David Copperfield Study Guide & Plot Synopsis

David Copperfield Plot Summary

Preview of David Copperfield Summary:

David Copperfield records the life experiences of the title character as he grows from impressionable youth through adulthood. His experiences shape his character and shape the choices he is forced to make. The people involved in his life, with their positive and negative influences, play a role in determining who he will become. This classic coming-of-age tale explores nineteenth century social conditions and their affect on one person, David Copperfield.

David's early childhood is spent in pleasant isolation with his mother and their devoted servant, Peggotty. An early visit to Peggotty's family introduces David to Emily, his first crush. This pleasant isolation changes abruptly when his mother marries Mr. Murdstone. The arrival at David's home of Mr. Murdstone and his sister, Miss Murdstone, tears David apart from his naive and weak willed mother.

Sent to a boarding school called Salem House, David meets two of his lifelong friends, Tommy Traddles...
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