Storytime for Grownups

Host: Faith Moore

Episode: David Copperfield – Chapter 20 (March 16, 2026)

Episode Overview

In this episode, host Faith Moore brings listeners into Chapter 20 of David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. True to the podcast's signature style, Faith reads the chapter aloud with regular commentary—pausing to offer gentle literary analysis, clarify tricky passages, and connect Dickens’s world to contemporary readers. The main theme of this episode is David’s transition from adolescence to early adulthood, with an emphasis on the pivotal relationships, emotional struggles, and social dynamics shaping his journey.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Recap of Chapter 19 and Where David Stands (08:18)

• David leaves school: Faith contextualizes David’s emotional departure, highlighting his uncertainty about the future and the idea, discussed with his Aunt Betsey, that a period of reflection is needed.
• Complex feelings on leaving: He’s glad to be away from reminders of troubling adult relationships (Annie & Jack Malden), but is sad to part with Agnes and Mr. Wickfield, both of whom he feels deeply connected to.
• Steerforth’s return: David meets his charismatic old friend in London, setting the stage for the events of Chapter 20.

2. Listener Comments and Analysis (11:05)

• Agnes’s Role: Listeners “avicjack” and “ilv” comment on Agnes’s constrained life, her father’s drinking, and David’s journey toward adulthood.
  • Avicjack: “I'm taking it that his [Mr. Wickfield’s] drinking is a bit out of control and that's causing him to buckle under stress. And apparently Heap is trying to subtly push that along.”
  • Ilv: “I'm really liking Agnes and the father in me wants her to have more freedom than as a shut in embodying her deceased mother for Mr. Wickfield.”
• Elizabeth’s concern: “I can't tell if we should be worried for Davey or not. He seems like an earnest young man, but... he's sort of wandering around aimlessly.”
• Faith’s take: She discusses how the current storyline mirrors earlier points when David was forced to act like an adult before his time, emphasizing the difference between good parenting and neglect.

3. The Struggle to Launch: David’s Aimlessness and Dreams (18:05)

• David’s uncertainty about his future is presented sympathetically; Faith notes Dickens’s portrayal of David as a “romantic, imaginative, dreamy” youth.
• David’s quote on career confusion (20:20):
  • “For a year or more, I had endeavored to find a satisfactory answer to her often repeated question... what I would like to be [her being Miss Betsey]. But I had no particular liking that I could discover for anything.”
• Faith likens his ambition (daydreaming about being an explorer) to the grand ideals typical of adolescence.

4. Parental Guidance: Miss Betsey’s Advice (23:15)

• Miss Betsey’s wisdom is highlighted as a grounding force in David’s life.
• Notable quote from Betsey Trotwood (24:45):
  • "But what I want you to be, Trot—...is a firm fellow, a fine firm fellow with a will of your own. With resolution... with determination, with character, Trot, with strength of character that is not to be influenced except on good reason by anybody or anything."
• Faith emphasizes the unconditional love Betsey shows, even if she deflects by referencing David’s mother.

5. Support Systems: Agnes and Miss Betsey (28:50)

• Faith discusses the importance of Agnes (“his good angel”) and Betsey as stabilizing, nurturing presences.
• She expresses concern for Agnes’s future, noting her increasing isolation in caring for her father and the risk of her “becoming an old maid.”
• Agnes’s influence on David (31:15):
  • David says, “I seem to want my right hand when I miss you. ...Everyone who knows you consults with you and is guided by you, Agnes.”
• The tension in Agnes’s storyline is underscored: her self-sacrifice may preclude her own happiness.

6. Threats and Pitfalls: Mr. Wickfield, Uriah Heep, and Dr. & Mrs. Strong (33:30)

• Faith breaks down the deepening problems surrounding Mr. Wickfield’s alcoholism and Uriah’s manipulative role.
  • Quote (Mr. Wickfield, reported by Agnes, 35:20): “His hand trembles, his speech is not plain and his eyes look wild... at those times... Uriah seems to want him on some business... and next day he is worse, and next day worse...”
• She reiterates the ongoing, but newly evident, tension in Dr. and Mrs. Strong’s relationship.

7. Steerforth’s Reappearance and Its Implications (42:05)

• Faith weighs Steerforth’s re-entry into David’s life. While Steerforth has positive traits (confidence, social savoir-faire), his “jaded” demeanor may not be entirely healthy for the idealistic David.
• The dynamic between the boys is unequal; David idolizes Steerforth, who “enjoys babying him.”
• Listener observation by Avicjack (43:15):
  • “David was enraptured by the same play that Steerforth thought was perfect rot. It shows Steerforth to be much more sophisticated, but also sounds like David would be a better friend.”
• Faith’s concern: Is it “concerning that just as David is starting his adult life, he falls in with an older, more worldly friend who enjoys taking him under his wing”?

