Category: A Christmas Carol

Social Darwinism is a bias between social groups. The idea that the rich or those who have a higher quality of education are somehow better and more powerful than the poor or those who are unschooled or uncultured. There is also a misconception that the rich work harder and the poor are just lazy. One would probably find if they looked close enough that a lot of those who are poor or lower class often work two or three jobs just to make ends meet. In “A Christmas Carol” there were a few scenarios in the book that illustrated Social Darwinism of which I will discuss.

One of the first scenarios that came to mind was when Scrooge and Cratchit were at work, two businessmen stopped by to see Mr. Scrooge, and asked him if he would like to make a charitable donation to the poor. In their conversation with Mr. Scrooge they told him that “many thousands are in want of common necessaries; hundreds of thousands are in want of common comforts” (Dickens 16). Of which Mr. Scrooge replied, “are there no prisons; and the workhouses, are they still in operation” (Dickens 16)? This response took the men by surprise, and they replied by telling Mr. Scrooge that yes, they were in operation but that “many can’t go there; and many would rather die” (Dickens 16). To which Mr. Scrooge replied, “if they would rather die, they had better do it, and decrease the surplus of the population” (Dickens 16). For Mr. Scrooge to insinuate that he would rather the poor just go somewhere and die than to help them, as perhaps that is just one more less mouth to feed, to me shows Social Darwinism. Mr. Scrooge looked upon the poor as lazy stating “I can’t afford to make idle people merry” (Dickens 16). He did however express that he would support the establishments that the poor should go to for help but was not willing to personally give a contribution toward the individuals themselves. It seemed that Ebenezer Scrooge would rather it be someone else’s problem, even though he did so very grudgingly by stating “ I support the establishments, they cost me enough, and those who are badly off should go there” (Dickens 16). Mr. Scrooge could have done so much good with his money but instead chose to be greedy with it and only looked after himself and his needs instead of trying to help others.

Another scenario that stood out to me was how Mr. Scrooges treated his apprentice, Bob Cratchit. Cratchit worked very long hours for little wages. The conditions he worked under were harsh too, in that it was wintertime and the office they worked in was cold. Mr. Scrooge was very stingy with his coal and would not share enough for Cratchit to be able to stay warm while working. Mr. Scrooge was also reluctant to give Cratchit Christmas Day off stating it was “a poor excuse for picking a man’s pocket every twenty-fifth of December” (Dickens 18). Ebenezer Scrooge was an all-around bad boss. He worked Cratchit to the bone, didn’t provide a comfortable environment of which to work, never wanted to give a holiday off and gave no appreciation for a job well done. Ebenezer Scrooge was so focused on making money that he didn’t care about anyone but himself, which is a very undesirable way to live. There is a sense that the relationship that Mr. Scrooge had with his previous business partner Marley was one of an equal partnership unlike the one he had with Cratchit. Ebenezer Scrooge could have taken the opportunity to make Cratchit a friend and business partner like he had in Marley but instead he chose to take out his frustration and bitterness on him.

It wasn’t until Ebenezer Scrooge was visited by the Ghost of Christmas past, present and future that he sees just how uncaring and heartless of a person he had become, and that if he didn’t start to make changes, he was going to die a lonely old man. When looking at his past, Ebenezer Scrooge undoubtedly did not feel secure and loved as a child, and this may have played a part in how he treated others. He longed for a better life and to him, money represented success and happiness but deep down he really wasn’t happy at all.

In conclusion, Social Darwinism is still misconstrued in our society today just as it was in the Eighteen Hundred’s. It shouldn’t matter how rich or educated you are, we should still treat everyone with kindness and respect. Upper class, middle class or lower class which ever class a person falls in to, we should all strive to treat each other with love and kindness. In the end, Ebenezer Scrooge began to understand and realize that is cold demeanor and lack of compassion affected not only himself but those around him. We all have it in us to make someones life a little bit better because “everytime you do a good deed, you shine the light a little farther in the dark; and the thing is, when you’re gone that light is going to keep shining on, pushing the shadow back” (Charles de lint).

