Chapter 61 - Summary, David Copperfield | David Copperfield - Summary, Themes & Characters - Novels PDF Download

I Am Shown Two Interesting Penitents

• David spends some time finishing up his book at his aunt's house.
• Sometimes David travels in to London to see Traddles, who is managing his business affairs.
• It turns out that Sophy has been training as a copy clerk to keep up with Traddles's work.
• David compliments Traddles and Sophy as being two of the happiest people in the world.
• Traddles agrees: he can't believe how happy he is.
• However, Traddles admits, the other day while he was in court he went back to his boyhood habit of drawing skeletons.
• This reminds David that he has received a letter from old Mr. Creakle, his headmaster.
• Apparently, Mr. Creakle is now a magistrate – which is like a local, small-time judge.
• Mr. Creakle has invited David to come and see prison discipline in action.
• David suggests that Traddles accompany David to see Mr. Creakle.
• Mr. Creakle is very kind to his prisoners – much kinder than he ever was to anyone else under his power.
• The ex-schoolmaster welcomes David to his prison as though they were great friends, and he does the same to Traddles.
• The secret Mr. Creakle relies on in his prison is total isolation, which leads the prisoners to repent their evil deeds.
• Despite Mr. Creakle's claims, when they actually walk through the prison as part of a tour group, David is pretty sure from the design of their cells that the prisoners get to speak to each other.
• One model prisoner is Number 27; a second is Number 28.
• Number 27 is very pious and holy, and frequently writes to his mother.
• Mr. Creakle leads David to Number 27, who is patiently reading hymns.
• Number 27 is, of course, Uriah Heep.
• He asks how David and Traddles are.
• Uriah Heep tells them that he is very humble today.
• Heep claims that he is much more comfortable in prison than he ever was outside.
• Uriah tells the tour group that he deserves to be in prison as a consequence of his behavior, and that he must bear his punishment without grumbling.
• The tour group is very approving.
• They're next led to Number 28, and who should it be but Littimer!
• Littimer claims to be troubled by memories of his past deeds and sins.
• He says that he is perfectly happy.
• Littimer tells the group that he sees a gentleman among their number who he used to know. That gentleman should repent of his bad behavior before it's too late.
• You'd think that "gentleman" would clearly be David, but David notices a number of men in the group hiding their faces guiltily.
• Littimer then clarifies that the "gentleman" should tell the "young woman who fell into dissolute courses" (61.68) – i.e. Emily.
• He forgives her for leading him astray, before wishing them all a good day.
• They return to Uriah Heep.
• Mr. Creakle asks if he needs anything.
• Uriah Heep wants to write to his mother; he is afraid that she is not safe.
• Heep wishes his mother had come to prison; in fact, he thinks everyone would be better off in prison.
• Uriah Heep promises Mr. Creakle that he is a changed man.
• Uriah then reminds David of his own violent impulses – why, he struck Uriah on the face once!
• (The whole tour group looks angrily at David.)
• But Uriah Heep claims that he forgives David, and he hopes that David and the Wickfields all repent.
• Uriah Heep has been sent to prison due to bank fraud.
• Littimer robbed a man he was working for, but he was turned in by a little person – Miss Mowcher!
• He injured Miss Mowcher quite badly, but she wouldn't let him go.
• David and Traddles both realize that there is no point in telling Mr. Creakle that Littimer and Uriah are lying hypocrites.
• They leave the pair of them to the prison system.