Podcast Summary: Storytime for Grownups – David Copperfield: Chapter 29

Host: Faith Moore
Date: April 16, 2026
Podcast Description: Storytime for Grownups helps listeners learn to love classic literature. Each episode features a reading from a classic, with Faith providing thoughtful, accessible commentary—like an audiobook with built-in notes.

Episode Overview

In this episode, Faith Moore reads and discusses Chapter 29 of Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield, guiding listeners through narrative developments, character insights, and the emotional landscape of the story. The episode opens with a warm welcome and updates for the community before launching into a detailed recap of Chapter 28, responses to listener comments, and then a careful, annotated reading of Chapter 29. Faith unpacks the evolving dynamics between David, Steerforth, Rosa Dartle, and the wider cast while layering in historical context and literary analysis.

Key Discussion Points

Welcome and Community Update

• Faith expresses gratitude for the community:
  "What a joy it is to get to do this podcast... thank you for letting me do this. I couldn't do it if you weren't there listening." (01:00)
• Reminder about upcoming online tea time:
  Next tea time is April 30th (a Thursday) at 8pm Eastern in the ‘Drawing Room’ online community (membership info in show notes).
• Encouragement to join or support the show:
  Faith promotes the community and donation links and invites everyone to leave reviews to help the podcast grow.

Recap of Chapter 28 (08:15)

• Macawbers and Traddles dine at David’s:
  Mrs. Macawber suggests Mr. Macawber find work via a newspaper ad—by taking a loan for the ad fee.
• Littimer’s disruptive presence:
  Steerforth’s servant arrives, making everyone uneasy.
• David’s warning to Traddles:
  David cautions Traddles not to lend to the Macawbers, learning Traddles already guaranteed their loan.
• Steerforth’s visit:
  He brings news: Mr. Barkis is dying. Steerforth persuades David to delay his visit to Yarmouth.
• Macawbers’ financial trouble:
  David reads Mr. Macawber’s letter, discovering both Macawbers’ and Traddles’ possessions will be seized.

Listener Feedback (11:40)

• Maria: Impressed by David’s kindness and critical of Steerforth’s manipulative nature.
• K. Kleinfelter: Frustrated by David’s naivety regarding Steerforth, likening Steerforth to a “conniving, sketchy, cheeky… person.”
• Ari Buck: Feels sympathy for the Macawbers’ resilience but dislikes their negative impact on Traddles.

"Between Steerforth and Agnes, I just can’t stop the feeling of wanting to smack DV upside his head and yell at him, snap out of it. I must continually remind myself that he is so young and naive and immature." – K. Kleinfelter (12:15)

Faith’s Literary Analysis (13:45)

• Nature of the Macawbers:
  Faith clarifies that while the Macawbers are not intentionally exploitative, their chronic optimism and financial delusion cause real harm—especially now to Traddles. Dickens modeled Mr. Macawber after his own father.
• David’s boundaries:
  David recognizes the limits of his generosity with the Macawbers, showing maturity, while struggling to assert himself with household staff, e.g., Mrs. Krupp:

  "In short, I would have done anything in an honorable way rather than give Mrs. Crupp offense. And she was the terror of my life." (18:27)

• Comparison: Traddles, Steerforth, and David:
  Traddles is juxtaposed with Steerforth: the former is earnest and generous; the latter, enigmatic and self-centered.

  "Traddles clearly cares about people... Whereas Steerforth can't even remember Traddles at first. And when he does he says, oh, that fellow. Right." (28:45)

• Steerforth’s opacity:
  Steerforth’s recent actions (unexplained trip to Yarmouth, ambiguous relationship with Littimer) create unease.

Analysis of Steerforth and Rosa Dartle Dynamics (36:10)

• Rosa Dartle’s intensity:
  During David’s visit to the Steerforth home, Rosa scrutinizes David and Steerforth:

  "What is he doing? ... If you are honourable and faithful, I don't ask you to betray your friend. I ask you only to tell me. Is it anger? Is it hatred? Is it pride? Is it restlessness? Is it some wild fancy? Is it love? What is it that is leading him?" – Rosa Dartle (41:10)

• Rosa’s emotional wound:
  Her fixation is accentuated by her sharp and almost painful demeanor, which softens only briefly under Steerforth’s charm.
• Striking scene:
  After Rosa plays and sings at Steerforth’s request, he playfully embraces her, prompting her to violently lash out—a complex, charged moment:

  "She had struck him and had thrown him off with the fury of a wild cat and had burst out of the room." (59:23)

Steerforth's Farewell to David (1:04:40)

• Steerforth’s premonition:
  He asks David to always remember him at his best, should anything separate them:

  "Daisy, if anything should ever separate us, you must think of me at my best, old boy. Come, let us make that bargain. Think of me at my best if circumstances should ever part us." – Steerforth (1:05:15)

• David’s devotion:
  David, unwaveringly loyal, responds,

  "You have no best to me, Steerforth... you are always equally loved and cherished in my heart." (1:05:45)

• Poignant closing:
  As David departs while Steerforth sleeps, a tragic note is sounded. The narrator foreshadows their final parting:

  "Nevermore, O God, forgive you Steerforth, to touch that passive hand in love and friendship. Never, nevermore." (1:06:50)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Macawber’s optimism:
  "They believe all the time that something is about to turn up and their intentions are always good even if the reality... leaves much to be desired." – Faith Moore (15:39)
• Maria on Steerforth:
  "He always seems to get David into some sort of trouble. He also really takes advantage of David's hospitality and generous nature." (12:04)
• Faith comparing Traddles and Steerforth:
  "Traddles seems like a much better friend for David than Steerforth. So having Steerforth show up right after Traddles does kind of bring that home." (29:15)
• Faith on Rosa Dartle:
  "There was something positively awful to me in this and in the brightness of her eyes as she said, looking fixedly at me, what is he doing?" (41:10)
• On David’s loyalty:
  "You have no best to me, Steerforth...you are always equally loved and cherished in my heart." (1:05:45)
• Final foreshadowing:
  "Nevermore, O God, forgive you Steerforth, to touch that passive hand in love and friendship. Never, nevermore." (1:06:50)

Important Timestamps

• Welcome and Housekeeping: 00:00 – 08:15
• Recap of Chapter 28: 08:15 – 11:40
• Listener Feedback: 11:40 – 13:45
• Analysis of Macawbers/Traddles/Steerforth: 13:45 – 31:00
• Steerforth and Yarmouth Intrigue: 31:00 – 36:10
• Reading/Analysis of Rosa Dartle Scene: 36:10 – 59:23
• Steerforth's Farewell and Chapter Close: 1:04:40 – 1:07:00

Overall Tone & Takeaways

Faith’s commentary is warm, thoughtful, and peppered with both humor and genuine literary insight. She draws out the moral dilemmas and emotional truths of Dickens’ characters, especially focusing on loyalty, naivety, and the complexities of friendship and family. By reading listener comments, she grounds the discussion in community, emphasizing that the life of classic literature is sustained by active, engaged readers.

This episode builds anticipation for David’s return to Yarmouth, Steerforth’s mysterious trajectory, and the uncertain futures of the Macawbers and Traddles.

Next steps for listeners:

• Reach out with feedback or questions via Faith’s website.
• Join the 'Drawing Room' community or tea time.
• Look out for the next episode to see if the many narrative questions are answered!