A Christmas Carol pre-planning research

Pre-reading

Novella Allegory – Scrooge acts as a symbol for greed and selfishness

whilst other characters represent the poor in society (Cratchits) Elements of gothic genre. Dickens was described as having a

‘hankering after ghosts’. Meant to be read aloud hence preface Idea of social responsibility an enduring message

Overview of narrative

Scrooge’s journey Set at Christmas. Dickens saw Christmas as a special time of

year, when people treated each other with kindness and generosity. This was an attitude that he believed should continue all year round.

Contextual

Explores the very real problem of poverty in Victorian society, criticising the attitudes of many rich people, who Dickens saw as dismissing and ignoring the problem.

Social responsibility – people have a duty to help the less fortunate – responsibility of the wealthy to help those who were in poverty. He believed that ignoring this responsibility would eventually cause much bigger problems. Dickens urged people to help the poor by providing them with education and by donating to, and working with charities.

Dickens family was middle class, but he knew what it was like to be poor. When Dickens was 12, his father was imprisoned for debt. The family was very poor, so Dickens had to work in a factory. This made him critical of the way Victorian society treated its poor people.

Published in 1843 Poverty was a bigger problem in over-crowded cities.

Poverty

Industrial revolution – from 1780 factory owners in Britain began to use coal-fired steam engines to power the machines in big

factories. Many factories made cloth. Before this, Britain used to be more rural – farming was the most obvious way of making a living. Move from rural to factory was Industrial revolution. Made many businessmen and factory owners extremely rich. (Scrooge is a rich man who ignores poverty around him). High numbers of new jobs in the cities. Factory workers (Dickens worked in a factory) often lived in extreme poverty.

19th century, millions of people moved from countryside to cities in search of work in the factories. Population of cities grew rapidly – between 1800 and 1900. London’s population grew from roughly 1 million people to 6 million. Most of these migrants lived in slums of cheap, overcrowded housing. No proper drainage or sewage system. Many families had to share one tap and toilet. Overcrowding led to hunger, disease and crime. Children suffered the most – exploited by wealthy factory owners and forced to work long hours in dangerous conditions.

In A Christmas Carol:o Contrasts the wealth of Scrooge with poverty of Bob Cratchit.

Scrooge lives in a large building with a grand staircase versus Cratchits who are crammed into a four-room house.

o Ch4 Scrooge visits a part of London that reeked with crime, with filth and misery. People who lived there were described as ‘half naked, drunken, slipshod and ugly.’

o Death of Tiny Tim and the appearance of doomed children, Ignorance and Want, highlight the suffering of children who live in poverty

Malthus and the 1834 Poor Law

1798, economist Thomas Malthus wrote that human population would always grow faster than food supplies. Overpopulation would lead to many people, usually the poor, dying due to famine. Malthus believed poverty was the inevitable result of overpopulation

He argues that people should have families later in life + not have lots of children to stop the population getting too large.

Dickens believed that Malthus was wrong and there was plenty of food to go around – but only if the rich were more generous. Dickens felt it wrong the poor should suffer because the rich were too selfish to share their wealth.

Malthus thought existing poor laws in Britain were too charitable. Poverty relief, they believe, encouraged laziness in the poor and reduced the incentive to work hard and save money.

1834 Poor Law introduced to reduce the financial help available to the poor. Ruled that all unemployed people would have to enter a workhouse in order to receive food and shelter.

Workhouses harsh places – inhabitants had to work hard, families were often split up. People lived in fear of being forced to enter a workhouse were conditions were unpleasant to discourage poor from relying on society to help them.

Malthus in A Christmas Carol

Ch3. Ghost of Christmas Present takes Scrooge to bustling shops where it shows him the huge amount of food on display. Lengthy, mouth-watering description emphasises Dicken’s point that there was plenty of food to go around – problem was that it wasn’t shared with the poor.

Ch1. Scrooge tells the charity collectors that it would be better if poor people would die and in doing so ‘decrease the surplus population.’ Direct reference to Malthus’s theories. Dickens = highlighting how cruel Malthus’s views seemed to be.

