David Copperfield – Chapter IV (“I Fall into Disgrace”) – MCQs

1. What event causes David to “fall into disgrace” in this chapter?
A) He runs away from home
B) He bites Mr. Murdstone during a beating
C) He insults Miss Murdstone publicly
D) He refuses to study his lessons
Answer: B) He bites Mr. Murdstone during a beating

2. What leads to Mr. Murdstone beating David?
A) David fails in his studies and hesitates while reciting
B) David breaks a family heirloom
C) David refuses to clean the house
D) David speaks rudely to Miss Murdstone
Answer: A) David fails in his studies and hesitates while reciting

3. How does Mr. Murdstone interpret David’s hesitation during lessons?
A) As laziness and defiance
B) As nervousness
C) As illness
D) As exhaustion
Answer: A) As laziness and defiance

4. How does Clara Copperfield react during the beating?
A) She protests weakly but is silenced
B) She encourages David to resist
C) She joins in scolding David
D) She leaves the room indifferent
Answer: A) She protests weakly but is silenced

5. What does David do in self-defense during the beating?
A) He cries for Peggotty
B) He bites Mr. Murdstone’s hand
C) He runs out of the house
D) He hides under the bed
Answer: B) He bites Mr. Murdstone’s hand

6. What immediate punishment does David receive after biting Mr. Murdstone?
A) He is locked alone in his room
B) He is beaten again
C) He is sent to bed without food
D) He is sent to Yarmouth
Answer: A) He is locked alone in his room

7. How long is David kept in solitary confinement?
A) One day
B) Five days
C) Several days (about five)
D) Two weeks
Answer: C) Several days (about five)

8. What food is David given during his confinement?
A) Bread and water
B) Only water
C) Bread and milk
D) Cold meat scraps
Answer: A) Bread and water

9. Who occasionally brings food to David during this punishment?
A) Miss Murdstone
B) Peggotty
C) Clara Copperfield
D) Mr. Murdstone
Answer: B) Peggotty

10. How does David describe the emotional impact of solitary confinement?
A) He becomes angry and rebellious
B) He feels deep loneliness and despair
C) He forgets the punishment quickly
D) He sleeps peacefully most of the time
Answer: B) He feels deep loneliness and despair

11. What familiar sound does David hear outside his locked room?
A) The jingling of Miss Murdstone’s keys
B) The sea waves from Yarmouth
C) Clara singing lullabies
D) The wind in the elms
Answer: A) The jingling of Miss Murdstone’s keys

12. What object does David keep with him for comfort while locked up?
A) A toy from Peggotty
B) His favorite book
C) A piece of bread
D) His mother’s handkerchief
Answer: B) His favorite book

13. Which author’s work does David cherish during confinement?
A) Shakespeare
B) Roderick Random by Smollett (and other adventure novels)
C) Milton
D) Wordsworth
Answer: B) Roderick Random by Smollett (and other adventure novels)

14. Why are these books important to David?
A) They help him escape mentally from harsh reality
B) They belong to Miss Murdstone
C) They are rewards for good behavior
D) They are school textbooks
Answer: A) They help him escape mentally from harsh reality

15. How does David view the Murdstones’ treatment of him during confinement?
A) Cruel and unjust
B) Fair and deserved
C) Loving but firm
D) Indifferent
Answer: A) Cruel and unjust

16. What role does Peggotty play during David’s punishment?
A) She secretly comforts him and slips him extra food
B) She ignores him to avoid trouble
C) She scolds him alongside the Murdstones
D) She helps Clara punish David
Answer: A) She secretly comforts him and slips him extra food

17. How does Clara behave toward David after his release?
A) She hugs him and cries
B) She avoids eye contact, frightened of Mr. Murdstone
C) She scolds him severely
D) She sends him away immediately
Answer: B) She avoids eye contact, frightened of Mr. Murdstone

18. What nickname does David give to his lonely room during confinement?
A) “My prison”
B) “My cave”
C) “My ship”
D) “My sanctuary”
Answer: A) “My prison”