Works Cited

1. Dickens, Charles. “A Christmas Carol”. Prestwick House 2005
2. Charles de lint. goodreads.com/quotes/tag/good-deeds. 2007

The novel A Christmas Carol was written by Charles Dickens it describes the story of a mean-spirited and selfish old man Ebenezer Scrooge. Scrooge is afflicted by the Spirit of his former friend Jacob Marley and the Ghost of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. He is also shown the errors of his ways by the three Ghost of Christmas. After their visits, Scrooge is modified into a better and more enlightened man. Although the change may not be permanent, the three Spirits made an influence on Scrooge’s transformation because they each showed him how he needs to learn a lot of things such, as being kind and generous to poor people and how having a good relationship with others is necessary. They also display for him how his life would be like if he does not change his personality and attitude towards others.

To begin with, the Ghost of Christmas Past started off showing Scrooge many of his past Christmases, in which he struggled and was lonely for the most part. By showing him his past Christmases, the ghost tries to make him understand his deeds and his actions more in a way it guides him to be a better person. One of the many moments that the Spirit of the Past displayed to Scrooge was when he shut this little boy out on his front door when he came to sing a Christmas Carol. Dickens illustrates within the text that, “…Poor boy!” and cried again…after drying his eyes with his cuff “but it’s too late now.” … “A boy was singing a Christmas Carol at my door last night. I should like to have given him something, that’s all,” (Dickens, 1843, p.23). This quote intends to showcase how Scrooge started to see his actions in his past with a different perspective. He felt connected and sympathetic towards the little boy. He started to get emotional knowing whence his past was the reason for how he treats and interacts with others. Based on this quote, the readers can infer that Scrooge begins to feel guilty about how he dismissed the child last night. He wished he would have treated him better and given him something in return for singing the carols. After seeing how poorly he treated the little boy, the Spirit then shows Scrooge the situation at his clerk’s home, which leaves Scrooge feeling very emotional and disturbed. Also, a scene from the novel, that shows Scrooge’s emotions would be “I should like to be able to say a word or two to my clerk just now,” Scrooge says,” (Dickens, 1843, p.27). The significance of this quote is to explain how Scrooge is becoming more sensitive and compassionate towards the way he reacted in the past. Scrooge is being more thoughtful of his actions in the past with some of the closest people to him as he finally learns his mistakes and errors in his ways. According to this quote, the readers can indicate how Scrooge wants to make things better with his clerk, after seeing this situation with Fezziwig. When the ghost illustrated Fezziwig’s actions, Scrooge defended him considering his generosity, and this shows how Scrooge started to feel more connected and understanding of his surroundings, and most importantly his actions. The readers can see how when Scrooge traveled through his past, he realized many things and has more insight, of his behavior. As a result of the Spirit of Christmas Past showing Scrooge some of his vulnerable and dreadful past, he starts to feel responsible for his behavior towards others. Scrooge is becoming more knowledgeable about his past, and he wants to be reasonable, reflective, and empathetic towards others.

In addition to the Spirit of the Past, the Spirit of Christmas Present shows Scrooge many differences in various aspects. The Spirit shows Scrooge the celebration of Christmas of some of the closest people to him, with how they feel about Scrooge and his personality. The Spirit of Christmas Present shows Scrooge the conditions and the circumstances of his clerk’s home, and it leaves Scrooge thinking of the struggles that Bob goes through daily. A scene where Dickens illustrates, that is when he claims, “Tell me if Tiny Tim will live,”… “the child will die,”…. “No, no,” said Scrooge. “Oh no, kind Spirit says he will be spared,” … “decrease the surplus population,”… Scrooge hung his head to hear his own words quoted by the Spirit and was overcome with penitence and grief,” (Dickens, 1843, p.40). The connotation of this quote is to show how Scrooge is more sensible of what he is doing and how it affects people around him. The author placed this in the text to show that there is more to a person than just their actions. Bob struggled through a lot especially with his son Tiny Tim, the Christmas of Present was able to bestow this to Scrooge which gave him a greater understanding of Bob’s situation and his condition at his home. Scrooge feels compassion for Tiny Tim as he comes to learn that Tiny Tim will die unless something unexpected happens to him. Scrooge is confronted by his former hard-heartedness, regrets deeply, and then witnesses the extraordinary grace of his mistreated clerk, Bob Cratchit. Based on this quote, the readers can indicate how Scrooge feels very affectionate and concerned. In a way, he feels pity for the Cratchit family and how he treats Bob at his workplace. Scrooge understands Bob’s situations at his home and is very touched by the circumstances he lives in. This tells the readers how Scrooge is more considerate of how he will treat Bob in the future. The Ghost of Christmas Present shows Scrooge how strongly his nephew feels towards him and how affectionate he is. For instance, Dickens (1843) illustrates, “Oh, I have!” said Scrooge’s nephew. “I am sorry for him; I couldn’t be angry with him if I tried. Who suffers from his ill whims? Himself always,” (p.45). The idea of this quote is to clarify the cognizance of wherewith Fred is always positive and envying great for his grumpy venerable uncle. Fred’s attitude towards his uncle doesn’t change with how his uncle treats him from time to time. This expresses to Scrooge whereby no matter how much he keeps pushing people away from him, they wish the best for him, which in a way makes him feel very guilty of his actions. Fred is always approaching his uncle with such a positive attitude, and he wants his uncle to celebrate Christmas with him. Fred is willing to give his best and show his uncle how joyful Christmas can be if he tries to look at it from a different perspective. The Spirit of Christmas Present shows Scrooge how the people close to him also have their problems, and issues but they don’t let it get in the way of having positive relationships with others.