Ch1. Scrooge tells charity collectors that he can’t afford to ‘make idle people merry’ and he says that he supports prisons and workhouses. Views cruel and unfeeling.

When Scrooge expresses sympathy for Tiny Tim and Ignorance and Want, the spirit quotes Scrooges comments from Ch1. About ‘surplus population’ and sending poor to prisons and workhouses. Scrooge realises his beliefs were wrong.

Charity and Education

Industrial revolution led to a gap between the rich and poor. Many struggling to survive relied on the generosity of those better off than themselves. Some successful philanthropists were keen to enhance the lives of the workers. Cadburys tried to provide quality homes and improve lifestyles for workers at their factory in Bournville. Titus Salt did a similar thing in Yorkshire. However, many wealthy people were only concerned with gaining more wealth.

Lack of education which Dickens believed was solution to poverty. Poor had little or no education. Dickens believed would help them

gain self-respect and improve lives. Dickens supported several projects to educate the poor, such as the Ragged Schools which offered free education, clothing and food to children from poor families. Called ragged after the ragged clothes children would wear.

Charity in A Christmas Carol

Ch1. Marley’s ghost warns Scrooge he must pay more attention to those around him. He can’t walk among ‘crowds of fellow-beings’ with his ‘eyes turned down.’

Ch.3 Dickens uses the child, Ignorance to show how the poor are doomed to a life of want by a lack of education. Christmas Present suggests that without education, those who live in ignorance and want have no refuge except prisons and workhouses.

End of novella – Scrooge has learnt his lesson, changed his attitude towards charity and donated a large sum of money to the charity collectors.

Scrooge learns to reward others – gives Bob Cratchit a pay rise/ Pays a boy to run and fetch the prize turkey. Suggestion if people were paid fairly they would be less need for charity.

Religion and Christmas

Christianity strong influence in Victorian Britain, particularly amongst middle and upper classes. Good Christians believed in a strict moral code – attending church regularly, avoiding alcohol and exercise sexual restraint. Dicken’s view on Christianity was different – believed that to be a good Christian people should seek out opportunities to do good deeds for other people. He thought people should be humble, charitable, faithful and forgiving. Sabbatarianism – spend Sunday going to church and resting. Dickens was opposed to this (anti-Sabbatarianism) because it meant that working poorer people were denied any enjoyment on their one day off – everything was shut. Poorer people didn’t have ovens at home so often food cooked by bakers. Sabbatarianism meant that many people couldn’t get a hot meal on Sundays because the bakers were shut.

Start of 19th century Christmas hardly celebrated. However, by end of century it was most important celebration of the year.

Traditions associated with Christmas became important cards, crackers, carols, decorations, gifts and Christmas dinner. Christmas celebrations were becoming more secular (unconnected with religion) too as feasts and games became a central part of the festivities. Both fred and Fezziwig host Christmas parties full of fun, dancing, laughter and food.

Christmas barely celebrated – Scrooge’s reluctance to give Bob Cratchit the day off would not have been seen as quite as ridiculous as it is to a modern reader.

In A Christmas Carol

Ch.3 Scrooge complains to ghost of Christmas Present that keeping Sunday as a day of rest denies the poor of ‘opportunities of innocent enjoyment’ on the only day when they don’t have to work – deprive them of a cooked dinner.

Scrooge promises ‘I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.”

Characters

Scrooge – miserly, bitter old man, who has no friends and hates Christmas

Marley’s ghost – spirit of Scrooge’s old business partner. He also spent his life alone.

Christmas past – childlike and aged in appearance.

Christmas present – giant, jolly spirit

Christmas yet to come – silent, hooded figure.

Bob Cratchit – scrooge’s employee. Good person who loves his family. Doesn’t have much money.

Fred – scrooge’s nephew – cheerful man, generous, always friendly

Tiny Tim – bob’s son, he’s ill and walks with a crutch, selfless and well-loved.

