The day David Copperfield is born, his rich, eccentric Aunt Betsey Trotwood storms away in disapproval because the new baby is not a girl. David is raised by his young mother, who was widowed before he was born, and their kind servant, Clara Peggotty. But his wonderful childhood is spoilt when Mr. Murdstone begins to seek the hand of His Mother. David happily goes with Peggotty to visit her family in Yarmouth. Her Daniel (her brother), Ham and Emily. When David goes home, Mr. Murdstone and David's mother have married, and not long after, Mr. Murdstone's sister Jane moves in. The Murdstones are really horrible to David and scare him, until one day he bites Mr. Murdstone's hand to stop him hurting him. As punishment, David is sent to a boarding school where he gets beaten by the teachers. He makes a friend called Steerforth, an older student who David idolizes.
             David is brought home from school to find that his mother and baby sister have died. After their funeral. He is not sent back to Salem House but kept at home. The Murdstones fire Peggotty and and she marries the local wagon-driver, Barkis. Mr. Murdstonesends David to work in London, in a glue factory. David works long hours which make him ill. He makes a strong friendship with the Macawber family, who let David stay with them. When the Macawbers leave London, David decides to run away to his Aunt Betsey, who he has never met. David got robbed and then made his difficult journey to his Aunt.
             Although she does not like boys, Betsey soon starts to like him, especially after the Murdstones come to take him and she sees what they are really like. David settles down happily. David grows up, and, once he has finished school, his aunt sends him to London to choose a career. He works with Uriah Heap who is a very creepy man.
             Back in London David meets Dora and falls madly in love. Emily, who has been engaged to Ham, disappears, leaving a note that she has run off with Steerforth, w...