Storytime for Grownups – David Copperfield: Chapter 2

Host: Faith Moore
Podcast: Storytime for Grownups
Episode Date: January 12, 2026

Overview

In this episode, Faith Moore continues her season-long exploration of Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield, diving deep into Chapter 2. Moore begins by recapping Chapter 1, highlighting the humor, character dynamics, and reader responses, before moving into a thoughtful read-through of Chapter 2 complete with her own annotations and explanations. The episode balances literary appreciation with accessible insights, inviting listeners to relish the vividness and complexity of Dickens' characters while providing context and encouragement for engaging with the classic.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Recap of Chapter 1 and Early Reflections

(04:30 – 23:00)

• Faith summarizes Chapter 1, focusing on:
  • David’s birth, his father’s death prior, and his mother’s childlike vulnerability.
  • The comic entrance and abrupt exit of Aunt Betsy Trotwood, who was determined the baby would be a girl and storms off upon learning otherwise.
  • The meekness of the doctor, Mr. Chillip, and the way Dickens sets up humor through character interplay.
• She reads and discusses listener comments appreciating the humor and Dickens’ vibrant character sketches.

Notable Quotes:

• “Part of what makes [Dickens’s characters] funny is that they're often just a little bit larger than life. But we can also recognize them as real people.” — Faith Moore (15:04)
• “David, our narrator, is a kind of open, sort of guileless, almost innocent sort of person... childlike openness and innocence. That’s really lovely, I think.” — Faith Moore (20:44)

2. Thematic Emphasis: Dickens' Humor and Realism

(12:30 – 23:40)

• Faith encourages listeners to openly laugh at the book, countering the notion that classics must be “weighty tomes... taken very seriously.”
  • She revisits the idea that humor is central to Dickens' writing.
  • She discusses how Dickens creates drama and comedy by mixing disparate character types and letting their personalities clash and combine.

Notable Quotes:

• “It is. Okay, encouraged even to laugh during this book... humor is a major feature of this book and of Dickens writing in general.” — Faith Moore (17:50)

3. In-depth Character Exploration: David, His Mother, and Miss Betsy

(24:00 – 35:00)

• David:
  • Moore analyzes the narrative voice, noting Dickens’ skill in combining adult reflection with childlike innocence. She reads passages that capture David’s nostalgic, tender relationship to family.
• David’s Mother:
  • Shown as gentle, naïve, and somewhat unprepared for motherhood, Faith highlights her dependent, almost childlike stance after her husband’s death.
• Miss Betsy:
  • Moore clarifies Betsy’s eccentricity and her longing for a female child to “save” from the mistakes of her own life, pointing out her complexity beyond comedic effect.

Notable Quotes:

• “[David’s mother] was a nursery governess, meaning she was a more lower class person than she is now. And she cared for ... very small children... Mr. Copperfield... fell in love with her and he married her. And so he was teaching her how to be middle class, but she still doesn't really know how.” — Faith Moore (31:18)
• “Miss Betsy is actually kind of complicated and also, of course, hilarious. But none of that matters, apparently, because she's now left the house, never to return.” — Faith Moore (34:41)

4. Chapter 2: David’s Early Memories and Home Life

(36:28 – 39:55 onward—reading with commentary) During the reading, Faith highlights:

• David’s vivid childhood recollections, impressionistic sense of home, and capacity for observation.
• The deep emotional bond between David, his mother, and Peggotty the servant.
• The presence of humor and wonder as David describes household features (e.g., the geese, the storeroom, the church).

Notable Passages (Read by Dickens, Annotated by Faith):

• “I observe the first objects that assume a distinct presence before me... my mother, with her pretty hair and youthful shape, and Peggotty, with no shape at all...” (36:40)
  • Faith notes how Dickens shows the child’s honest way of seeing the world.
• “Indeed, I think that most grown men who are remarkable in this respect may with greater propriety be said not to have lost the faculty than to have acquired it.” (38:14)
  • Faith annotates: “He thinks children are better observers than we give them credit for... People who grow up to be good observers have just held on to this capacity from childhood.”