Preface

Puns ‘lay’ – when used in relation to ghosts, it means to exorcise a ghost, or stop one appearing

Why does Dickens start by directly addressing the reader?

Telling ghost stories at Christmas was a Victorian tradition.

Stave 1

Scrooge is in his counting house. It’s Christmas Eve and both he and his clerk, Bob Cratchit are still working.

Fred, Scrooge’s nephew, arrives to wish his uncle a Merry Christmas, and to invite him to celebrate with his family. Scrooge rudely refuses his offer.

Scrooge arrives home, and as he’s about to open his door he sees the face of Jacob Marley in the door knocker.

Later that evening, Marley’s ghost appears in Scrooge’s bedroom. Marley is wrapped in a heavy chain and doomed to endlessly roam the earth.

Marley says that scrooge will suffer the same fate as him unless hs changes his ways. He explains that Scrooge will be visited by three spirits and that they’re his only chance of saving himself.

Analysis

Narrative hook: Marley was dead to begin with.

Chapter begins light heartedly (as dead as a doornail) as omniscient narrator discusses Jacob Marley. Tone changes with introduction to Scrooge which makes Scrooge seem even less appealing.

Once upon a time – fairytale element suggests the story will have a magical element and it’s likely to have a happy ending.

Repetition of the word ‘sole’ adds emphasis to Scrooge’s solitary nature of his life. Collection of verbs ‘squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner’ – character’s intention to grab every last penny he can from anyone he encounters. Simile ‘hard and sharp as flint’ – hard exterior which causes pain to others. ‘solitary as an oyster’ – simile just as, when forced open, an oyster may contain a pearl so Dickens suggests there might be something worthwhile to be found within scrooge too. Literal and metaphorical coldness – frosty rime, low temperature.

Implores ghost to help him – speak comfort to me. Dickens making the point that we reap what we sow in life.

Contrast of Fred to Scrooge. Contrast of Bob who ‘pelts’ it home for Christmas.

Scrooge represents selfish members of the middle and upper classes in Victorian society.

Crafting of Scrooge as an unsympathetic figure.

Dickens links Scrooge with the weather: weather is bleak – foreboding, weather linked to behaviour – it is cold – so is Scrooge’s heart.. Foggy – Scrooge’s inability to see how ignorant he’s being. Weather gets worse during the chapter as more of Scrooge’s unpleasant personality is revealed. Rooms are dark to reflect his personality. Pathetic fallacy

Supernatural – door knocker transforms into Marley’s face. Foreshadows ghostly visions that follow.

Dramatic tension rises as other strange things occur.

Marley’s ghost appears – wearing a heavy chain of ‘cash-boxes, keys, padlocks, ledgers, deed and heavy purses’ – symbolise how Marley was obsessed with money. (Scrooge’s chain is even heavier)

Ch beginning of transformation for Scrooge. ‘terrible sensation; - afraid – begs for explanation – tries to say humbug but can’t say it – sign he’s already changing.

Fred emits both a physical and metaphorical warmth to those around him ‘he had so heated himself with rapid walking…his face was all a glow.’

Repetition of ‘Marley was dead’ to really emphasise that the first time we see him it is as a ghost.

Repetition of sole again ‘sole friend’ – they were alone in the nature of their work and how Scrooge and Marley were concerned only with their profits, not with their relationship with others.

Marley – the voice of Dickens.

Semantic field – supernatural

Contrast outside his office where the atmosphere is very different – snapshots of people getting ready for the festive season. Scrooge follows usual routine home showing he is not prepared to make changes for Christmas.

Scrooge lives in a gloomy suite of rooms stuck at the bark of a dark and dreary yard. Dickens has gradually increased the fog and it’s now so thick he has to find his way with his hands; physical loss of sight metaphorically highlights the emotional lack of understanding that Scrooge has about the meaning and value of life and how we should treat others.