Moreover, the Spirit of Yet to Come contributed to Ebenezer Scrooge’s transformation by showing him what may happen to him if he continues to act and behave this way. He shows Scrooge how his actions will eventually leave him in a lonely and dark place. The Spirit of Yet to Come can show Scrooge how his future will be if he continues on this path and doesn’t make the necessary lifestyle changes. In the subsequent quote, few people are discussing Scrooge’s death, but he doesn’t realize that until the end when the Spirit reveals it for him. In one of the other scenes, it claims, “Last night, I believe.” “Why, what’s the matter with him? … “I thought he’d never die,” (Dickens, 1843, p.51). The purpose of adding this piece of information is to show the readers whence the Spirit tried to reveal to Scrooge how others saw him and how they felt regarding his death. The effect on the readers based on this is to understand other people observed Scrooge and their perspective of him. This demonstrates how Scrooge must have treated other people so poorly that it made them feel so much hatred and carelessness towards him and his death. After knowing that he desperately wants to change and to live to the fullest, Scrooge finally comes to understand that he was the man that everyone was talking about. In another part, Dickens claims, “…hear me! I am not the man I was. . . . I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach. Oh, tell me I may sponge away the writing on this stone!” (Dickens, 1843, p.62). In correspondence to the quote, the readers can indicate that Scrooge feels that he will die unloved and despised unless he chooses a different way of life from this moment on. Scrooge begs the Spirit to forgive him, and he says how he will be a different man now, and he is willing to change to avoid his terrifying death. Scrooge claims, how after he comprehends his past, present, and future he agrees, whereby if he continues to live by these rules, and effort he will end up in a dark place and isolated. Scrooge wants to become a greater man after seeing what his future can do to him. He promised the Spirit that he is willing to be a better person, and he will be kinder. He is afraid of dying alone he doesn’t want people to talk about him or be animated once he’s dead. The Spirit of Christmas Yet to Come shows Scrooge how his life will turn into some unpleasant and awful. After realizing the different aspects of what may happen to him, Scrooge is so fearful of his future that he is very furious and determined to change no matter what it takes him.

