The Christmas Carol Flashcards
Dickens uses the novella as a vehicle to address the issue of poverty in the mid-Victorian era…
with the hope of changing his readers attitudes towards the poor from complacency indifference to compassion and altruism.
Through his depiction of the Crachit family, Dickens presents a human face to the plight of the poor…
rejecting harsh economic theories - Malthus’ theory of population - which dehumanise the poor, preventing his middle and upper class readers from viewing the poor as distant and removed and instead evoking empathy on an individual level.
Through the comments made by the two portly gentlemen, Dickens emphasises…
the extensive flaws in proposed solutions to the wide-scale problem of poverty of mid-nineteenth century London, namely workhouses and prisons.
By suggesting that for many people death would be preferable than either of these facilities, Dickens exposes the desperate need for a more humane and compassionate solution: namely altruism and charitable giving.
Through the Cratchit family’s humility, gratitude and resilience in the face of adversity…
Dickens guides his readers to respect and admire the working class, dismissing prominent views during the mid-nineteenth century about the poor being idle and that poverty is often self-inflicted.
Through his sentimentalised depiction of Tiny Tim and the prospect of his untimely death, Dickens evokes pathos and…
creates a sense of urgency for action from his readers before it is too late and innocent lives are lost.
In doing so, he criticises the common attitude of allowing poverty to run its course without interference, showing the inevitable and bleak consequences of the failure to intervene and support those in desperate need.
His solution to this, is the acceptance of collective responsibility and charitable giving.
Through the lack of relationship between Scrooge and his clerk Bob…
Dickens condemns the ways in which the working class are exploited by their employers, who reap the benefits of this unjust treatment and fail in their duty of care.
As the antithesis of Scrooge, Dickens portrays Fezziwig as a model employer, who treats his employees as individuals: worthy of compassion and respect.
Through Scrooge’s cold behaviour and hard demeanour…
Dickens highlights the formative impact of childhood experience, demonstrating how neglect in childhood inevitably shapes the next generation of adults and stressing the importance of protecting the most vulnerable members of society.
Throughout the novella, Dickens exposes the false economy of wealth and capitalism; the pursuit of money…
…leaves Scrooge deeply dissatisfied and ultimately destroys all of the positive relationships in his life.
Ironically, the least wealthy characters in the novella seem to most content, highlighting Dickens’ message that unity, familial bonds and togetherness far surpass material wealth.
The novella serves as a criticism of those who fail to adhere to biblical teaching and are hypocritical in their faith by…
not demonstrating care and compassion towards others – a principle duty of Christianity.
By contrast, Dickens celebrates individuals like Fred who embody Christian values such as patience, humility and generosity.
Through the repeated motif of time expiring and references to the potential perils of eternal damnation…
Dickens emphasises the need to seek redemption and atonement for sinful behaviour before it is too late: a message for Scrooge and Dickens’ readers alike.
Scrooge’s transformation highlights that even the worst of us are capable of change.
For transformation to be meaningful and sincere, individuals must first…
recognise their flaws and repent from their wrong doings, but must then also seek atonement by attempting to repair the damage they have done.
Dickens makes clear that a passively or purely emotional response is insufficient – he clearly wanted his readers to be moved to action and impact positive change within society.
Dickens emphasises that giving should not be understood in purely financial terms…
some of the most profound and impactful moments in the novella are when characters freely give their time and compassion to others.
For instance, Fred takes the time to speak to Bob Cratchit when he passes him on the street following the death of Tiny Tim, and Fezziwig takes the time to interact with each of his employers at his party, shaking them by the hand ‘individually’.
At no cost to Fred or Fezziwig, sincere human interaction makes a significant difference to their respective recipients, highlighting the significance of an ostensibly small gesture.