Description of door knocker. Similes ‘a dismal light about it, like a bad lobster in a dark cellar’ suggesting a strange glow, indicating its otherworldliness. Lobster reference – Victorian readers who didn’t have fridges meaning shellfish, like lobsters would have been kept in places like cellars. However, if a lobster started to decay it would attract bacteria that glow in the dark.

Repetition of ‘did pause’ and ‘did look;

‘pooh, pooh!’ to reject.

‘Scrooge was not a man to be frightened by echoes’ – statement of fact to accept ghosts are real but ironic as Scrooge is about to be haunted by past events.

Sensory language – ‘resounded through the house like thunder’, ‘have a separate peal of echoes’, ‘clanking noise deep down below’

‘was not his custom’ builds tension – not usual behaviour

Negative vocabulary ‘doomed’, ‘fettered’, ‘ponderous’ adding to weight of argument that happiness comes from helping and working with other people.

Sensory language ‘sounds are incoherent’, ‘inexpressively sorrowful’ – ghosts are suffering at not being able to help humans who are in need, something they didn’t consider when they were alive but now understand was key to their happiness.

Dickens intrusive narrator (intervening with jokes, exclamations and direct address) and manipulates reader throughout the novella.

Boy is ‘gnawed with cold’ making Scrooge seem particularly mean.

Suggested activities: Cambridge book

Discuss what Christmas means to you, whether you celebrate Christmas and the traditions you associate with Christmas. Compare with following quotations: Greetings: ‘A Merry Christmas, uncle! God save you!’Cost: ‘What’s Christmastime to you but a time for paying bills without money?’Charity: ‘I have always thought of Christmastime (…) as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time.’Food: ‘Come! Dine with us tomorrow.’Shopping: ‘The brightness of the shops, where holly spirgs and berries crackled in the lamp heat of the windows…Carols: ‘God bless you, merry gentleman, / May noting you dismay!’

What does preface mean? What effect does he hope the story will and will not have on his readers? Words to describe the tone of preface.

Different narrative perspectives: first person – I don’t mean to say… He makes judgements about characters: External heat and cold had little influence on Scrooge. He addresses the reader directly: You will, therefore, permit me to repeat…’

Analysis of language to describe Scrooge Analysing the visits: what you learn about the visitors, what the

visitors want, how Scrooge responds. Interactions with clerk – the fire he is allowed / how much he is paid / attitude to clerk having Christmas Day off. What can you deduce about the character of Scrooge through his interactions with others?

Humbug How many references to death of Marley in opening pghs? What

do you learn about Marley and his relationship with Scrooge? Building of tension: five features of Scrooge’s face when Marley’s

face appears. What does Scrooge see on staircase? What precautions are taken before he shuts his door? List other strange things?

How does Marley’s ghost compare to Marley? Marley explains that the spirit within every man has a duty to ‘travel far and wide’. Find evidence to support following: When Scrooge dies, he will carry a heavier chain than Marley / Business and trade should not distract a man from good words / scrooge will be visited at different times by three spirits / chain-carrying phantoms want to help those who are alive. Why does Marley’s ghost visit Scrooge?

Scrooge’s attitude towards poverty Reference to Hamlet. Hamlet’s father dies before the play begins

but he appears to Hamlet as a ghost in Act 1. Ghost reveals he was killed by his brother, Hamlet’s uncle. Hamlet’s uncle rules Denmark and is married to Hamlet’s mother. Ghost of Hamlet’s father is shown appearing on the ramparts of his castle. Dramatic revelation affects everything that follows in the play. Why the reference to Hamlet?

BIG QUESTION: To what extent has Scrooge failed to make the common welfare his business?

Stave 2

Ghost of Christmas past appears. The ghost takes Scrooge to the village where he grew up and

Scrooge sees his younger self at school, where he’s spending Christmas alone.

Scrooge then sees happier Christmases; his sister Fan coming to take him home from school, and a party organised by his old boss, Mr Fezziwig.

Next, scrooge is taken to see the moment when his fiancée Belle, broke off their engagement because of Scrooge’s obsession with money.

