Previous
Chapter 53
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in David Copperfield, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Coming of Age and Personal Development
Ambition, Social Mobility, and Morality
Memory and Nostalgia
Womanhood and Gender Roles
Home and Family
Summary
Analysis
David's grief does not hit him all at once after Dora dies, in part because so much else is going on around him at the time. He mourns, but then feels that the worst of his grief is behind him. This turns out not be the case: David writes that he later experienced a second wave of depression in which he "came to think that the Future was walled up before [him]."
In different ways, David's relationships with Dora and Steerforth represent some of the last vestiges of childhood: David's love for Dora was a form of immature infatuation, as was his devotion to Steerforth. Regardless, David hints here that these two deaths were perhaps the most difficult trial he had to endure while growing up; since so much of maturity in David Copperfield involves envisioning a future and putting it into action, David's sense that the future has "walled up" is an indication of just how deep David's despair runs.
Active
Themes
Quiz
Test Yourself
David forms a plan to go overseas, although he is not sure how this idea first came to him. He associates it with Agnes, and suspects she might have suggested it. Regardless, he is deeply aware of and grateful for her presence after Dora's death, and begins to think that his old association of Agnes with the stained glass window was a "foreshadowing" of the role she would play during this period of his life.
The fact that David can't explicitly trace his plans to Agnes is an indication of just how perfectly she embodies the feminine ideal: the moral influence she has over David is so gentle and unassuming that he can't even pinpoint exactly where or when it is at work. What David is becoming aware of, however, is the broader trajectory of his life, and Agnes's place in it. In retrospect, for instance, he sees his childhood association of Agnes and stained glass not as a stray idea but as a sign that Agnes would become a guiding influence in his life.
Active
Themes
Quiz
Test Yourself
David does not intend to leave England until after the entire affair with Uriah has been resolved, and after Mr. Peggotty and Emily have left for Australia. He therefore returns to Canterbury with Miss Betsey and Agnes and goes directly to Mr. Micawber's, where Traddles is staying.
Miss Betsey asks whether Mr. Micawber has thought more about Australia, and he says that his family is as good as "on the sea" already. He admits, however, that he may need more time to pay off the loan than he had originally indicated, but Miss Betsey says this is no trouble. Mr. Micawber thanks her, and says that as he wants to be sure he is "business-like" in this new period of his life, and proposes drafting receipts for all he owes. He also notes that his family is busily preparing for their new life by learning about farming, and Miss Betsey expresses her approval.
Active
Themes
Quiz
Test Yourself
Get the entire David Copperfield LitChart as a printable PDF.
"My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." -Graham S.
Mrs. Micawber explains that she has been busy communicating with her family: she suspects that their coldness stemmed from unwillingness to support Mr. Micawber, so she feels that they ought to make up, now that the Micawbers are leaving the country. Mr. Micawber, however, says that his wife's family would likely find him "offensive" if they met, because he views them as "Ruffians." Mrs. Micawber objects that neither he nor her family understand one another, and Mr. Micawber apologetically agrees to meet with his wife's relatives (although he also says he would be happy leaving without seeing them).
Active
Themes
Quiz
Test Yourself
Mr. Micawber and Mrs. Micawber leave David, Agnes, and Miss Betsey alone with Traddles, who is sitting at a table covered in papers. Traddles expresses concern for David, but David shifts the subject to Miss Betsey, explaining that she has recently been traveling back and forth from London, apparently troubled by something. Miss Betsey is visibly upset when David says this, but assures David that he will soon know what is going on. Traddles then explains that Mr. Micawber has worked impressively hard the past few weeks to uncover and set right all of Uriah's treachery. Furthermore, Traddles says, Mr. Dick has been very helpful, both by cheering Mr. Wickfield up and by copying important documents. Meanwhile, Mr. Wickfield has been improving steadily, and is even able to help settle some of Traddles and Micawber's questions.
Active
Themes
Quiz
Test Yourself
Traddles announces that, after going over all the accounts, it is clear that Mr. Wickfield could close the firm now without falling into debt. Doing so, however, would leave him with little money to spare, so Traddles suggests that he stay in business but take advice from his friends. Agnes is deeply relieved and eager to help her father by supporting and advising him now, in the hopes of eventually securing his "release from all trust and responsibility." To do this, she plans to rent the house and keep a school. David is touched by her devotion, and thinks back fondly on his childhood in the Wickfields' home.
Active
Themes
Quiz
Test Yourself
Traddles moves on to Miss Betsey, who says she would be happy to have her money back but can "bear it" if it's lost. Confirming she had 8,000 pounds, Traddles says he can only account for 5,000 pounds. Miss Betsey explains that she held back the missing 3,000 pounds: 1,000 pounds went to David's apprenticeship, and the rest she had saved all along. She told David she had lost everything, however, because she wanted to see whether David could learn to be self-reliant and industrious. Proudly, she says that both he and Mr. Dick have proven themselves.
