- David Copperfield is born to Clara, a naive widown. David has a happy early childhood with loyal servant Peggotty.
- This happy early childhood takes a sudden turn when Clara marries Mr. Murdstone, who abuses him and sends him to Salem House, a boarding school.
- David spends time with Peggotty in Yarmouth, enjoys the company of Mr. Peggotty, her fisherman brother.
- Salem House has an abusive environment. There, David makes friends with Tommy Traddles and James Steerforth, an older boy who serves as a model and mentor of David.
- David's talent of telling adventure stories, acquired from reading books at home, earns him respect among the boys at Salem House.
- After Clara's death, David is sent back to home. Mr. Murdstone fires Peggotty.
- David visits her and praises Steerforth. Peggotty maries Mr. Barkis, the horse cart driver.
- Mr. Murdstone sends David to London to work in a warehouse.
- David, aged 10, is on his own in London, renting a room from the Micawbers. Life is hard. He earns barely enough for his meals. He realizes his future would be empty without education.
- The Micawbers, although kind and friendly to David, are constantly in debt. They move to Plymouth.
- David runs away to Miss Betsey, his great-aunt, who cut herself off from David's parents. (She was briefly present during David's birth.)
- Miss Betsey adopts David and sends him to Dr. Strong's school in Canterbury—a much better school than Salem House. She finds a lodging for him in the home of Mr. Wickfield.
- David finds a dear friend in Agnes Wickfield, Mr. Wickfield's daughter.
- The devious Uriah Heep works as Mr. Wickfield's humble assistant.
- David finishes at the top of his class. He runs into Steerforth. They visit the Peggottys for a few weeks. Emily, Mr. Peggotty's adopted niece, is engaged to Ham, Mr. Peggotty's adopted nephew.
- Steerforth charms the Peggottys during the visit. He tells David he purchased a boat and gave it the name "The Little Emily".
- David finds work, arranged by Miss Betsey, at the firm of Spenlow and Jorkins. He remains on good terms with Agnes.
- At a dinner party with Agnes, David runs into Tommy Traddles who is renting a room from the Micawbers. They rekindle their friendship. David has a pleasant reunion with his old friends.
- David is in Yarmouth after the death of Barkis. On the eve of her wedding to Ham, Emily runs away with Steerforth.
- Mr. Peggotty vows to search for her to forgive her and bring her back.
- David goes back to London and fall in love with the childish Dora Spenlow, his boss's daughter, at first sight.
- Miss Betsey loses her fortune. David now has to support his aunt and earn enough to marry Dora.
- David, with Agnes's help, finds a part-time work with Dr. Strong.
- Traddles helps David study to become a court reporter.
- David finally marries Dora. However, her childish ways begin to cause difficulty in their marriage. He loves her nonetheless.
- The first child dies at birth; Dora becomes ill and grows weaker.
- In Canterburry, Uriah Heep has taken charge of Mr. Wickfield's business. He schemes to marry Agnes. He hires Mr. Micawber as his clerk.
- Mr. Peggotty finds Emily who has left Steerforth. He takes her to Australia for a new life.
- Mr. Micawber exposes Uriah Heep's fraud and forgery. He reveals Heep caused Miss Betsey to lose her fortune. With Traddles's legal help, Heep is brought to justice and Miss Betsey's fortune is restored.
- The Micawbers emigrate to Australia with Mr. Peggotty and Emily.
- Dora's illness worsens. She tells David she was too young and silly to be a wife. She dies.
- David goes to Yarmouth to give Ham a farewell message from Emily. In a terrible storm, David witnesses Ham's attempt to rescue a man from a sinking boat. The man turns out to be Steerforth. Both are drowned.
- David goes to mainland Europe to cope with his grief. He realizes how much he has always loved Agnes.
- David returns to England and reveals his feelings to Agnes. They marry and have a family.
- David becomes a well-known author.
- David learns that his emigrant friends have found happiness in their new lives.