Young Martin Chuzzlewit was raised by his grandfather, also named Martin Chuzzlewit. The senior Martin, a very wealthy man, has been long convinced that everyone around him is after his money, and so he took the precaution, years before the book begins, of raising an orphaned girl, Mary, to be his nursemaid, with the understanding that she would be very well taken care of as long as he lived, and be thrown out onto the streets, penniless, after he dies. She would therefore have great motivation to care for his well-being and safeguard him from harm, in contrast to his relatives, who want him to die. However, his grandson and heir, Martin, falls in love with Mary and wishes to marry her, ruining the senior Martin's plans to keep her disinterested in his fortune. He demands his grandson give up the engagement, but he refuses and becomes disinherited from his grandfather. He decides to sign on as an apprentice to Mr. Pecksniff, a talentless, greedy, pseudo-pious poseur who periodically takes in students to teach them architecture, while actually teaching them nothing, treating them badly, and living grandly off their tuition. He has two vain, spoiled, mean-spirited and pseudo-pious daughters, Mercy (Merry) and Charity (Cherry). Unbeknownst to young Martin, Mr. Pecksniff, who is a relative of Chuzzlewit's, has taken the grandson on in order to establish closer ties with the wealthy grandfather, thinking that the grandfather's gratitude will give Pecksniff a prominent place in the will. While with the Pecksniffs, the younger Martin meets and befriends Tom Pinch, who is in some ways the true protagonist of the book. He is a gentle, kind-hearted soul whose late grandmother gave Pecksniff all she had, believing Pecksniff would make a grand architect and gentleman of him. Pinch is so virtuous that he is incapable of believing any of the bad things others tell him of Pecksniff, and always defends him vociferously. He also has a sister who is a governess in London. He works for Pecksniff for exploitatively low wages, all the while believing that he is the unworthy recipient of Pecksniff's charity. We briefly meet John Westlock, a former student of Pecksniff's who sees the value of Pinch and the evil of Pecksniff, and parts ways from the household as the book is beginning.
        When Grandfather Chuzzlewit hears of his grandson's new life, he requires Mr. Pecksniff to kick the penniless young Martin to the street. The senior Martin moves in with Mr. Pecksniff and slowly appears to fall under his complete control. During this sojourn, Pinch falls in love with Mary, but does not declare his love, knowing of her attachment to the young Martin.
        Anthony and Jonas ChuzzlewitOne of Martin senior's greedy relatives is his brother, Anthony Chuzzlewit, who is in business with his son, Jonas. While somewhat affluent themselves, they live miserly, cruel lives, with Jonas constantly berating his father, eager for the old man to die so he can get control of his inheritance. An