Meeting Miss Trotwood by Charles Dickens: English Literature – Class 5

Meeting Miss Trotwood by Charles Dickens is a chapter in English Literature for Class 5 ICSE students. Find study notes, and question and answers for the story.

Summary of Meeting Miss Trotwood

After his father’s demise, David Copperfield’s mother married Mr. Murdstone. David’s life became miserable thereafter as Mr. Murdstone and his sister were evil people. They compelled him to work in the factory instead of sending him to school. David decides to go to his only living relative – his aunt, Miss Betsey Trotwood. It was a long harsh journey to reach her house. He was standing at the garden gate of Miss Trotwood and she could not recognize him. She asked her to flee from there at first. Then David introduced himself to her as her nephew David Copperfield, of Blunderstone, in Suffolk. She was traumatised to see him in that state and sat flat down in the garden path. David gave her the account of his journey and got emotional and burst into tears. Miss Trotwood took David home and gave him a heated bath, provided him clothes of Mr. Dick and lots of strange tasting tonics. She also wrote to Mr. Murdstone and his sister and gave them a piece of her mind upon their arrival. David was not ready to return with them and Miss Trotwood decided to become the guardian of him. From then on, he came to be known as Trotwood Copperfield. She sent David to the school at Canterbury and arranged boarding of him with her old lawyer, Mr. Wickfield. He was happy to get Mr. Wickfield’s daughter Agnes, a child of about his own age, as his mate. The school of Canterbury was much better than his previous school at Salem House. In less than a fortnight, David was feeling quite at home and happy among his new companions at the school. While leaving him, Miss Trotwood addressed him as ‘Trot’ and advised him not to be mean in anything, not to be false and not to be cruel. She promised to visit him again and returned home.

Question and Answers

1. Write True against the sentences that are true and write False against those that are false:

• a) David Had A comfortable journey on the way to his aunt’s house.[False]
• b) David was welly dressed when he introduced himself to his aunt.[False]
• c) David aunt had never seen David before.
• d) David’s aunt recognised David moment she saw him at the gate.[False]
• e) David had an unhappy life up-to the time he came to his aunt’s house.[True]
• f) David did want to live with Mr Murdstones ever again.[False]
• g) David’s aunt was happy to be David’s guardian.[True]
• h) At Canterburry, David’s aunt drove away without looking up because she was glad that David was away at school.[False]

Reference to Context

2. “Oh, Lord! said my aunt and sat flat down in the garden path,”

a) Where was David?
Answer: David was standing next to his aunt, at the corner of his aunt’s garden.

b) What was the name of David’s aunt?
Answer: The name of David’s aunt was Miss Betsey Trotwood.

c) Why did David’s aunt sit flat down in the garden path?
Answer: David’s aunt sat flat down in the garden path as she was shocked to see her nephew in such a bad state. She could not believe that the dirty, disheveled boy standing i4fn front of her was her nephew.

3. “The school I now went to was better in every way than Salem House…

a) Which school was better than Salem House?
Answer: The school at Canterbury was better in every way than Salem House.

b) Who sent David to the better school?
Answer: David’s aunt Miss Betsey Trotwood sent him to the better school.

c) Where did David board while he was at the better school?
Answer: David boarded at Mr. Wickfield’s house who was Miss Trotwood’s old lawyer.

Read, Reflect and Write:

4. What were the first things that David’s aunt made him do?

David’s aunt gave him some tonics that tasted strange. Then she heated water and made him take bath. After that she gave him a shirt and a pair of trousers belonging to Mr. Dick, who was staying with her in the cottage.

5. The villain of a story is a character who tries to harm the main characters. Name two villains in this story. Give reason stating why you think they are villains.

Answer: The two villains in this story are – Mr. Murdstone and his sister who came to live with them. They were villains as they ill-treated David and forced him to go to factory to work. Moreover, when they were called by Miss Trotwood, they, instead of being apologized of their deeds, said that if David would deny to go back with them, the door of his house would be closed forever.

6. How did David feel when he first went to school at Canterbury? How did he feel after two weeks had passed?

Answer: When David first went to school at Canterbury, he felt very strange as it had been quite a while since he was at a school with companions of his own age. It seemed to him that he had forgot everything he had learnt.

Two weeks later, he had settled down well and he felt very happy and homely among his new companions.

7. What kind of person was David’s aunt? Give examples from the story to support your opinion.

Answer: She was a hard working lady as at the beginning of the story we see her working in the garden. She had immense affection for her nephew. She became worried and began to take care of David as soon as she came to know he was her nephew. She adopted him and arranged good schooling for him.

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