Dicken’s City Writing: London

Charles Dickens is a prestigious writer of literature in the 19 th century.When we read his books we can feel a city clearly,it shows the dramatic changes and the lifestyle of the people in this beautiful city. Because he’s full of complex emotions of this city, he tried to describe details of London in each novel,and also due to his love for this city, he opened the door of literature. So we can say London comes to life in his words.So what is the face of London under Dickens’ novels?Thesis will explore London writing in Dickens’ novels from the point of literature and city.The paper consists of the introduction,four chapters and conclusion. The introduction part mainly introduces the writing course of Dickens as well as sorts out the domestic and foreign scholars’ study on Dickens’ novels, on this basis thesis clarify the selected topic reason. London is the main background in Dickens’ novels,as well as the main spot where events happen and characters acts.In his works the natural,material and living environments are terrible.Apart from depicting realistically,description of the environments are symbolic,especially the depiction of rivers streets,etc.Finally,Thesis discusses the narrative function of environmental description in novels. The second chapter discusses Dickens’ London social stratum. Dickens descript three typical class--nobility, middle class, the proletariat status,attaining a kind of social criticism. Thesis grasp the characteristics of different social strata, economy, culture, family and education,revealing the complex social situation in London. The third chapter talks about the overall characteristics of London people in the works of Dickens, then Thesis focus on the children and criminals who can best represent the spirit of the city, writing the underlying human’s goodness, poverty and helpless. The fourth chapter discusses the relationship between “the literary London” and “the reality of London”. Comparing the similarities and differences between “the literary London” and“the reality London”, can help readers grasp the relationship between Dickens’ writing and real London. The conclusion part is the summary of the article。 Hope to make a contribution about the study of Dickens.