David Copperfield revision

Answer the following questions:

1) Why was Miss Betsey disappointed when David was born? What was her
reaction?

Aunt Betsy expected the baby to be a girl as her attitude towards

males was a bit harsh. This was because of the problems she had had with her
husband when she was married as he treated her badly so she seemed to feel
that all men were wicked or silly, and that they made women's lives difficult,
that's why she couldn't bear and left David's house immediately after his birth.

2) Clara, David and Peggotty were left all alone; they lived such a happy life.
Discuss

Clara, David and Peggotty lived most of their life together and were
happy. In the evening Clara and Peggotty would chat by the fire and would
often sing or read to David. Then they would rock him in their arms and kiss
him warmly. On Sundays, they would walk to the nearby church, and visit his
father's grave. Knowing that he was close by made David feel safe. Those
sweet moments will remain in David's heart forever.

3) Why did Peggotty take David to visit her brother?

Peggotty took David to visit her brother for a few weeks in Yarmouth
because Mr. Murdstone and David's mother were getting married.

4)Everything had changed in David‟s life when he arrived back home.

Discuss

David's mother had married Mr Murdstone, and his sister had come to live
with them, it just didn't feel like home anymore. Even his mother seemed to
be different as she rarely spoke to David and when she did, it was in a quick
whisper so he felt lonely and cried every night for hours.

5)How did David‟s mother change after she got married to Mr Murdstone?

Mr. Murdstone hadn't only changed the atmosphere of the house, but he had
also changed Clara. She feared Mr Murdstone and his sister. When Clara
showed David any kindness, her husband frowned at her, then took her a side
and talked to her in a strict way. David felt sorry for his mother.

6)Mr. Murdstone proved to be cruel and unkind. Illustrate

Mr. Murdstone punished David as he couldn't answer his question so he

decided to beat him with a cane but his mother begged him to give David
another chance. Mr Murdstone dragged David up to his room and held his
head under his arm so that he couldn't move and beat him harder, then he left
the room and locked the door.

7) Mr Creakle was mean and treated the students at Salem House badly.
Discuss

Mr.Creakle walked up and down and stared at us with a look of disgust on his
face. He shouted and then chose a few of us to beat with the cane. The
students were scared of him.

8) What was the surprise waiting for David when he went home for a
holiday?

He was surprised when he saw his mother holding a baby. His mother seemed
pale and weak.

9) The Murdstones made life at home awful for David. Discuss

When Miss Murdstone saw David holding his baby brother, she told him never
to touch him again. Clara and David were shocked, but Clara said nothing as
she seemed even more afraid of the Murdstones than ever. Mr Murdstone,
too was cruel to David and said that he was evil and lazy. That's why David was
looking forward to going back to school where he wasn't always made to feel
unwelcome.

10) The death of David‟s mother affected his life in the most terrible way.
Illustrate

David was very sad, shocked and lonely. He was only ten, and all alone in the
world. He was an orphan.

11)Everything had changed at the Rookery after the death of Clara. Discuss
 Peggotty no longer lived at the Rookery, because the Murdstones told her to
leave. She invited David to visit Yarmouth again for a while. The Murdstones
agreed as they wanted David's home for themselves. When David had to go
back to the Rookery, the Murdstones decided not to send him back to school
and David was very sad.

12)Why did Mr Murdstone send David to London?

Mr.Murdstone sent David to London to work in his wine factory.

13)Why did Mr Micawber go to prison?

He went to prison because he didn't have enough money to pay for his debts.

14)Why did David run away from London?

He ran away because when Mr. Micawber's prison sentence was over, he
decided that he and his family would leave London. David couldn't bear to stay
in London alone and couldn't work in the dirty factory so he decided to go to
his Aunt Betsey.

15)David felt embarrassed when he reached Aunt Betsey‟s house.

(Illustrate)

He felt embarrassed because he was like beggars as he had sold some of the
clothes that he was wearing to buy food as he was hungry so he was such a
dirty boy standing at Aunt Betsey's door.

16)What kind of person do you think Aunt Betsey was? Justify your answer

She was a kind hearted person because when David told her about his
miserable story, she gave him food to eat and then put him on the sofa and
she sat on the floor beside him.

17)Who visited Aunt Betsey in Dover and gave David a nasty surprise? Why
did David consider her to be brave?

The Murdstones visited her. David considered his aunt to be brave as she told
Mr Murdstone that she knew very well how David's poor young mother
suffered because of Mr Murdstone and his sister . She also told them that they
were tyrants and she blamed him for treating David badly. Finally, she asked
them to leave her house at once and never come back.

18)Who was Mr Wickfield to Aunt Betsey?

He was her trusted friend and lawyer . She always took his advice.

19)Why did David ask Agnes‟ advice about things when they were children?

David asked Agnes' advice because she seemed very mature for her age and
she was a wise and a special person that's why David trusted her and asked for
her advice.

20)Should we judge people according to their appearance or manner? Apply

your answer to the judgment of David and Agnes upon Uriah Heep.

No, we shouldn't. As for David he didn't like Uriah Heep from the first
moment, but what bothered him was his manner more than his appearance.
When Uriah Heep spoke, he reminded David of a snake so he didn't trust him.
Also that's what happened with Agnes she didn't trust Heep as he was an evil
man who encouraged her father to drink a lot of wine and then told him not to
worry and that he would look after his business.

21)Although Agnes and Dora were so very different from each other, they
became best friends. Illustrate

Although they were the same age, Agnes seemed older and wiser, and Dora
acted like a sweet child.

22) What did Emily do that upset Mr Peggotty and Ham? Why did she do
that?

She ran away with Steerforth because she thought that Steerforth would
make her a lady as she wanted to be.

23) Why was David shocked to see Mr. Micawber working for Heep?

He was shocked because Mr. Micawber had always said that he would only
work for honest people but Uriah wasn't.

24)Why did Steerforth leave Emily?

 He left her because he soon lost interest in Emily and she missed her family
very much.

25)Ham had died trying to save Steerforth, the man who had taken Emily
away from him. (Illustrate)

Ham was trying to save the boat which was in trouble because people were
going to die. Suddenly, there was a bright flash of lighting, then a crash of
thunder. A huge wave covered everything, and Ham and the boat disappeared
under the water. David helped to pull the rope back in, but Ham was dead.

26)What did Mr Micawber tell everyone about Uriah Heep?

He told them that Mr Uriah Heep used Mr Wickfield's name to steal the
money of certain people like Miss Betsey Trotwood and he had a list of all the
papers he signed without Mr Wickfield's permission.

27)What secret did Agnes keep from David for a long time?

Why did she keep that secret?

The secret was that David was the only person she had ever loved. She kept
that secret because she was afraid that he didn't feel the same way about her.

28)At the end of the story, we realized that "Good is rewarded and evil is
punished." (Illustrate)

Mr. Peggotty and Emily had done well in Australia and their lives became so
successful. Things are now better for Mr wickfield, too, and Agnes wouldn't
have to marry Uriah Heep.

David married Agnes and became a famous writer. People bought his books
and liked them. Soon, he became a well-known author .. He became now a
happily married man with three children and a successful career. Uriah Heep,
like all criminals, he went to prison.