He then sees Belle grown up, with a family of her own. Scrooge struggles with the ghost to make it stop the visions and

he’s transported back to his bedroom.

Analysis

1st spirit arrives at one – scrooge had fallen asleep at 2. Magical quality. Clock is repeated throughout the story to show time has passed and a new section in the book is beginning.

Scrooge asks spirit to put its cap on / hide the light – could suggest Scrooge is reluctant to face up to the truth of his past actions.

Images scrooge is shown contrast with his current personality.

Learns empathy when he sees himself in a lonely schoolroom and sobs. Imaginative side revealed through books he reads. – Ali Baba etc

Transformation of scrooge’s father foreshadows Scrooge’s own transformation and suggests change will also positively affect the people around him.

Sensory language – make past seem more vivid. ‘cheerful voices’ and music of Fezziwig’s party, ‘thousand odours’ of his old village. Contrasts with the dullness of scrooge’s present life.

Scrooge speaks like ‘his former, not his latter self’ defends Fezziwig’s generosity.

Contrast in scrooge in his office alone in the world with Belle’s family.

When asking spirit to put cap on again, this time he is trying to shut out the truth of his past again as it is too painful for him to remember it.

Spirit is in the form of both a child and an old man – represents scrooge past and present.

Spirit wears a white tunic – symbolise the innocence and purity of childhood

Extended metaphor – church, church clock, church bell – what does it reveal about Scrooge’s greed?

Tension created at start – gloomy atmosphere and bell ringing. Bell nearby church clock, connoting God watching over Scrooge, making judgements about him.

Scrooge owns a four poster bed probs not for luxury but the curtain around it would have kept him warm.

Ghosts clothing – holds a branch of holly. Victorians often used flowers and plants to convey meaning. Dicken’s readers would have understood that holly refers to forgetting the past as well as being a symbol of winter.

‘bright clear jet of light’. Light traditionally associated with purity, goodness and truth – traits linked with innocence of childhood. Scrooge’s reaction to the light coming from the ghost might indicate he recognises the difference between how he was as a child and his current approach to life which dickens has associated with darkness, cold and fog.

Ghost takes Scrooge to the countryside where he went to school. Fields and clean air are real contrast to dirt and darkness of city. Idyllic scene. Victorian literature had a romanticised view of the countryside. Much of

the countryside had remained the same and agriculture dominated life. Uses this to emphasise how different Scrooge’s childhood was from his current life.

Fan contrast to Scrooge ‘darting in’ ‘brimful of glee’. Fan describes home as transformed into ‘heaven’ – father has changed suggesting Scrooge can change too.

Go through novella and make a list of the children mentioned and they way that they are presented in relation to Scrooge. The child has redemptive powers for Scrooge ‘a lonely boy was reading near a feeble fire’ and ‘spirit of tiny tim, thy childish essence was from God.’

Fezzwig contrast to Scrooge – ‘laughed’, ‘wonderful agility’

Key quote: ‘A small matter…to make these silly folks so full of gratitude’

Dickens refers to concept of free will, something that was widely discussed at the time he was writing. He shows how society and events from Scrooge’s past have shaped him and his understanding of the world. However, he implies that humans still have free will enough to choose their own paths.

Belle ‘tears sparkle’

Avarice – Scrooge ‘There was an eager, greedy, restless motion in the eye, which showed the passion that had taken root’ – passion = money.

Significance of memories

Activities: (Cambridge)

What is your earliest memory? Which quotations reflect your own ideas about the importance of memories?

o Nothing is ever really lost to us as long as we remember it (LM Montgomery)

o Memory is the diary we all carry about with us (Oscar wilde)o There is no greater sorrow than to recall in misery the time

when we were happy (Dante Alighieri) Find evidence to show that once Scrooge had the capacity to love. Description of ghost – artist impression. How does the Ghost of

Christmas past treat scrooge? Light – what does the light represent?

