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Why did Charles Dickens use several plotlines in many of his novels?

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Portrait of Charles Dickens seated at a desk, writing with a quill pen, dressed in a suit with a bow tie. — Charles Dickens English novelist Charles Dickens working at his craft. Dickens published some of most beloved novels in English literature, including *A Christmas Carol*, *A Tale of Two Cities*, and *Great Expectations*.

Charles Dickens frequently utilized multiple plotlines in his novels primarily because of his method of serial publication. This format encouraged the development of complex, multi-layered narratives and required that each individual episode be carefully shaped to maintain reader interest over time.1

While this approach allowed for a wide range of moods and materials, it also presented significant artistic challenges. Dickens had to work hard to create a sense of unity out of these complicated plots, which often involved scores of characters. Over time, he became more deliberate in his craft; for instance, beginning with Dombey and Son, he began to design his plots with greater care and used techniques like symbolism to achieve thematic coherence, moving away from the potential shapelessness of his earlier serialized works.21