--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: David Copperfield had a fever when he’d…" description: "\"“David Copperfield had a fever when he’d gone to bed, and Larch went to check on the boy. Dr. Larch was relieved to feel that young Copperfield’s fever..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c32/john-irving-337_hot-dogs_david-copperfield-had-a-fever-when-he-d_1278044.png" --- # David Copperfield had a fever when he’d gone to bed, and… ![“David Copperfield had a fever when he’d gone to bed, and Larch went to check on the boy. Dr. Larch was relieved to feel that young Copperfield’s fever had broken; the boy’s forehead was cool, and a slight sweat chilled the boy’s neck, which Larch carefully rubbed dry with a towel. There was not…” quote by John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c32/john-irving-337_hot-dogs_david-copperfield-had-a-fever-when-he-d_1278044.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c32/john-irving-337_hot-dogs_david-copperfield-had-a-fever-when-he-d_1278044.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c32/john-irving-337_hot-dogs_david-copperfield-had-a-fever-when-he-d_1278044.png) > ““David Copperfield had a fever when he’d gone to bed, and Larch went to check on the boy. Dr. Larch was relieved to feel that young Copperfield’s fever had broken; the boy’s forehead was cool, and a slight sweat chilled the boy’s neck, which Larch carefully rubbed dry with a towel. There was not much moonlight; therefore, Larch felt unobserved. He bent over Copperfield and kissed him, much in the manner that he remembered kissing Homer Wells. Larch moved on to the next bed and kissed Smokey Fields, who tasted vaguely like hot dogs; yet the experience was soothing to Larch. How he wished he had kissed Homer more, when he’d had the chance! He went from bed to bed, kissing the boys; it occurred to him, he didn’t know all their names, but he kissed them anyway. He kissed all of them. When he left the room, Smokey Fields asked the darkness, ‘What was that all about?’ But no one else was awake, or else no one wanted to answer him. I wish he would kiss me like that, thought Nurse Edna, who had a very alert ear for unusual goings-on. ‘I think it’s nice,’ Mrs. Grogan said to Nurse Angela, when Nurse Angela told her about it. ‘I think it’s senile,’ Nurse Angela said. But Homer Wells, at Wally’s window, did not know that Dr. Larch’s kisses were out in the world, in search of him. He didn’t know, either – he could never have imagined it! – that Candy was also awake, and also worried. If he does stay, if he doesn’t go back to St. Cloud’s, she was thinking, what will I do? The sea tugged all around her. Both the darkness and the moon were failing.”” [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A doctor’s compassionate, intimate gestures toward patients reveal deep longing and the human need for connection, even in clinical settings. **In simple terms:** A doctor shows affection to patients, seeking connection. Key Takeaway Recognize the importance of empathy in caregiving. Themes compassion human connection loneliness professional boundaries yearning Mood thoughtful introspective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - healthcare practice - patient relationships - emotional support Key Concepts empathy clinical care psychological need Questions to Reflect On - How do caregivers balance empathy with professionalism? - What are healthy ways to express care? A Different Perspective Overstepping boundaries can be ethically problematic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hot dogs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hot-dogs/) ## Related quotes > [“Almost none of them understood Great Expectations or David Copperfield, anyway. 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Fans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duke-snider/the-sport-to-which-i-owe-so-much-has-undergone-profound-changes-but/) [Duke Snider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duke-snider/) [Browse all 172 Hot dogs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hot-dogs/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“David Copperfield had a fever when he’d gone to bed, and Larch went to check on the boy. Dr. Larch was relieved to feel that young Copperfield’s fever had broken; the boy’s forehead was cool, and a slight sweat chilled the boy’s neck, which Larch carefully rubbed dry with a towel. There was not much moonlight; therefore, Larch felt unobserved. He bent over Copperfield and kissed him, much in the manner that he remembered kissing Homer Wells. Larch moved on to the next bed and kissed Smokey Fields, who tasted vaguely like hot dogs; yet the experience was soothing to Larch. How he wished he had kissed Homer more, when he’d had the chance! He went from bed to bed, kissing the boys; it occurred to him, he didn’t know all their names, but he kissed them anyway. He kissed all of them. When he left the room, Smokey Fields asked the darkness, ‘What was that all about?’ But no one else was awake, or else no one wanted to answer him. I wish he would kiss me like that, thought Nurse Edna, who had a very alert ear for unusual goings-on. ‘I think it’s nice,’ Mrs. Grogan said to Nurse Angela, when Nurse Angela told her about it. ‘I think it’s senile,’ Nurse Angela said. But Homer Wells, at Wally’s window, did not know that Dr. Larch’s kisses were out in the world, in search of him. He didn’t know, either – he could never have imagined it! – that Candy was also awake, and also worried. If he does stay, if he doesn’t go back to St. Cloud’s, she was thinking, what will I do? The sea tugged all around her. 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