Textual analysis – techniques: lists, verbs, simile and metaphor How does scrooge react to the ghost? Impression of Fan Impression of Belle: recently bereaved, upset, kind, unhappy in the

relationship, honest, fair-minded, perceptive. How does this contrast to image of Belle shown with new family?

Summary of how people treated scrooge: carol singer, Fred, Bob and Belle.

What money can and can’t buy?

Stave 3

Ghost of Christmas Present arrives – jolly and friendly Scrooge and the ghost visit Bob Cratchit’s family, who are enjoying

their Christmas Day. Scrooge learns that Bob’s son, Tiny Tim, will die in the near future.

Scrooge and the ghost travel the world, visiting other people. They’re all enjoying Christmas.

They then visit Fred’s house. The people there make fun of Scrooge and his attitude towards Christmas.

The ghost reveals two starving children hidden within its robes. The children are named Ignorance and Want – the ghost warns scrooge to beware of them.

Analysis:

Clock signals new section.

Christmas can have a transforming effect on people.

Presentation of Christmas

Christmas present has particular sympathy for poor – reinforce dicken’s message.

Ch.1 scrooge believes that poor and destitute belong in workhouses or prisons but cratchits show him they deserve better.

Ignorance and want symbols of the problms caused. Dickens believed ignorance was one of the big causes of poverty.

Spirit ‘who bore a glowing torch…to shed it’s light on Scrooge’ – literally and metaphorically shed light on Scrooge’s misdemeanours.

Scene in London allows Dickens to raise argument against Sabbatarianism

Contrast between the pure white snow and the soot can be seen to reflect the difference in living conditions between the rich and the poor in the city.

Dickens weakness for young pretty women description of niece having a ‘ripe little mouth, that seemed made to be kissed.’

Scrooge is fearful ‘taken with a violent fit or trembling’.

Physically disabled saintly child is a stock character from Victorian literature. He is embodiment of ‘surplus’ population. Dickens presents Tiny Tim’s disability as something to be pitied, implying he cannot contribute to society. However, for Victorian readers, this was the norm: an individual’s value to society was directly linked to what they contributed physically. In addition, in 1839, almost half of all funerals in London were for children younger than ten years old. Victorian audiences would have understood that Tiny Tim’s early death was highly likely. ‘little crutch’ and ‘iron frame’ is metaphorical for the fact that the poor in Victorian England could only survive day-to-day by working in low paid positions which allowed them to maintain their standard but never improve it.

Fred’s Christmas scene is juxtaposed with previous Christmas scenes because we are shown how compassion and generosity will also benefit the giver.

In a parallel to Cratchits, group drink a toast to Scrooge this time reasoning that he has given them cause for laughter.

Key quotation: Bob’s voice was tremulous (adjective) when he told them this, and trembled (verb) more when he said that Tiny Tim was growing strong and hearty – linked by alliteration to emphasise frailty in Bob’s voice.

Potatoes personified ‘to be let out and peeled’ excitement and energy

Mrs Cratchit – not charitable towards Scrooge. Her function is to ensure the reader knows the irony of toasting Scrooge when the Cratchits have such a small feast. (List all food and drink mentioned along with the versb and figurative language used to describe each item).

Activities (Cambridge)

Connotations of the word light. Evidence of Christmas traditions Adjectives to describe ghost Ghost is carrying Plenty’s horn which he is using to bless people

and homes and enrich. What does Scrooge see and what does he learn?

Directness of ghost. Paragraph structure. Juxtaposition. Dialogue.

How is a busy Christmas day presented? United family that works together?

Adjectives to describe Ignorance and Want. Difference between potential and reality.

Stave 4

Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come to collect Scrooge The ghost silently shows Scrooge the reaction of some people to

the death of an unknown man. Nobody seems to care very much that the man is dead.

An undertaker, a charwoman (cleaner) and a laundress try to sell the dead man’s belongings, which they’ve stolen. They’ve even take the shirt from his body.

Scrooge and the ghost visit Bob Cratchit’s family. Scrooge discovers tiny tim has died and the Cratchits are very upset.