19. What key theme is highlighted by David’s biting incident?
A) Childhood rebellion against tyranny
B) The value of education
C) Religious devotion
D) Social mobility
Answer: A) Childhood rebellion against tyranny

20. What broader Victorian issue does this chapter critique?
A) Harsh child-rearing practices and lack of empathy for children
B) The rising cost of education
C) Urban poverty in London
D) Corruption of legal courts
Answer: A) Harsh child-rearing practices and lack of empathy for children

21. What foreshadowing is provided by David’s punishment?
A) His eventual exile to boarding school
B) Clara’s death in later chapters
C) David’s escape to Miss Betsey
D) Peggotty’s marriage to Barkis
Answer: A) His eventual exile to boarding school

22. How does Dickens use sensory imagery during the confinement scenes?
A) Sounds of keys, footsteps, and silence intensify David’s fear
B) Bright colors evoke joy
C) Overwhelming smells of food comfort David
D) Loud music distracts David
Answer: A) Sounds of keys, footsteps, and silence intensify David’s fear

23. What mental state does David begin to experience in solitary?
A) Hallucinations and vivid daydreams
B) Total indifference to surroundings
C) Euphoric happiness
D) Sudden memory loss
Answer: A) Hallucinations and vivid daydreams

24. What memory comforts David most during isolation?
A) The Peggotty boathouse and Little Em’ly
B) Clara’s wedding day
C) The Rookery’s elm trees
D) Mr. Murdstone’s lessons
Answer: A) The Peggotty boathouse and Little Em’ly

25. What emotion dominates the chapter’s tone?
A) Terror and helplessness
B) Joy and playfulness
C) Humor and satire
D) Optimism and hope
Answer: A) Terror and helplessness

26. How is the act of biting Mr. Murdstone symbolically significant?
A) It represents David’s instinctive rebellion against oppression
B) It foreshadows David becoming violent in adulthood
C) It symbolizes hunger
D) It shows David’s love for adventure stories
Answer: A) It represents David’s instinctive rebellion against oppression

27. What role does Clara’s passivity play in the narrative?
A) Highlights her inability to protect David from abuse
B) Shows her strength in family leadership
C) Demonstrates her hatred for David
D) Foreshadows her betrayal of Peggotty
Answer: A) Highlights her inability to protect David from abuse

28. What recurring motif reappears from earlier chapters in this one?
A) The wind in the elms as a sign of unease
B) The caul protecting David
C) Miss Betsey’s fairy-like presence
D) The sea waves at Yarmouth
Answer: A) The wind in the elms as a sign of unease

29. How does Dickens balance the grimness of the chapter?
A) Through David’s imaginative escape into adventure books
B) Through Peggotty’s humor
C) Through Clara’s happy singing
D) Through Mr. Murdstone’s kindness
Answer: A) Through David’s imaginative escape into adventure books

30. What do David’s beloved books symbolize?
A) Escape, comfort, and hope amid hardship
B) Formal education and exams
C) Clara’s neglect
D) Miss Murdstone’s discipline
Answer: A) Escape, comfort, and hope amid hardship

31. How does Dickens critique Victorian domestic life in this chapter?
A) By showing emotional neglect and physical cruelty toward children
B) By praising strict discipline
C) By romanticizing childhood hardship
D) By ignoring emotional abuse
Answer: A) By showing emotional neglect and physical cruelty toward children

32. What inner transformation begins in David as a result of this disgrace?
A) Loss of childhood innocence and growth of resilience
B) Increased joy in studying
C) Hatred of Peggotty
D) Love for Miss Murdstone
Answer: A) Loss of childhood innocence and growth of resilience

33. What object in David’s room serves as a reminder of isolation?
A) The locked door
B) The barred window
C) The old bed frame
D) The empty fireplace
Answer: A) The locked door

34. What nickname does David give Mr. Murdstone in his mind?
A) The dark man
B) The cruel stepfather
C) The iron hand
D) The stone man
Answer: D) The stone man

