threatens to make Jip bite her, teasingly claims that Miss Betsey never does anything to help her, and claims...
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Chapter 53: Another Retrospect
...she has been ill, but that it is slowly becoming clear she will never recover. Jip, meanwhile, is old and frail, and spends his days lying next to Dora. However, Dora...
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David waits downstairs as Agnes goes to speak with Dora, watching as Jip sleeps uneasily in his dog house. Weeping, he begins to think back over his dissatisfaction...
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