can my attorney charge me if I request a copy of my file just for me to see what he has been doing for my case?

It depends on what the contract you signed when the attorney took your case. If it says that you will be responsible for copy costs then the firm can ethically charge you for the copies of the file. In a case such as yours, however, I'm assuming that the firm has taken the case on a contingency basis such that you are not paying the attorney by the hour or otherwise. In such case you should be able to call your attorney and request a status without the firm "nickel and diming" to learn of the status of your case.