35. How does David describe the passage of time during confinement?
A) As endless and monotonous
B) As quick and cheerful
C) As exciting and adventurous
D) As mysterious and magical
Answer: A) As endless and monotonous

36. How does Dickens show Clara’s helplessness?
A) Through her silent tears and inability to intervene
B) Through her escape to Yarmouth
C) Through her open rebellion
D) Through her harsh scolding of David
Answer: A) Through her silent tears and inability to intervene

37. What is the primary conflict of this chapter?
A) Child vs. oppressive stepfather
B) Child vs. poverty
C) Child vs. nature
D) Child vs. school system
Answer: A) Child vs. oppressive stepfather

38. How does Peggotty’s loyalty contrast with Miss Murdstone’s severity?
A) Peggotty is warm and protective; Miss Murdstone is cold and controlling
B) Both are equally harsh
C) Peggotty ignores David; Miss Murdstone pampers him
D) Both women unite in punishing David
Answer: A) Peggotty is warm and protective; Miss Murdstone is cold and controlling

39. Which broader theme of David Copperfield is reinforced here?
A) Childhood vulnerability and resilience
B) Joy of education
C) Triumph of wealth
D) Humor in family quarrels
Answer: A) Childhood vulnerability and resilience

40. How does Dickens foreshadow David’s eventual escape from abuse?
A) Through David’s imaginative courage and longing for freedom
B) Through Clara’s strength
C) Through Miss Murdstone’s kindness
D) Through Mr. Murdstone’s apology
Answer: A) Through David’s imaginative courage and longing for freedom

41. How does David perceive the adult world after this incident?
A) Harsh, unjust, and frightening
B) Loving and protective
C) Exciting and mysterious
D) Indifferent but safe
Answer: A) Harsh, unjust, and frightening

42. What role does isolation play in David’s character development?
A) It forces him to rely on imagination and inner strength
B) It makes him bitter permanently
C) It leads him to hate books
D) It encourages him to trust Mr. Murdstone
Answer: A) It forces him to rely on imagination and inner strength

43. How does Dickens evoke sympathy from readers?
A) By narrating events from David’s childlike perspective
B) By excusing Mr. Murdstone’s actions
C) By blaming Peggotty for the incident
D) By praising strict Victorian parenting
Answer: A) By narrating events from David’s childlike perspective

44. What recurring image symbolizes David’s lost innocence?
A) Empty rook’s nests in the elm trees
B) The sea at Yarmouth
C) Miss Betsey’s fairy figure
D) Clara’s piano
Answer: A) Empty rook’s nests in the elm trees

45. What narrative tone dominates this chapter?
A) Somber and oppressive
B) Joyful and playful
C) Neutral and detached
D) Comedic and lighthearted
Answer: A) Somber and oppressive

46. What does the punishment foreshadow for David’s education?
A) His eventual removal to boarding school
B) His success under Mr. Murdstone
C) His reconciliation with Miss Betsey
D) His permanent isolation at home
Answer: A) His eventual removal to boarding school

47. How does Dickens criticize Victorian parenting norms in this chapter?
A) By showing the cruelty of “firmness” without affection
B) By praising physical punishment
C) By promoting strict religious control
D) By encouraging emotional neglect
Answer: A) By showing the cruelty of “firmness” without affection

48. Which character remains David’s emotional refuge during disgrace?
A) Peggotty
B) Miss Betsey
C) Ham Peggotty
D) Mrs. Gummidge
Answer: A) Peggotty

49. How does David’s biting incident mark a turning point in the narrative?
A) It leads directly to his being sent away to school
B) It reconciles him with Mr. Murdstone
C) It strengthens his bond with Clara
D) It ends his friendship with Peggotty
Answer: A) It leads directly to his being sent away to school

50. What broader message about childhood does Dickens convey here?
A) Children’s instinct to resist cruelty is natural and justified
B) Children should always obey elders without question
C) Childhood rebellion leads to moral corruption
D) Childhood should be devoid of imagination
Answer: A) Children’s instinct to resist cruelty is natural and justified

