ACC Minor characters

Question 1

Fred
Description
Character development
Purpose

Answer 1

• Scrooges nephew
  -described as ‘ruddy and handsome’ -> reader instantly warms to warm and youthful atmosphere Fred introduces
• arrives ‘all in a glow’-> associated with the motif of light in novella
• Maintains his positive traits through the novella.
• Presented as a foil to Scrooge
• his character is used to juxtapose the bleak and miserable atmosphere in the opening stave with the ‘glow’ that he brings
• Fred and Scrooge are presented as the antithesis of each other in the opening stave.

Question 2

Fan
Character Summary
Relationships to Scrooge
Themes of family

Answer 2

• Scrooge’s younger sister
• a character that Dickens uses to represent love,
  youth and optimism
• used as an embodiment of Christmas spirit
• significant to the novella in what she reveals about Scrooge, as this allows the reader to learn more about the protagonist and his journey.
• used by Dickens to humanise Scrooge
• reader is introduced to Fan during Scrooge’s first visit with the Spirits
• reader recognises that she is the only source of love in his life.
• she has come to bring Scrooge “home, home, home!”, using repetition to
  emphasise the value of family life.
• revelation that his father is “so much kinder
  than he used to be”-> some form of domestic turmoil- suggests that his father was cruel- may have contributed to Scrooge’s dismal attitude- foreshadowing that Scrooge too will transform- adds to the sense of optimistic hope brought by Fan’s character.

Question 3

Ignorance and Want
Character Summary
Purpose
Themes of poverty and social Injustice

Answer 3

• two childlike beings
• symbolic of the issues that plague mankind
• portrayed as children because Dickens is trying to show that children are the ones who suffer the most from society’s issues.
• described as ‘‘monsters”, - their existence is dangerous to society.
• show Scrooge the effects of poverty within society
• beings are not just a warning to Scrooge but also to all of mankind to change their ways
• literal manifestations of the disease of
  poverty
• The ignorance that the upper class has towards the plight of the poor causes the issue to
  be overlooked and so develop further
• the want and greed that they display prevent them from assisting those who
  need it.
• Charity was becoming more popular so Dickens might be trying to change the mindset of some and push them towards charity giving.

Question 4

Belle
Character summary
Themes of family

Answer 4

• Scrooge’s former fiancée
• character is used to show the effects of Scrooge’s fixation with money
• When he sees her with her family he thinks about if those were his children, maybe making his feel a sense of guilt and regret- could be seen as a catalyst for redemption

Question 5

Mrs Cratchit
Character summary
Themes of poverty

Answer 5

• Bob Cratchit’s wife
  the Cratchit family are an idealised representation of the poor.
• she is optimistic regardless of her financial state- demonstrates her Christmas spirit and presents her character as strong.
• optimism and gratitude dispel stereotypes surrounding the lower class- Dickens presents those in poverty as grateful and content regardless of what they have.
• uses this to criticise members of the upper class- highlights that the poor in society struggle with the most necessities of life.
• Dickens is trying to awaken his readers to the harsh realities of poverty in Victorian society.