Storytime for Grownups – David Copperfield: Chapter 22 (March 23, 2026)

Host: Faith Moore

Episode Overview

In this episode, Faith Moore continues her season-long journey through Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield, focusing on Chapter 22. The format blends chapter narration with rich, real-time literary commentary and discussion. Faith responds to listeners' letters and analyzes character motivations, foreshadowing, and Dickens’s themes, helping adult readers access classic literature in a warm, welcoming style.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Recap of Previous Chapter (21)

• David visits Steerforth, then the Peggotty family in Yarmouth after seven years apart.
• Steerforth’s charm and ambiguous character are discussed, with listeners noting both his appeal and his darker side.
• Little Emily has agreed to marry Ham, though there's tension: the community views her aspirations with suspicion, and she herself appears restless.

2. Listener Letters and the Problem of Steerforth

(~09:30)

• Faith reads and reflects on three listener comments:
  • oni: Struggles with being charmed by Steerforth despite his duplicity.

    "Why do I keep falling for his charm and thinking maybe he isn’t that bad? Dickens certainly has created a very convincing duplicity in his character." [10:45]

  • Jennifer McDonald: Worries about Steerforth’s influence on Emily—concerned about foreshadowing of tragedy.

    "I don't like the idea of her being introduced to Steerforth here... I still have a bad feeling that Steerforth might do something to sabotage the engagement." [12:05]

  • rachelc: Notes Steerforth’s manipulative nature.

    "I really don’t like how adept Steerforth is at manipulation and getting his way in all things... Scary individual." [13:00]

• Faith gathers that most listeners find Steerforth sinister and foreboding, expressing a sense of dread.

3. Faith’s Literary Analysis: Steerforth’s Duality and Foreshadowing

(~14:30–17:30)

• Steerforth’s “common touch” (a charisma monarchs have) is contrasted with his lack of authentic empathy.
• Noted foreshadowing: Earlier in the book, David hints something terrible will happen to Little Emily, so dreadful that death as a child would have been preferable.
• Emily’s character: She wants to be a lady, is resented for her aspirations, and appears ambivalent about her engagement to Ham.
  • Mr. Omer's quote about Emily:

    "She hasn't taken kindly to any particular acquaintances and friends... an ill natured story got about that Emily wanted to be a lady." [20:00]

4. Contrasts Between David’s Naïveté and Adult Insight

• Young David idolizes Steerforth, missing red flags about their friendship (Steerforth treats David "like a plaything").
  • David:

    "A dashing way he had of treating me like a plaything was more agreeable to me than any behavior he could have adopted." [30:00]

• Adult David’s narration is tinged with regret and awareness:

  • "If anyone had told me then that all this was a brilliant game played for the excitement of the moment... I wonder in what manner of receiving it, my indignation would have found a venture." [32:00]

• Steerforth’s patronizing comments about the Peggottys (referring to them as “natives in their aboriginal condition”) are highlighted as moments of condescension.

5. Main Themes Identified

• Class, Aspiration, and Social Judgment: Emily’s struggles against her lower-class status.
• Foreshadowing of Tragedy: Recurring hints that Emily’s fate is grim.
• The Dangers of Charisma: Steerforth’s ability to enchant and manipulate.

Chapter 22: "Some Old Scenes and Some New People" – Highlights and Commentary

1. David’s Return Home and Steerforth’s Restlessness

(Reading begins at 36:00)

• David revisits Blunderstone, now changed and diminished. He reflects on his lost parents and his aspirations ("my echoing footsteps went to no other tune").
• Steerforth keeps himself busy with boating, mingling with locals, but is restless, thrill-seeking, and emotionally capricious.
• Notable Steerforth moment:
  • Steerforth [to David, in a rare moment of vulnerability]:

    "I wish to God I had had a judicious father these last twenty years... I wish with all my soul I could guide myself better.” [48:10]

  • Faith pauses to note the rare self-awareness but also the quick recovery of Steerforth’s charming persona.

2. Introduction of Miss Mowcher

(56:50)

• Miss Mowcher is a lively, witty, physically distinctive character (a dwarf and professional hairdresser with a sharp tongue and vast social connections).
• Miss Mowcher jokes with Steerforth, displaying her shrewdness and resilience in society.
• Faith points out Dickens’s social observation: Miss Mowcher, though a figure of fun, is astute, observant, and indispensable—subverting expectations.
• Notable quote, Miss Mowcher:

  "I'm here and there and where not, like the conjurer's half crown in the lady's handkerchief... I'm everywhere." [58:10]
  "What a refreshing set of humbugs we are, to be sure, ain't we, my sweet child?” [1:00:30]

• Steerforth appears to enjoy her company, but the conversation gets pointed when Emily’s name comes up.
• Notable exchange:

  Miss Mowcher: “A sister of yours, Mr. Copperfield?”
  Steerforth: "Nothing of that sort. On the contrary, Mr. Copperfield used—or I am much mistaken—to have a great admiration for her. Why hasn't he now?" [1:12:30]

• The scene ends with Miss Mowcher’s lively exit, having trimmed Steerforth’s hair and lightly teased David.