51. What decision do the Murdstones make about David after the biting incident?
A) To send him away to boarding school
B) To keep him locked up permanently
C) To send him to work at a factory
D) To send him to Miss Betsey
Answer: A) To send him away to boarding school

52. What school is David sent to?
A) Salem House
B) Canterbury Academy
C) Blunderstone Grammar
D) Yarmouth Seminary
Answer: A) Salem House

53. Who accompanies David to the coach when he is sent to school?
A) Peggotty
B) Mr. Murdstone
C) Clara Copperfield
D) Miss Murdstone
Answer: A) Peggotty

54. What gift does Peggotty give David before he leaves?
A) A handkerchief
B) A small cake
C) A purse with money
D) A bible
Answer: C) A purse with money

55. What emotional impact does leaving home have on David?
A) He is relieved to escape Mr. Murdstone
B) He is heartbroken to leave his mother and Peggotty
C) He is indifferent
D) He is excited for adventure
Answer: B) He is heartbroken to leave his mother and Peggotty

56. How does Clara behave as David departs?
A) She hugs him tightly but cries silently
B) She scolds him
C) She ignores him completely
D) She faints dramatically
Answer: A) She hugs him tightly but cries silently

57. What message does Clara whisper to David at parting?
A) “Be good, Davy—try to be good.”
B) “Run away if you can.”
C) “Write to me every day.”
D) “Do not forgive them.”
Answer: A) “Be good, Davy—try to be good.”

58. How does Peggotty show her love during the farewell?
A) By giving him food and wiping his tears
B) By scolding him to be strong
C) By ignoring him
D) By criticizing Clara
Answer: A) By giving him food and wiping his tears

59. What is David’s main fear as he leaves home?
A) Never seeing his mother again
B) Being lost in London
C) Meeting Miss Betsey
D) Facing school bullies
Answer: A) Never seeing his mother again

60. What object does David clutch for comfort on his journey?
A) Peggotty’s purse
B) His favorite book
C) A small toy from Little Em’ly
D) Clara’s ribbon
Answer: A) Peggotty’s purse

61. How does Dickens describe David’s emotional state on the journey?
A) Lonely and frightened but curious
B) Angry and rebellious
C) Joyful and playful
D) Cold and indifferent
Answer: A) Lonely and frightened but curious

62. What is the narrative technique Dickens uses in describing David’s thoughts?
A) First-person retrospective with childlike perception
B) Third-person omniscient narrator
C) Objective journal entries
D) Second-person address
Answer: A) First-person retrospective with childlike perception

63. What do the Murdstones hope school will achieve for David?
A) Make him obedient and “firm”
B) Prepare him for university
C) Teach him trade skills
D) Keep him away from Peggotty
Answer: A) Make him obedient and “firm”

64. How does Peggotty criticize the Murdstones before David leaves?
A) She mutters about their cruelty under her breath
B) She openly insults them
C) She writes Clara a letter
D) She ignores them completely
Answer: A) She mutters about their cruelty under her breath

65. Which emotion dominates David’s farewell at the gate?
A) Hopefulness
B) Overwhelming sadness
C) Joy at adventure
D) Anger at Clara
Answer: B) Overwhelming sadness

66. How is Peggotty’s loyalty contrasted with Miss Murdstone’s coldness?
A) Peggotty cries and comforts David; Miss Murdstone is indifferent and severe
B) Peggotty scolds David; Miss Murdstone comforts him
C) Both women ignore David
D) Both show equal affection
Answer: A) Peggotty cries and comforts David; Miss Murdstone is indifferent and severe

67. What literary motif reappears during David’s journey to school?
A) The wind in the elm trees (loneliness)
B) The rook’s nests (lost innocence)
C) The sea (yearning for freedom)
D) Miss Betsey’s fairy figure
Answer: B) The rook’s nests (lost innocence)

68. What broader theme is reinforced by David’s exile to boarding school?
A) Childhood suffering under adult control
B) The joys of formal education
C) Social mobility through schooling
D) Humor in child mischief
Answer: A) Childhood suffering under adult control