Lastly, Ebenezer Scrooge has come to learn that as the three Spirits show him the different Christmases throughout his life. Scrooge has learned so many lessons and mistakes that he was making. He didn’t realize what he was doing until the Spirits showed him the truth. That’s when he realizes his mistakes and his immoral deeds for his friends and family. One example of Scrooge’s transformation is when he decided to attend the Christmas party at Fred’s house. In another scene, it illustrates, “Why to bless my soul!” cried Fred, “Who’s that?” “It is I. Your uncle Scrooge I have to come to dinner, ” (Dickens, 1843, p.67). The nephew is willing to celebrate and relish Christmas with his uncle. This makes Scrooge feel so touched, even after how he had treated Fred all these years, he was still glad to have Scrooge over for Christmas. Based on this the readers can infer how Scrooge felt deeply moved and emotional when his nephew invited him in, Scrooge felt so ashamed of how he treated Fred in the past, and he wanted to take it all back and put it all behind him. Scrooge was amenable to try to be a more tolerant person and have a stronger relationship especially, with his nephew Fred. A different example of Scrooge’s transformation would be when he decided to help and put his contribution in assisting Bob’s family, especially Tiny Tim. In one of the scenes, it claims, “…and therefore I am about to raise your salary!… A Merry Christmas Bob!…I’ll raise your salary and endeavors to assist your struggling family, ” (Dickens, 1843, pp. 67-68). The implication of this quote is to show how Scrooge understood what he did wrong and how he was willing to correct it. The aforementioned demonstrates how the three Spirits were able to show Scrooge the actual cold personality he had with his clerk and how poorly he treats him. Scrooge wanted to make a change and started to be friendly to show more support and insight into Bob’s situation. This convinces the readers how Scrooge started to make some changes with his relation with Bob. He felt very sympathetic towards it and wanted to do everything he can to support his family, especially Tiny Tim. Ebenezer Scrooge goes from being old, grumpy, and rude to this kind, humble, supportive, caring, and happy individual. At the end of the story, Scrooge has become this new and improved self of his Past, Present, and Future self.

In conclusion, Ebenezer Scrooge has transformed significantly throughout the novel. After going through a range of Christmases from his Past, Present, and Future, he realizes how much he is missing out, and how he needs to value his surroundings along with the people around him. Although the change may not last for an extended period, the three Spirits made a major impact on Scrooge’s transformation because it reveals how Scrooge did make some of the biggest and considerable changes throughout the text. The Spirits illustrated to him how he needs to be kinder more generous to others and need to have good relationships with some of the closest people to him. Towards the end of the novel, Scrooge comes to learns that he needs to be more merciful and to give more to others in need, to be open-hearted. Charles Dickens wrote this novel to show how we can commend both ourselves and the world when we live in a generous, compassionate, and open-hearted way. Throughout the novel, we come to learn how Scrooge pushed away his positive emotions and he isn’t able to experience joy or empathy towards others. This connects back to the real world where we need to be more appreciative, and understanding to others and their situations. Some of the reflections I can make based on this text is how you always have to treat others with kindness and generosity since you aren’t always aware of their situation or what they may be going through at the time. Additionally, a different valuable lesson I learned from this text is you need to be more forgiving or lenient towards others to be more solicitous and courteous of them and their situation.

The infamous novel, A Christmas Carol is a widely read book that was set during the Victorian era and sold about 6,000 copies; this novel shows the jubilance and warmth of Christmas time but additionally brings attention to the upsetting reality that people faced during the Victorian era. This novel is about an affluent and nescient man named Ebenezer Scrooge, who with the avail of three spirits, learns the reality and hardships of society. Not only does this book send a great message about giving and enjoying the little things in life, but it also shows a broader aspect of what goes on in society. As stated before, Dickens’s story is set during the Victorian era which was the reign of Queen Victoria. Although it was a calm and flourishing era, there were some things that needed to be given more attention. The primary classes of this era included the Upper class, Middle class, and lower class. During this era, the poor were greatly affected, so the poor and puerile orphans relied on donations to survive the Victorian England Convivial Hierarchy. The Christmas Carol indeed sends out the message of being grateful and living life to the fullest, but the concrete message that Dickens endeavors to send out is to convey that the issues of the British Empire are due to the conditions in which the working classes lived in and the incognizance of the upper-class and wanted to draw the upper-classes attention to their plight.

