Dickens impresses most with David Copperfield-- the novel has gripping story line and very interesting gallery of characters. Novel is about the life-journey of a boy David Copperfield, right from his childhood till middle-age. His widowed mother is duped into a false marriage by a heartless vagabond named Murdstone when he is eight years old. David's ordeal starts right from there. He is separated from his mother, is sent to a boarding-house headed by a very cruel head-master whose chief pleasure is to flog the students without any reason or provocation. His mother dies and his step-father employs him as a child-labourer in a small factory in London. Young David feels his neglect acutely. He wants to study to gt an education, thereafter a training in some profession. He lives with debt-ridden Micawber family. In Micawber family, Dickens gives one of his memorable pen-picture. Although hounded daily by money-lenders, Mr. and Mrs. Micawber leads a carefree life, loving and devoted to each other with Mrs. Micawber's famous line," but, I won't leave Mr. Micawber alone."
David recollects his mother's story about his grand-aunt and decides to go to her to get out of the mess in which his step-father has deliberately thrown him. He reaches her aunt Betsey Trotwood's home. She gives him shelter, defeats Murdstone and his sister in a stormy encounter and adopts David Copperfield. From here story changes. David becomes a boarder in Lawyer Wickfield's home and a close friend of his daughter Agnes. He gets his schooling from Dr. Strong's school. This time period is most pleasant and it passes on peacefully. David finishes his schooling and starts looking for a professional training. On his aunt's suggestion, he decides to enter into a training for proctorship under Mr. Snowley's firm. While residing in London, he meets his old friend from boarding-house, Steerworth. Steerworth leads a bohemian sort of life without any purpose or aim. He has many talents, but completely lacks the inclination to utilize them. His worst crime is to misguide Emily, niece of Mr. Peggoty, to elope with him just one day before her marriage. He ruins her life and makes David very very repentant because David was the one who had introduced Steerworth to Peggoty family--- t his family being the extended family of David's nurse Laura Peggoty.
Meanwhile, David falls in love with Dora, Mr. Snowley's daughter. Agnes Wickfield visits London and tells David about the villainy of Uriah Heep, the clerk of Lawyer Wickfield. Taking advantage of Lawyer Wickfield's loss of memory, Heep has become a partner in his firm, resides in his house with his mother and intends to marry Agnes. David finds himself at a complete loss to know how to tackle Uriah Heep. Heep is too deep, too cunning for David. Rescue comes in the shape of Mr. Micawber, now a clerk in the firm of Wickfield and Heep. He exposes Heep and forces his ouster from Wickfield's home and buisness. David, meanwhile, gets married to Dora but loses her to a pre-mature death. Mr. Peggotyy recovers Emily and decides to migrate to Australia to let Emily lead a shameless life. Steerworth dies in a sea-storm.
Finally David realizes his deep attachment to his childhood companion Agnes Wickfield and marries him. His fame and fortune rise, so is his family.