Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show. " David Copperfield lives happily with his mother until she decides to marry the tyrannical Edward Murdstone. Abused and ill-treated by his stepfather, David is sent to the Salem House, a boarding school where he makes friends with the self-centred James Steerforth and the hapless Tom Taddles. David returns home upon his mother and half-brother's demise, only to be neglected by his stepfather who sends him to work at their family bottling factory. , , What happens when after a miserable life at the factory, David runs away to his great-aunt Betsy Trotwood? A coming-of-age novel, David Copperfield presents Charles Dickens at his best. It is not only among his own personal favourites, but also draws on his life's experiences. The novel has undergone several film and television adaptations and continues to be loved by the readers.