Ch 4
This chapter talks about David's return home from Yarmouth. He is quite sad about having to leave little Em'ly behind and at one point wonders whether he's falled in love with her. He is quite excited about seeing his mother though for some reason and he cant put his finger on why he feels as if something is wrong at the start just before he enters his house. He immediately runs up to his room but his room is not where it was when he left it. It's in a different part of the house and he picks on minute details such as the shape of the room, the wallpaper and such. He cant think of a reason why his mother would move his room without a good reason and not before she talked to him about so he's very confused and more than a little upset. He also feels very scared of the dog that is now living in his once empty backyard. And neither Clara nor Peggotty have a word of comfort to offer David.
Shortly afterwards, Clara comes looking for him and asks him what's wrong. A combination of not really wanting to talk about how he feels and not wanting to upset his mother he replys 'Nothing'. This angers Clara and she blames it on Peggotty who pleads for forgivness. Mr Murdstone then comes up and places a hand on David's shoulder. He tells Clara off for slipping up but doesn't explain what for. He then draws her into a hug and at that moment, David makes a grim quiet observation to himelf that Murdstone could twist Clara's nature any way he chose and she would obey. He then sends her downstairs and turns his attention towards Peggotty. He asks her whether she knows his mistress' name and she replies that Clara has been her mistress for enough time to be able to know her name. Before when Clara and Peggotty were arguing she addresses Clara as "Mrs Copperfield" and this is what Mr Murdstone is referring to. Now that Murdstone has married Clara, he expects everybody to address her as "Mrs Murdstone". Peggotty does not apologize or even say anything at all but curtsies out of the room, sensing that Murdstone doesn't want her around any longer.
Murdstone then turns his attention on David and they exchange the following conversation.
'David,' he said, making his lips thin, by pressing them together, 'if I have an obstinate horse or dog to deal with, what do you think I do?'
'I don't know.'
'I beat him.'
I had answered in a kind of breathless whisper, but I felt, in my silence, that my breath was shorter now.
'I make him wince, and smart. I say to myself, "I'll conquer that fellow"; and if it were to cost him all the blood he had, I should do it. What is that upon your face?'
'Dirt,' I said.
By Mr Murdstone's orders, Clara is ordered to give David school lessons but only under the observation of either him or his sister. They make these lessons very stressful as they always telling Clara off and being emotionally abusive in general towards both her and David.
The rest of the chapter is just examples of this until a t