Dickens’ Intentions

Question 1

What does Dickens achieve through Scrooge’s redemption?

Answer 1

Tells the reader that anyone is capable of changing, not matter how bad they were before.

Question 2

What does Dickens achieve through Scrooge’s interaction with the 2 portly gentlemen in Stave 1?

Answer 2

Dickens exposes the extensive flaws with the wide-scale solutions to poverty, saying people would rather die than be forced into labour in the Union Workhouses

Question 3

What does Dickens achieve from the Cratchits humility, gratitude and resilience?

Answer 3

Dickens teaches the reader to not look down on the lower classes but to instead admire them respect them, contrary to the Victorian belief that poverty was self-inflicted (caused by themselves)

Question 4

What idea/belief does Scrooge embody/present?

Answer 4

Capitalism

Question 5

What does Dickens achieve by showing the possibility for Tiny Tim’s death?

Answer 5

Dickens shows the consequences of not supporting those in need, showing innocent and good-hearted children will die, which plays in the emotions of the reader (pathos)

Question 6

What does Dickens achieve by showing the compassion of the Cratchits and Fred?

Answer 6

Dickens shows the reader that wealth isn’t the most important thing in life, and that good relations with your family and others are significantly more important. The compassionate characters with good relations are happy in this story, where those who don’t (Marley and Scrooge) live sad lives and were destined to horrible fates.