Chapter 20: “Steerforth’s Home” – Faith’s Dramatic Reading and Commentary

(50:40 onward)

Key Narrative Developments

• The emotional awkwardness of growing up: David’s insecurity about his age and inexperience is revealed in the episode’s opening lines.
  • “I felt severely the having no occasion for [shaving water], and blushed in my bed.” (51:05)
• Steerforth’s patronage: Steerforth invites David to his home at Highgate, demonstrating generosity but also a subtle power dynamic.
  • Steerforth: “Come home with me to Highgate and stay a day or two. You will be pleased with my mother...” (54:40)
• Introduction of Mrs. Steerforth and Miss Rosa Dartle:
  • Mrs. Steerforth is a proud, doting mother, whose world revolves around her son. She “can speak or think of nothing else.” (66:15)
  • Miss Rosa Dartle, the household companion, is presented as “all edge”—her sharpness matched physically by a scar Steerforth inflicted as a child. The ambiguity and tension in her character add an air of intrigue and unease.
  • Rosa Dartle: “Oh, but really, do tell me, are they, though? ...That sort of people, are they really animals and clods and beings of another order? I want to know so much.” (74:10)

Notable Moments and Quotes

• Steerforth’s cynicism on ambition (56:50):
  • "I have not the least desire or intention to distinguish myself in that way. ...Let them do it at some other man. There’s fame for him.”
• David’s awe and self-consciousness (52:00):
  • "I was rather bashful at first, Steerforth being so self-possessed and elegant and superior to me in all respects... but his easy patronage soon put that to rights.”
• Tense exchange on social class—Steerforth and Rosa Dartle’s discussion of “that sort of people” (74:10):
  • Rosa: "It's such a delight to know that when they suffer, they don't feel. Sometimes I have been quite uneasy for that sort of people, but now I shall just dismiss the idea of them altogether.”
  • Steerforth (with indifference): “They are not to be expected to be as sensitive as we are.”
• Revelation about Miss Dartle’s Scar (77:40):
  • Steerforth: “I did that by an unfortunate accident. ...She has borne the mark ever since, as you see, and she'll bear it to her grave, if she ever rests in one, though I can hardly believe she will ever rest anywhere.”

Memorable Reflections and Literary Touches

• Faith draws out the motif of “mirrors of childhood” in David’s adult experiences, highlighting Dickens’s subtle craftsmanship.
• The symbolism of family, surrogate parenting (Betsey and Agnes), and dangers of idolatry (David’s reverence for Steerforth) are recurrent touchstones.
• The complexities of attachment, unspoken love, and the tension between dependence and independence are explored with nuance.

Conclusion & Next Steps

• The episode ends with David snug in a room in Steerforth’s home—his sleep haunted by the image of Rosa Dartle, a “likeness... looking eagerly at me from above the chimney piece.”
• Faith invites listener engagement:
  • “Please go to my website, faithkmoore.com click on contact and send me your questions and thoughts... I always write back, unless you’re rude...”
• She encourages support for the podcast and participation in community events like “tea time.”

Timestamps

• Recap and Listener Comments: 08:18–16:40
• David’s Uncertain Future/Parental Advice: 18:05–28:40
• Agnes and Mr. Wickfield Discussion: 28:50–38:00
• Steerforth’s Reappearance and Literary Contrasts: 42:05–50:30
• Chapter Reading Begins: 50:40
  • Awkward adulthood & Steerforth’s home: 51:05–66:30
  • Dinner & Social Commentary: 66:30–79:30
  • Late-night reflections: 79:30–end

Tone and Style

Faith Moore’s style is intimate, warm, and gently humorous, combining storytelling with thoughtful, accessible literary analysis. She frequently addresses listeners as friends, emphasizes community, and invites participation—creating a welcoming "cozy chair" atmosphere reflective of the podcast’s purpose: making the classics inviting and alive for modern readers.

Recommended Next Actions for Listeners

• Engage with Faith about the chapter via her website
• Join the Drawing Room online community or upgrade membership to join “tea time”
• Reflect on the themes of guidance, friendship, and the transition to adulthood as seen in David’s journey—Do they resonate in your own experiences?