Even after being promoted to a partner at Wickfield's firm, Uriah continues to rely on sweeping declarations of humility to get ahead. It's increasingly clear, however, that his humbleness is an act, in part because he now feels secure enough to let it slip at times: he addresses David, for example, as "Master Copperfield"—a term that would be polite when addressing a young boy, but that's disrespectful now that David is an adult.