Explore how filmmakers bring characters to life in this video from MASTERPIECE: “David Copperfield.” David’s first encounter with his cruel stepfather, Mr. Murdstone, shatters his idyllic childhood and begins his journey to adulthood. Students learn about how Dickens’s life inspired the novel, as well as the filmmakers’ craft in bringing the characters to life. Mr. Murdstone’s physical and psychological power over the innocent, vulnerable David echoes Dickens’s own experiences.