5. Peggotty’s Relationship with David and the 'Other Man'

(46:15 – 1:05:30)

• David’s innocent questioning about marriage and Peggotty’s affectionate, if awkward, response.
• Introduction of Mr. Murdstone as a suitor to David’s mother; David’s immediate dislike, childish jealousy, and confusion about adult relationships.
• Peggotty’s growing unease about the relationship between Mrs. Copperfield and Mr. Murdstone.
  • The emotional scene where Peggotty, David, and his mother argue and end up crying together, showcasing their interdependent affection and anxieties.

6. Early Tensions: Murdstone's Influence and a Childhood Journey

(1:06:00 – 1:14:30)

• Mr. Murdstone’s increasingly prominent role, as seen in his outings with David and in the subtle power dynamics among Murdstone and his friends.
• Faith draws attention to:
  • David’s observation of Murdstone’s personality—cold, controlling, and ill-omened.
  • Adult behaviors and conversations that the child narrator only half-understands but intuits as threatening or disruptive.
• Peggotty proposes taking David for a visit to Yarmouth, possibly to shield him from the brewing changes at home. The episode ends with David’s poignant departure, marked by tears and a sense of lost innocence.

Notable Quotes:

• “[Murdstone] had that kind of shallow black eye... which, when it is abstracted, seems... to be disfigured...” (1:08:53)
• “It touches me nearly now, although I tell it lightly, to recollect how eager I was to leave my happy home... how little I suspected what I did leave forever.” — Dickens read by Faith (1:14:14)

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• On Dickens' Comic Characters:

  • “Dickens, to me, feels like a scientist. It's like he's thinking, like, let's see what kind of reactions we get when we start mixing together all these different people.” — Listener letter (Megan Pack) read by Faith (11:42)

• On Miss Betsy’s Motivation:

  • “What she wants is to help raise a girl who she can raise lovingly and help not to have to deal with the same things [she did]... when it's a boy, that totally messes up this plan.” — Faith Moore (33:27)

• On the Emotional Core of David's Childhood:

  • “I'm glad to recollect that when the carrier began to move, my mother ran out at the gate and called to him to stop, that she might kiss me once more... earnestness and love...” — Dickens (read and annotated by Faith) (1:14:20)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-----------|--------------------------------------------------------------| | 04:30 | Recap of Chapter 1 and listeners' reflections | | 12:30 | Discussion of Dickens’s humor and the invitation to laugh | | 15:04 | Analysis of “larger than life” Dickensian characters | | 20:44 | Deep dive into David's narrative voice | | 24:00 | Character study: David, his mother, and Miss Betsy | | 33:27 | Miss Betsy’s motivation and complexity discussed | | 36:28 | Beginning of Chapter 2 reading and annotation | | 46:15 | Peggotty & David’s “were you ever married?” conversation | | 49:30 | Introduction to Mr. Murdstone, David’s suspicions | | 1:06:00 | Murdstone’s influence and trip to Yarmouth plans arise | | 1:14:14 | David’s emotional departure from home |

Tone & Host Approach

Faith Moore's tone is warm, friendly, and gently humorous. She encourages listener participation and maintains an accessible, inviting air, making classic literature feel lively and relatable. Her annotations are straightforward, empathetic, and often interspersed with laughter, invitations for emotional engagement, and reminders that literature can be fun, not just scholarly.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

• What’s happening? The podcast is mid-journey through David Copperfield. We’re now deep into David’s early years—a time of childhood innocence but also the stirrings of upheaval, with the shadow of Mr. Murdstone looming.
• Key takeaways: Dickens masterfully combines humor and pathos; his characters are vivid, both larger-than-life and deeply familiar. Chapter 2 sees David growing aware of subtle changes at home, with his beloved Peggotty acting as protector and confidante as his mother’s suitor starts destabilizing the family.
• What’s next? David’s time at Peggotty’s brother’s house in Yarmouth—a reprieve before darker events unfold.

Quote to Close:
“I am glad to recollect that when the carrier began to move, my mother ran out at the gate and called to him to stop, that she might kiss me once more... It touches me nearly now…” — David (via Dickens), read by Faith Moore (1:14:20)

Listener Participation Encouraged:
Faith invites listeners to submit questions and reflections for inclusion in future episodes.
Contact: faithkmoore.com or via the link in the episode show notes.