Traddles explains that, with Miss Betsey's admission, he can account for all the money that was lost. Miss Betsey confirms that she believed Mr. Wickfield was responsible for her losses and therefore kept quiet, and Traddles says that it was actually Uriah who signed the documents, in part to make Wickfield believe he himself had stolen the money. Miss Betsey explains that Mr. Wickfield actually wrote a letter to her accusing himself of this, but that she burned it in his presence and urged him to say nothing for Agnes's sake. Hearing this, Agnes covers her face with her hands.
Active
Themes
Quiz
Test Yourself
Miss Betsey asks whether Traddles really managed to get all the money back from Uriah, and Traddles says that Mr. Micawber's thoroughness left Uriah no possible way of avoiding repayment. He also says that, according to Uriah himself, he was motivated less by greed than by his hatred of David. Both Uriah and Mrs. Heep have now left Canterbury, however, and Traddles says he doesn't know much more than that. He does suspect that Uriah still has a considerable amount of money, but Traddles does not think this will keep him out of "mischief," simply because of Uriah's hypocritical and suspicious nature. When Miss Betsey describes Uriah as a "monster of meanness," however, Traddles insists that "many people" are capable of meanness.
Active
Themes
Quiz
Test Yourself
Miss Betsey changes the subject to Mr. Micawber, and Traddles reiterates how important his help was in catching Uriah. Miss Betsey asks how much money, given this, they ought to provide Micawber with, and Traddles explains that the issue is not so simple: Micawber has given out many I.O.U.'s to Uriah in exchange for his advances, and if he does not pay, he is likely to be arrested before he can leave the country. According to Mr. Micawber, these debts amount to just over 100 pounds. Miss Betsey proposes that she and Agnes jointly provide Micawber with 500 pounds, but David and Traddles strongly urge her not to give him the whole sum at once. Instead, David recommends giving the Micawbers slightly more than they need to secure passage, and then entrusting Mr. Peggotty with providing the rest.
Active
Themes
Quiz
Test Yourself
Once they have settled how to pay Mr. Micawber, Traddles says there is one more "painful" topic he needs to address. He reminds Miss Betsey that Uriah had threatened her husband during the meeting where his crimes were brought to light. Miss Betsey confirms that she was in fact married, and Traddles warns her that Uriah may now try to follow through on his threats. Miss Betsey uncomfortably thanks Traddles but dismisses the topic, instead inviting Mr. and Mrs. Micawber back in.
Active
Themes
Quiz
Test Yourself
Miss Betsey explains the financial arrangements they intend to make to help the Micawbers. Mr. Micawber is delighted, only to find himself once again threatened with arrest by a sheriff five minutes later. Miss Betsey and the others quickly pay off the I.O.U., however, and Mr. Micawber happily settles down to write his latest I.O.U.'s. Miss Betsey urges him to avoid writing more of these in the future, and Mr. Micawber says that he has always warned his son against amassing debt, and intends to follow his own advice going forward.
Active
Themes
Quiz
Test Yourself
The next day, David, Miss Betsey, and Agnes plan to return to London. The Micawbers will follow them as soon as Mr. Micawber sells off his possessions. David, Miss Betsy, and Agnes go to the Wickfields' for the night, however, which David feels has now been "purged of a disease."
Once David and Miss Betsey are back in London, Miss Betsey explains that she did not want to worry David with her problems, but that if David still wants to know what has been troubling her, she will tell him. David says that he does, and Miss Betsey says she will tell him during a carriage ride the next morning. The ride takes them to a hospital with a hearse parked outside it, which Miss Betsey indicates should drive away. David realizes that the hearse is carrying Miss Betsey's husband, and Miss Betsey explains that her husband sent for her during his final illness, and told her that he was sorry. He died just before Miss Betsey left for Canterbury, so Uriah's threats ended up being "vain."
Active
Themes
Quiz
Test Yourself
David and Miss Betsey follow the hearse to a churchyard in the neighborhood where her husband was born. They attend the funeral service, and Miss Betsey admits that this is her thirty-sixth wedding anniversary. When they get back into the carriage, Miss Betsey bursts into tears, saying her husband was a "fine-looking man" when they married, though he was "sadly changed" later on. She quickly composes herself, however, and they return to her cottage.
Active
Themes
Quiz
Test Yourself
Inside the cottage, Miss Betsey and David find a letter from Mr. Micawber explaining that Uriah has called in another debt and that Micawber consequently expects to soon die of anguish. At the end of the letter, however, a postscript announces that Traddles paid the debt in Miss Betsey's absence, and that the Micawbers are now "at the height of earthly bliss."
Active
Themes
Quiz
Test Yourself