The ghost takes Scrooge to a graveyard and points to a grave with Scrooge’s name on it. Scrooge promises to the ghost that he will honour Christmas and change the course of his life.

Analysis:

Mirroring – thieves uncaring reflecting scrooge’s own obsession with wealth

Parallel

Suspense by hinting that Scrooge is a dead man.

Dramatic irony – dead man seems to be as hated as Scrooge. However, scrooge doesn’t realise the dead man is him.

Foreshadowing of Tiny Tim’s death. Contrast – tiny tim’s death with scrooges. Poor innocent child ‘thy childish essence. Sacrificial.

Contrast – in burial places – tiny tim ‘green’ versus weeds of scrooge.

Adverbs to describe ghost’s approach – ‘slowly, gravely, silently.’

‘shrouded’ in black – alluding to death.

Adjectives to describe city – ‘foul, narrow, wretched, half-naked, drunken, slipshod, ugly, reeked, filth, misery’

This stave – the problems of debt and poverty. Tagged to Dicken’s father thrown into prison as a result of his debts and having to sell the family possessions. He vowed never to get into that position and wouldn’t stop working.

Ends on an epiphany.

Redemption/ Cliff hanger

Activities (Cambridge)

How does Dickens present the Ghost of Christmas yet to Come in the opening paragraphs of stave four?

Track the hand in the stave. How has it changed? Personification, verb, adjectives and metaphor to describe the city.

Inferences about the city Dramatic irony Show versus tell to convey horror of corpse Tiny tim’s death – grief, acceptance, acknowledgement, concern

and support

Stave 5

Scrooge finds himself back in his own bed. He discovers that it’s still Christmas Day.

Scrooge has completely changed – he laughs and wishes passers-by a Merry Christmas. He buys the Cratchit family a huge turkey, then joins Fred and his companions for Christmas dinner. The next day, Scrooge gives Bob a pay rise.

We’re told that Tiny Tim will survive and that Scrooge celebrates Christmas for the rest of his life.

Analysis:

Similes ‘as light as a feather’, ‘as happy as angel’ – light and airy images. Revels in positivity.

Pathetic fallacy – weather changes to match scrooge’s temperament ‘golden sunlight.’

Circular structure – show difference between ch.1 and end. New equilibrium established.

‘I’m quite a baby’ – rebirth

Repetition ‘wonderful party, wonderful games, wonderful unanimity, wonderful happiness’. Fred is utterly forgiving.

‘God bless us, Every one! 0 Christian message – Scrooge saved him. Small boy represents hope and life for us all.

Dickens originally forgot to tell us Tiny Tim’s fate in the first draft and added it to the manuscript as it was going to the printers.

Activities (Cambridge)

What do Scrooge’s actions reveal about what he has learnt? How does dickens create joy? How does Dickens show rather than tell what scrooge is thinking

and feeling? Use of punctuation Why is A Christmas Carol so popular?

Themes

Christmas

Christmas brings out the best in people

Cratchits – demonstrate their love for each other. Important to bob that they are all together for Christmas. Fred embraces it.

Christmas present – cheery voice and joyful air personifies the values associated with Christmas.

Christmas spirit involves generosity and kindness

Charity collectors / fred encouraging others to consider others / Fezziwig throws a Christmas party

Christmas spirit has both a religious and secular side

Values fred associates with Christmas are Christian. Secular element when fred says ‘a good time’ / children’s excitement that surrounds it. ‘its mighty founder was a child himself’

Christmas spirit is powerful enough to transform scrooge

‘humbug’ – scrooge’s attitude is ridiculed at Fred’s party + only source of anger at the cratchits. Scrooge is then transformed – he wishes everyone a merry Christmas, makes a large donation to charity and buys a huge turkey. Spirit of Christmas all year round – winter holly / trimmed with summer flowers.

Redemption

Scrooge’s redemption is the main focus of the text.

