Editing David Copperfield (section)

====Emigration to Australia====
[[File: Fred Barnard08.jpg|thumb|Mr Micawber and the art of baking, with Mrs Micawber and the twins, by Fred Barnard.]]
Dickens's exploration of the subject of emigration in the novel has been criticised, initially by [[John Forster (biographer)|John Forster]] and later by [[G. K. Chesterton]]. Chesterton accused Dickens of presenting emigration in an excessively optimistic light, arguing that Dickens believed that by sending a boatload of people overseas their 'souls' can be changed, while ignoring the fact that poor people like Peggotty have seen their home stained or, like Emily, their honour tarnished. Micawber has been broken by the English social system, his journey to the antipodes is paid for by a paragon of the Victorian bourgeoisie, Betsey Trotwood<ref>{{harvnb|Cordery|2008|p=379}}</ref> and he is supposed to regain control of his destiny once he has arrived in Australia.<ref>{{cite book |first=Gilbert Keith |last=Chesterton |title=Criticisms and Appreciations of the Works of Charles Dickens |location=London |publisher=Dent |year=1933 |orig-year=1931 |page=131}}</ref> Trevor Blount points out that the word 'soul' has a different meaning for Dickens than Chesterton. Dickens cares about material and psychological happiness, and is convinced that physical well-being is a comfort for life's wounds.

Dickens sent his characters to America in ''[[Nicholas Nickleby]]'' and ''[[Martin Chuzzlewit]]'', but he has the Peggotty and Micawber families emigrate to Australia. This approach was part of the official policy of the 1840s, focusing on [[History of Australia (1788–1850)#Growth of free settlement|Australia]] as a land of welcome. It was at this time necessary to stimulate interest in the new colony and propagandists arrived in England in particular [[John Dunmore Lang]] and [[Caroline Chisholm]] from Australia. Dickens was only following this movement and, in any case, had faith in family colonisation. Moreover, the idea that redemption could be achieved by such a new start in a person's life was a preoccupation of the author, and he saw here subject matter to charm his readers.<ref>{{harvnb|Dickens|1985|pp=35–36}}</ref>

From the point of view of the novel's inner logic, in order for Copperfield to complete his psychological maturation and exist independently, Dickens must expel his surrogate fathers, including Peggotty and Micawber, and emigration is an easy way to remove them.<ref name=Davis1999p92 />