3. Martha Endell’s Story: The Shadow of Shame

(1:22:00)

• David and Ham encounter Emily comforting Martha Endell, a disgraced and shunned young woman—likely due to sexual transgression (implied prostitution or “fallen woman” status).
• Martha’s plea, recalling their childhood friendship:

  • “Emily, for Christ's sake, have a woman's heart towards me. I was once like you.” [1:24:30]

• Ham and Emily give Martha money to help her escape Yarmouth for London, a scene filled with compassion and social commentary.
• Emily, overwhelmed by Martha’s plight and her own dissatisfaction, breaks down in guilt and self-doubt:

  • “I am not so good a girl as I ought to be... I’m often cross to you and changeable with you, and I ought to be far different... Oh, my dear, it might have been a better fortune for you if you had been fond of someone else, of someone steadier and much worthier than me, who was all bound up in you and never vain and changeable like me.” [1:30:00]

• The emotional intensity exposes Emily’s inner turmoil and foreshadows future trouble.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• oni on Steerforth’s duplicity:

  “Dickens certainly has created a very convincing duplicity in his character.” [10:45]

• Mr. Omer on Emily:

  “[Emily] hasn’t taken kindly to any particular acquaintances and friends... an ill natured story got about that Emily wanted to be a lady.” [20:00]

• Adult David's regret:

  "If anyone had told me then that all this was a brilliant game played for the excitement of the moment... I wonder... my indignation would have found a venture." [32:00]

• Steerforth’s self-reproach:

  "I wish to God I had had a judicious father... I wish with all my soul I could guide myself better." [48:10]

• Miss Mowcher’s wit:

  "What a world of gammon and spinach it is, though, ain't it?" [58:25]

• Martha Endell’s cry:

  "Emily, for Christ's sake, have a woman's heart towards me. I was once like you." [1:24:30]

• Emily’s confession:

  "Oh, my dear, it might have been a better fortune for you if you had been fond of someone else, of someone steadier and much worthier than me..." [1:30:00]

Episode Structure and Timestamps

• [00:00–09:30] – Intro, community announcements, previous chapter recap.
• [09:30–13:30] – Listener letters on Steerforth's character.
• [14:30–35:00] – Detailed analysis: Steerforth, foreshadowing, and Emily's predicament.
• [36:00–55:00] – Chapter 22 narration: David’s return, Steerforth’s restlessness, introspective moments.
• [56:50–1:20:00] – Miss Mowcher’s introduction and comic interlude; razor-sharp social observations.
• [1:22:00–1:35:00] – Martha Endell’s storyline, Emily’s breakdown, strong emotional resonance.
• [1:37:00–end] – Closing calls for listener engagement, feedback info.

Language & Tone

Faith’s tone is warm, intimate, and inviting, often directly addressing listeners as “you guys” and gently guiding them through character complexity and historical context. She balances literary insight with compassion for the characters, using relatable modern analogies and encouraging listener participation.

Summary Takeaways

• Steerforth continues to dominate the narrative with his charm and underlying menace; the community is wary.
• Emily’s desire to transcend her class and her lack of true affection for Ham are central points of tension.
• Dickens’s social themes—respectability, shame, class, and the grim fate of the “fallen woman”—surface forcefully in Martha’s subplot.
• Miss Mowcher provides much-needed comic relief, but her character also highlights Dickens’s nuanced approach to outsider figures.
• The episode is effective as both literary guide and community conversation, deepening engagement with Dickens’ novel.

For Further Discussion

• What future calamity for Emily is being foreshadowed?
• Is Steerforth villainous, simply immature, or something more complicated?
• How does Dickens use minor characters like Miss Mowcher and Martha Endell to reflect his era’s moral and social preoccupations?

Faith’s closing reminder:

“Please do send me all your questions and thoughts. I love to hear them... And if you can or are interested, please do join us tomorrow for tea time at 8pm Eastern.” [Post-episode announcement, 1:37:00]

Next episode: More chapters of David Copperfield, more literary discussion, and more letters from listeners.