At first it seems impossible – negative portrayal in ch.1. By the last visit, he is changed. Dickens is arguing that even the very worst people in society can find redemption. Dickens want whole of Victorian society to undergo the same transformation and take responsibility for less fortunate people.

There are hints that Scrooge will be redeemed

Scrooge wasn’t always so mean. Close relationship with Fan and iengagement with Belle showing he is capable of showing love and kindness. Change in scrooge’s father which foreshadows scrooge’s own redemption.

Scrooge’s changed behaviour leads to redemption

Reinforces dickens thoughts that Christianity should be about practical kindne4ss and willingness to help other people.

Scrooge isn’t forced to change

Spirits initiate redemption. Merely show him visions. He is able to redeem because he chooses to learn from what these spirits have shown him.

He’s transformed by learning the value of empathy

Social responsibility and poverty

Scrooge apathetic towards the poor. Believes his taxes pay for prisons and workhouses, doesn’t donate to charity, if they want to die, they should. He exploits the poor as a result. Belle explains that scrooge lives in fear of poverty. Dickens make scrooges attitude to the poor seem even worse – scrooge knows that poverty is awful, but his fear has made him selfish towards those in need.

Dicken exposes the unfair treatment of the poor

Some of the chained phantoms (ch.1) might be guilty governments. Criticism by dicken of governments treatment of the poor. Dickens use the Christmas present to condemn bigotry and selfishness of those who supported sabbatrianism (restrictive for poor people)

The wealthy must take responsibility for the poor

Christmas present – ignorance will lead to doom of society. Fate of tiny time – link between poverty and death. Marley tells scrooge he must take responsibility for those around him.

The cratchits show what living in poverty can be like

Four room house, clothes are threadbare, Christmas dinner needs to be eked out, Christmas pudding is small.

Glimpses of seedier side of poverty

Streets are foul and narrow, cesspools, smell, dirt. People who live there are ‘half-naked, drunken, slipshod, ugly. Stolen goods.

Dickens goes beyond simple definitions of rich and poor

People can be rich in other ways that are not financial. Cratchits – family, fred – emotional riches – spirit, Fezziwig – rich emotionally using his profit to spread happiness and joy.

Family

Dickens highlights the important of family

Source of comfort, joy and strength. Cratchit symbolic of perfect family. Fred’s family having fun together. Belle’s boisterous and playful family.

At first scrooge doesn’t see the point of family

Dismisses invitations, perceives love to be ridiculous, financial burden of having a family.

Scrooge is isolated and alone

Solitary child, along, failure to create a family, when she leaves he stops caring for others and grows obsessed with money. Rej3ection of family and isolation.

Scrooge still has time to become part of a family

When his father changed, scrooge was rescued from isolation, regrets he missed the chance to have a family with Belle, at end scrooge becomes a part of two families – second father to tiny time and helps cratchits and embraces relationship with fred, visiting him on Christmas day.

Loneliness and isolation

Scrooge rejects offer from Fred to spend Christmas with is family. Scrooge chooses his own isolation.

Christmas past shows Scrooge a young and lonely version of himself as a boy. Emotionally affects him as he sobs.

By the end he learns that companionship brings you happiness and joy.

Structure

Stave – lines on which musical notes are written

Like a carol must be listened to. Reading aloud was far more common during Victorian times.

Distinct purpose of each chapter: character flaws, past, present, future, redemption.

Happy ending.

Tension

Clock strikes as a reminder of how little time there is left for Scrooge to change. Ghosts visit Scrooge at 1am, goes to sleep at 2am then wakes up aain at midnight.

Omniscient - gain insights into his character and feelings. Dickens is critical of Scrooge and what he represents.

Dialogue – reveals thoughts. E.g. Scrooge dismissive of fred. Fred always cheerful. Cratchits cheerful in dialogue. Belle’s dialogue reveals a sadness when she explains how she feels. Ghost of Christmas past asks lots of questions. Christmas present engages more in dialogue which focuses on Scrooge’s changing attitude to the revelations. No dialogue from Christmas yet to come.