69. What does Peggotty repeatedly remind David before departure?
A) To pray and remember her love
B) To study hard for exams
C) To forget the Murdstones
D) To seek Miss Betsey in Dover
Answer: A) To pray and remember her love

70. What broader critique of Victorian society does Dickens imply here?
A) Lack of protection for children from domestic cruelty
B) Excessive focus on education
C) Indifference of neighbors
D) Harsh laws against runaway children
Answer: A) Lack of protection for children from domestic cruelty

71. How does David’s farewell foreshadow future tragedies?
A) His longing for his mother, who will later die
B) His love for Miss Betsey
C) His plan to escape school
D) His resentment toward Peggotty
Answer: A) His longing for his mother, who will later die

72. What object represents Peggotty’s enduring care throughout David’s school years?
A) The purse she gives him
B) Clara’s handkerchief
C) A book from Mr. Murdstone
D) A key from Miss Murdstone
Answer: A) The purse she gives him

73. How does David view the coach ride away from home?
A) As a banishment into unknown hardships
B) As a fun adventure
C) As a brief holiday
D) As a welcome escape
Answer: A) As a banishment into unknown hardships

74. What new fear begins to form in David during this chapter?
A) Fear of strangers and isolation at school
B) Fear of storms
C) Fear of travel
D) Fear of Peggotty leaving forever
Answer: A) Fear of strangers and isolation at school

75. What natural imagery mirrors David’s emotions as he leaves?
A) Cold winds and empty roads
B) Bright sunshine and flowers
C) Rolling sea waves
D) Singing birds
Answer: A) Cold winds and empty roads

76. How does Dickens describe David’s sense of injustice about the punishment?
A) He feels confused and wronged
B) He accepts it calmly
C) He blames Peggotty
D) He sees it as humorous
Answer: A) He feels confused and wronged

77. What coping method does David adopt at school later (foreshadowed here)?
A) Escaping into imagination and books
B) Fighting bullies physically
C) Ignoring everyone
D) Writing angry letters to Clara
Answer: A) Escaping into imagination and books

78. How does David perceive Peggotty compared to other adults?
A) As the only true friend and protector
B) As harsh but fair
C) As indifferent
D) As silly and weak
Answer: A) As the only true friend and protector

79. What symbolic meaning does the locked room carry throughout the novel?
A) Childhood imprisonment and loss of freedom
B) Wealth and privilege
C) A safe haven from danger
D) An escape from school
Answer: A) Childhood imprisonment and loss of freedom

80. What tone dominates the latter half of Chapter IV?
A) Melancholy mixed with faint hope
B) Pure joy and celebration
C) Indifference and boredom
D) Humorous irony
Answer: A) Melancholy mixed with faint hope

81. How does Clara’s farewell prayer contrast with Mr. Murdstone’s behavior?
A) Clara is loving and tender; Mr. Murdstone is cold and severe
B) Both are equally affectionate
C) Clara is harsher than Mr. Murdstone
D) Mr. Murdstone secretly comforts David
Answer: A) Clara is loving and tender; Mr. Murdstone is cold and severe

82. What is Peggotty’s last visible act before the coach departs?
A) Waving her apron and crying
B) Turning away in silence
C) Throwing food at the coach
D) Hugging Mr. Murdstone
Answer: A) Waving her apron and crying

83. Which Victorian critique emerges strongly in this chapter?
A) The cruelty of step-parents and lack of legal child protection
B) The fairness of strict schools
C) The equality of social classes
D) The abundance of childhood playtime
Answer: A) The cruelty of step-parents and lack of legal child protection

84. How does Dickens create empathy for David’s plight in this chapter?
A) By presenting events entirely from David’s young, emotional perspective
B) By narrating as an indifferent adult
C) By mocking David’s fears humorously
D) By praising the Murdstones’ actions
Answer: A) By presenting events entirely from David’s young, emotional perspective

85. Which earlier symbol continues in this chapter to show lost happiness?
A) The empty rook’s nests in the elm trees
B) The caul sold at birth
C) Miss Betsey’s cottage
D) The sea at Yarmouth
Answer: A) The empty rook’s nests in the elm trees

