David Copperfield: David learns so that we can learn along with him. Dickens uses David to demonstrate the kind of value system Dickens thinks we should all have. David achieves everything he wants in life because he is sympathetic, hard-working, and affectionate – all traits that he learns from the adventures he encounters.
Mrs.Clara Copperfield: David's mother, who was widowed when David's father died six months before she gave birth. She is consistently described as being very pretty, like a "wax doll." She married David's father when she was very young, and as a result, she was slightly naive and lacking in some of the knowledge necessary to be a successful housewife. Still, she loves her son very much and gives him a fun, healthy atmosphere to grow up in until she marries Mr. Murdstone.