How did Charles Dickens use London in his novels?

In English literature, London serves as the predominant fictional locale for Charles Dickens, who utilized the city as an acute, knowledgeable observer of social and political developments.12

Dickens’s portrayal of London was deeply informed by his own life experiences, including his time as a journalist and his early struggles with poverty, which granted him a sympathetic understanding of the city's diverse social strata. He famously described London like a special correspondent for posterity, blending photographic realism with his own imaginative "fancy".341

Key aspects of his use of London include:

• Social Criticism: He used the city to attack social evils and inadequate institutions, such as the workhouse and the legal system, often drawing on his own background as a law clerk and reporter.24
• Symbolism: In his later works, London’s atmosphere became a vehicle for thematic coherence, such as the pervasive, grim fog in Bleak House.1
• Creative Process: His nightly walks through the city streets were essential to his creative process, allowing him to capture the spirit of the age and its inhabitants.3