Characters Flashcards
Ebenezer Scrooge
At the beginning of the novella, we are introduced to Scrooge, an elderly, misanthropic, parsimonious miser described as being “as solitary as an oyster”. He lives in isolated, glacial conditions, and is a pariah (outcast) due to his morose behaviour towards others. His setting reflects his redemption throughout the story, from beginning in his office in glacial conditions and ending in the streets with Tiny Tim, emphasising his change. Scrooge redeems himself after being shown how his avaricious nature has affected not just himself but those around him. He is a microcosm for how the upper class are ignorant towards the plight of the working class, but how if the wealthy support the poor they can alleviate the suffering.
Fred
Fred is immediately introduced as the antithesis (opposite) to Scrooge by Dickens’ use of lexical techniques to draw parallels. He is used to convey the key themes of family and Christmas spirit. He is bright and jovial, “his eyes sparkling” and insists that his uncle Scrooge shares Christmas with him. He portrays Dickens’ views that Christmas is “a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time”, which is a stark contrast to Scrooge’s views. He says that Christmas is a time where we view each other as “fellow passengers to the grave” implying that we are all human and should live as such, rather than continuing with such divide as seen in the Victorian era.
Jacob Marley
Scrooge’s partner in life, Marley is a symbol of what Scrooge’s life will be like after death if he does not change his ways. When referencing his burden, Marley tells Scrooge that he has “laboured on it since” implying Scrooge’s fate is even worse than his. Marley did not have the chance to change and so his redemption comes in helping his partner change for the better. He acknowledges that the pair of them should have helped the poor in their lifetime rather than focusing on profit, with him wearing the chains he “forged in life” as punishment for his misdeeds.
Bob and the Cratchits
The Cratchits are used as a representation of the lower class in society, that although they possess less money, they appear to be happy and industrious, contradicting the ideals of the upper class, such as Thomas Malthus, that the poor were just “excess numbers”. They are hard working, loving and grateful despite their conditions. Ultimately Scrooge changes their life for the better after his redemption to highlight Dickens’ message that the upper classes must aid the working class, and that as humans we should live as one.
