The title character plays the central role, and relates his story in narrative from his perspective as a grown adult. Copperfield's family includes his mother Clara, his aunt Betsey Trotwood, his stepfather Edward Murdstone and a brother who dies in infancy. His family's staff includes the nurse Clara Peggotty, who cares for David as a young man. At boarding school, he befriends James Steerforth and Tommy Traddles; both play key roles in his adult life. David's business associates include his one-time landlord and later mentor Wilkins Micawber, a clerk named Uriah Heep and the lawyer Wickfield. After David's first wife Dora dies, he marries Wickfield's daughter Agnes.
"David Copperfield" takes place in various towns in England in the first half of the 19th century. Dickens opens the story with David living with his mother and stepfather in Blunderstone, Suffolk County. His stepfather sends him to Salem House boarding school for most of his pre-teens. After his mother's death, David's stepfather sends him off to work in a factory in London. He leaves London after a few years to find Betsey, his last surviving relative, in the British coastal town of Dover. David eventually finishes his schooling in Canterbury, and works there while also visiting friends and later his fiancee in Yarmouth. The novel ends with David relating his adult family life in Australia, but no scenes in the novel take place there.
The story tells David Copperfield's life. Dickens titled chapter one "I Am Born" and the book opens on David explaining to the reader that in his narration he will answer the question of "whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life." David relates his biography in chronological order, starting with his childhood and abusive home life under Murdstone. This abuse continues under Mr. Creakle, the boarding school headmaster that beats David and his friends. He describes the conditions working in a factory and Heep's treachery at the law firm. During his travels to Yarmouth, he first meets and marries Dora while maintaining Agnes as a friend and confidant. When Dora dies, he marries Agnes and the pair raises a family in Australia.
As in many of Dickens' other novels, such as "A Christmas Carol," "David Copperfield" contains a number of moral elements. Dickens does not shy from showing wickedness and its results and the novel contains a number of situations in which cruelty yields horrible consequences. In addition to the abuse David suffers as a child, his mother suffers from an overbearing second husband, Heep uses Wickfield's alcoholism to embezzle and David's schoolmate Steerforth abandons Peggotty's niece after seducing her. These characters all, in some measure, receive their comeuppance. Dickens contrasts the punishment of wickedness by showing the fruits of charity and kindness. Betsey's life improves immeasurably after adopting David and showing him love and gentleness.