Human Bodies
Throughout the novel, human bodies and body parts are often treated as material objects. Venus literally makes his living by displaying and selling taxidermied bodies and skeletons as if they were any other commodity; this business is what makes Pleasant Riderhood uncomfortable with the prospect of marrying him. So many bodies appear in the Thames that scavenging them is an entire industry; as Hexam justifies his line of work, he no longer thinks of these corpses have any connection to actual individuals. This imagery of discarded, commodified bodies reveals how profit-based systems tend to rob individuals of their humanity.
Dolls
Dolls play an important role in the novel, since they allow Jenny to make a living. The imagery of the dolls shows the way various characters get treated like passive objects, manipulated by others. Characters like Silas Wegg, Fledgeby, and even Headstone see the people around them as objects they can impose their will onto. Doll imagery also evoke the way that characters, especially women, are treated like beautiful objects to be bought, sold, and displayed. Many of the high society characters value their wives as a kind of adornment and status symbol, and the original terms of the Harmon will treat Bella much like a doll who can be passed around without any will of her own.
The Fog and Dust of London
At various points in the novel, Dickens describes London in grim and unflattering terms, relying on imagery of soot, fog, smoke, and dust. This imagery reinforces the reality that while a small circle of elite individuals enjoy comfortable lives in grand mansions, most of London's population has to endure challenging and ugly conditions. Much of this imagery is connected to the labor and commercial processes that create wealth for a select few, while making many more miserable.
The Inexhaustible Baby
After Bella gives birth to a daughter, the child is playfully referred to as the "inexhaustible baby" since she is a perpetual source of wonder and pleasure to her parents. The imagery of the adored child and loving parents paints a happy domestic scene, showing that even though they lead a modest life, the couple are truly happy and have everything they need. Especially in light of how Bella was initially so preoccupied with wealth and luxury, the imagery of the happy family shows how much she has matured as a character.
