A Christmas Carol - Family Flashcards
How is family presented
Dickens shows family to be a source of comfort, strength and joy throughout the text,
The exploration of family as a theme within the novella closely ties with dickens greater agenda to popularise an emotional element to Christmas. Hence, he emphasis the importance of family during the festive times
This is contextually significant as queen vic and prince Albert had 9 children together and their family was idealised and perceived to be model family . Ideas about family were changing during the Victorian era so readers were more likely to be receptive to dickens presentation of the theme
He explores family by highlighting the positive effects of family whilst also explaining the negative consequences which could d arise due to an absence in family. He builds on this by presenting the theme of family as one which embodies joy, strength and affection scrooge could be argued to be the antithesis of this .This induces the idea that the absence of family may e one of the key factors which contributes to scrooges initially abhorrent characterisation.
How the positive effects of family are shown
Fred
From his introduction in the novella , Fred generates a positive atmosphere which affects scrooge and the tone of the narration. This is first highlighted when he enters scrooges counting house in stave 1 Fred arrives with warmth and joy “heated himself” Fred was in “ a glow” this completely contrasts scrooges attitude of being cold
Scrooge isolates himself from his family which is interesting as this may be what leads scrooge to be so callous de to the minimal familiar interaction
The goc present allows scrooge to acknowledge that if he had experienced a loving family “2years ago” then he might have cultivated the kindness of life” this supports the idea that a supportive family is instrumental in the development of a person and so the concept of family should be seen as paramount in society
Bob Cratchit
Large families like the Cratchit were prevalent in the 19th century , so dickens constructed the Cratchit to be a relatable represnataion of the lower class. He idealises their family by focusing on their unity , happiness and strength despite their financial struggles. This conveys the idea that poverty is not a Barrie to happiness
Dickens highlights this through t the description of the household,on Christmas Day. He details that even the potatoes “2knocked loudly.. to be let out”2 emphasising the joy of the Cratchit family . Their unit is escially durning tiny Tim’s potential death
Dickens does emphasise there is nothing special abut the Cratchit family “nothing of high remark”2 but their family love strengthens them ad makes them happy - in 19th century England , large families were very common - many families had 5 or 6 children - the Cratchit’s had six
Minor Characters
Cleverly dickens uses minor characters too to represent family this may be to symbolise how family is interwoven in society and captures zeitgeist relating to family love.
Dickesn makes this apparent during scrooges time with the Ghost of Christmas present by including subtle comments about the importance of family. When he describes the setting he writes “all the children of the house were running out into the snow to meet their married sisters, brother, cousins,uncles and aunts.
Dickens goes on to detail that even the geographically isolated miners gather with “2cheerufl copany2 while a sailor far out at sea still “remembered those he cared for”. This accumulation of description pests the concept of family to be central to scrooges time with the spirit, and so must have some effect on his redemption
The negative effects of an absent family
Dickens uses Scrooge as a vehicle to examplify the idea as scrooge was isolated and left at christmas( a time of family celebration over the birth of Christ)
A solitary child, neglected by his friends, is left there still
Fanny- when fanny comes to take Scrooge home from boarding school sh tells him that her father is now a “kinder” man and that their home feels “like heaven!” . This is a powerful simile as it highlights the the great power family can have emphasising its importance of family in addition in this satve(stave 2) at start of page 38 he looks at the door “with a mournful shaking of hi head, glanced anxiously to the door”
Then his sister arrives - “I have come to bring you home, dear brother!” Said the child
Father is so much kinder
Homes like heaven !
Scrooge later replies
“You are quite a woman, little Fran!” This shows excitement and shows how the presence of family makes him happy , but as we see to red he is rather disregarding of Fred
Belle- is once finance belle says to him “2another idol has displaced me” which when scrooge asks “What idol has displaced you”2she replied “A golden one”
This is a metaphor if money
This shows scrooges inclination towards moneyover relationships
Which has damaged oppurtuitnuites to rekindle and create his own family- dickens may subtly crirticing that money creates a magnitude of problems but greed Creates mind destroying problem
T
Scroooges memories how they change him
Start to see memories i stave 2 where scrooge is heartbroken by his ex fiancé and her mocking him about being lonely
“ ‘spirit’ said scrooge in a broken voice ‘remove me from this place ’ “
