Key Themes Flashcards
Class & Injustice
During the novella, we see how Scrooge is a representation of the Victorian upper class, and how they possess extreme ignorance and even hatred towards the working class. Dickens uses the Cratchits to convey a message of how the working class are dedicated and are often poor due to imbalances and inequality as opposed to “idleness” as often seen by the upper class. Dickens emphasises the importance of empathy of another’s situation, and how we are all “fellow passengers to the grave”.
Family
Dickens felt passionately about the value of family, especially during Christmas time. The Cratchits and Fezziwigs are great examples of this, displaying gratitude and love towards one another despite their living conditions.
Christmas
In the Victorian era, majority of people were Christian, including Dickens. He strongly valued Christmas as a time to give and be charitable, and to spend time with one’s family (shown through Fred in Stave One.) He encourages the idea of donating to charities at Christmas time as it is a time for everyone to be happy.
Redemption
The most obvious redemption in the play is Scrooge’s, as he turns from “as solitary as an oyster” to as “merry as a schoolboy.” His redemption represents Dickens’ ideology that the upper classes can change and become compassionate towards the poor, and how it makes everybody merrier.
Charity
Dickens was an activist for the poor as he himself had experience of what it was like to live in such conditions. He campaigned for poor rights and supported many organisations, such as the ragged schools. This view is present within the novella when Scrooge’s ideologies towards the poor are reprimanded.
Supernatural/Preternatural
Throughout the allegory we see multiple references to the supernatural, the most obvious being the spirits who visit Scrooge. This is used to give the novella a spooky element but also induces fear into Scrooge and acting as catalysts for his redemption. Each spirit symbolises a different concept in order to change Scrooge’s ways.