86. What lesson does David begin to learn from this “disgrace”?
A) Childhood hardship can foster inner resilience and empathy
B) Obedience leads to happiness
C) Isolation is enjoyable
D) Parents are always right
Answer: A) Childhood hardship can foster inner resilience and empathy

87. What emotional shift occurs in David by the chapter’s end?
A) From terror to quiet sadness and longing
B) From joy to boredom
C) From anger to humor
D) From love to hatred of Peggotty
Answer: A) From terror to quiet sadness and longing

88. How does Dickens foreshadow future positive influences on David’s life?
A) Through mention of Miss Betsey and Daniel Peggotty’s kindness
B) Through Mr. Murdstone’s secret affection
C) Through Miss Murdstone’s jokes
D) Through Clara’s newfound strength
Answer: A) Through mention of Miss Betsey and Daniel Peggotty’s kindness

89. What role does memory play in David’s narrative of disgrace?
A) It blends childlike impressions with adult reflection
B) It is entirely factual and emotionless
C) It mocks his younger self
D) It focuses only on Clara’s actions
Answer: A) It blends childlike impressions with adult reflection

90. What moral question is raised by David’s biting of Mr. Murdstone?
A) Is violent resistance ever justified against unjust authority?
B) Should children never question parents?
C) Are step-parents always cruel?
D) Is school a punishment or a gift?
Answer: A) Is violent resistance ever justified against unjust authority?

91. How does Peggotty’s care serve as a counterpoint to the Murdstones’ cruelty?
A) Her warmth highlights their coldness
B) Her silence mirrors their silence
C) Her wealth contrasts their poverty
D) Her sternness matches theirs
Answer: A) Her warmth highlights their coldness

92. Which motif of escape appears again in this chapter?
A) Daydreaming of Yarmouth and Little Em’ly
B) Running to Miss Betsey
C) Sailing away to sea
D) Building castles in the garden
Answer: A) Daydreaming of Yarmouth and Little Em’ly

93. How does Dickens use nature to mirror David’s emotions?
A) Bleak winds and empty roads reflect his loneliness
B) Sunny skies reflect hope
C) Stormy seas reflect anger
D) Gentle rain reflects joy
Answer: A) Bleak winds and empty roads reflect his loneliness

94. What does the journey to school symbolize?
A) Transition from innocence to harsh reality
B) Escape into happiness
C) Return to family unity
D) Entry into wealth and privilege
Answer: A) Transition from innocence to harsh reality

95. How does Dickens show the cruelty of Victorian punishments for children?
A) By depicting long solitary confinement and emotional neglect
B) By showing humorous scoldings
C) By glorifying strict schooling
D) By rewarding David after punishments
Answer: A) By depicting long solitary confinement and emotional neglect

96. What new chapter of David’s life begins here?
A) His schooling at Salem House
B) His return to Yarmouth
C) His reunion with Miss Betsey
D) His life as a factory worker
Answer: A) His schooling at Salem House

97. What future bond will develop at Salem House (foreshadowed)?
A) Friendship with James Steerforth and Tommy Traddles
B) Rivalry with Mr. Murdstone
C) Marriage to Little Em’ly
D) Alliance with Miss Murdstone
Answer: A) Friendship with James Steerforth and Tommy Traddles

98. How does this chapter deepen the theme of resilience?
A) David learns to endure hardship and dream of better days
B) David learns to fight aggressively
C) David decides to abandon hope entirely
D) David learns to imitate Mr. Murdstone
Answer: A) David learns to endure hardship and dream of better days

99. Which narrative quality makes this chapter powerful for readers?
A) Emotional honesty of childhood memory
B) Detached historical facts
C) Comic exaggeration
D) Cynical commentary
Answer: A) Emotional honesty of childhood memory

100. What lasting impression does Chapter IV leave?
A) The profound vulnerability of children under unjust adult authority
B) The humor of childhood rebellion
C) The joy of strict schooling
D) The ease of Victorian domestic life
Answer: A) The profound vulnerability of children under unjust adult authority