James Baquet David Copperfield is the main character in the eponymous novel by the great English writer, Charles Dickens. In the book, David is raised by his widowed mother. She and the housekeeper call him “Davy.” When he is 7, his mother remarries, to a man named Edward Murdstone. At this time, Davy is sent to live with the housekeeper’s brother, a fisherman called Mr. Peggotty, and his extended family. “Master Copperfield,” as they call him, is in love with “Little Emily,” Peggotty’s foster daughter. David returns home, and dislikes his strict stepfather. Murdstone’s sister Jane joins them, and together the two terrorize David’s poor mother. After a violent incident, David is sent away to a boarding school with a ruthless headmaster. There he befriends an admired older boy, James Steerforth. When David goes home for the holidays, he learns his mother and Murdstone have had a baby boy. Mother and child soon die, and David is sent to London to work for a wine merchant. But when David’s landlord is sent to debtor’s prison, no one is left to take care of him, so he runs away to find his great-aunt Betsey Trotwood. She renames him “Trotwood Copperfield” and calls him “Trot.” She sends “Trot” to a better school, one which inculcates honor and self-reliance. He falls in love with Agnes, the daughter of his new landlord, a lawyer, but must contend with a dishonest boarder named Uriah Heep who manipulates Agnes’ father. David thwarts his plans, and Heep later ends up in prison. But Heep’s plots have diminished Aunt Betsey’s fortune, and David must work hard to support himself. He ultimately becomes a successful author. His school friend Steerforth re-enters his life and seduces Emily, deserting her in Europe. Her uncle, Mr. Peggotty, finds her, and takes her off to a new life in Australia. In the meantime, David has fallen in love with Dora Spenlow, his boss’ daughter, and marries her. She soon dies of a miscarriage, and David marries again, this time to Agnes. Together the happy couple have five children, and name one of them after great-aunt Betsey Trotwood. Vocabulary: Which word above means: 1. girl one chooses to raise as one’s own 2. teaches persistently and earnestly 3. reduced, lessened 4. having had one’s husband die 5. supporting oneself 6. grandparent’s sister 7. struggle against 8. named after 9. loss of a child before birth 10. successfully opposes | 