To begin with, Charles Dickens presents his critique on society by exhibiting the mindset that the upper- class has towards the lower-class, and their insensitivity towards the situations that the lower-class face, daily because of the actions of the upper-class. To support this, when two charity collectors came to Scrooge’s house to ask for money for the poor he states, “Are there no prisons?’ asked Scrooge… I help to support the establishments I have mentioned–they cost enough, and those who are badly off must go there. ‘Many can’t go there, and many would rather die.’ ‘If they would rather die,’ said Scrooge, ‘they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population,” (Dickens, 1843, pp. 5-6). This exhibits Ebenezer Scrooge’s way of thinking and how insignificant he thinks the wellbeing of the lower-class is. Scrooge is cruel and considers that the establishments he supports are more important than homeless centers and places for the poor to live. He also has a mindset that rather than increasing the population, lower-class people are better off dying. Scrooge’s mentality connects to the Victorian era because during that time, the lower-class were left to fend for themselves and were ignored by the upper-class. Scrooge’s statement additionally that Scrooge believes that if a person has to rely on others and cannot work to survive then he is insignificant and left to rot. Readers can predict the mentality of the upper-class towards the lower-class due to Scrooge’s behavior. Furthermore, the Ghost of Christmas Present introduces two characters to Scrooge that help him see the plight of the poor. He says “… and they cling to me, appealing from their fathers. This boy is Ignorance. This girl is Want. Beware them both, and all of their degree, but most of all beware this boy, for on his brow I see that written which is Doom unless the writing is erased,” (Dickens, 1843, p. 49). Ignorance and Want are portrayed as the children of mankind, therefore, they represent the ugly characteristics that mankind carries with them which ultimately creates a divided system between the upper and lower class. These attributes make it hard for things to change as it has become apart of the upper-class’ daily lifestyle and they hold more power in society so the lower-class can’t do anything to amend it. Adding on, the two kids represent the cycle of poverty within society. Which concludes that the reason why these two children are in this situation is because of the ignorance of the upper-class. With these two quotes, the readers can understand that Charles Dickens presents his critique on society by revealing the mindsets of the wealthy people and their ignorance towards the lower-class. Scrooge is very wealthy, but he doesn’t share his wealth with the poor because he believes that since they cannot earn for themselves they do not have the right to live anyways. Furthermore, Dickens shows that poverty has been an issue in the society for many years and many lower-class people have been affected by it. Dickens indicates that the ugly traits that mankind carries make it hard for things to change as it has become apart of the upper-class’ daily lifestyle they hold more power in society so the lower-class can’t do anything to amend it. Therefore, the essential message that Dickens is trying to portray is that the upper-class fails to do their responsibilities as citizens because of their fixed mindset and ignorance for the poor.

Posterior, Charles Dickens portrays his critique on society by divulging the mindset that the upper- class has regarding the lower-class and their callousness towards the situations that the lower-class face, daily because of the demeanor of the upper-class. In the text, Scrooge taunts Bob Cratchit for being poor and celebrating Christmas. Scrooge says, “ There’s another fellow, muttered Scrooge; who overheard him: my clerk, with fifteen shillings a week, and a wife and family, talking about a merry Christmas,” (Dickens, 1843, p.5). This statement illustrates that despite working for such a wealthy man, Bob doesn’t make nearly enough money and that Scrooge is selfish and stingy even when it comes to paying his worker. The readers discover another mindset that Scrooge has and readers understand that Scrooge doesn’t want people to waste their time celebrating useless holidays and spending money. He addedly deems that people should keep working because to him the most vital thing in one’s life is money. Supplementarily, to support the claim when Bob Cratchit comes home after “I wish you could have gone. It would have done you good to see how green a place it is. But you’ll see it often. I promised him that I would walk there on a Sunday. My little, little child!’ cried Bob. ‘My little child!” (Dickens, 1843, p. 60). Bob Cratchit’s statement supports the claim because it shows that because of Scrooge’s selfishness and ignorance towards his employee’s family and their wellbeing Tiny Tim wasn’t able to be cured and after seeing that Tiny Tim dies, Scrooge realizes that he was wrong for his ignorance. Which conveys the readers that there is a lot of deaths in the lower-class because of the upper-class’s negligence as a citizen. Hereby, the claim is supported because Scrooge was very ignorant of Bob Cratchit and his family’s conditions. Scrooge had a mindset that if people couldn’t work and make money themselves it isn’t important if they live or die, however, after seeing Tim’s death he realized how wrong he was. He realized that everyone is human and should live happily.

Third of all, Charles Dickens expresses his criticism of society by demonstrating the attitude of the upper class towards the lower class and their insensitivity to the circumstances encountered by the lower class daily due to the actions of the upper class. In the book after Scrooge dies, his housekeeper is heartless when it comes to his death and Dickens states “Ha, ha! Laughed the same women… when he was dead. Ha, ha, ha!” (Dickens, 1843, p.60). Due to what the woman says, readers comprehend that no one cared and valued Scrooge despite him having so much wealth. Scrooge withal is being treated the way that he treated others; he ignored the suffering of people and only cared about money. After his death, all people care about is the money that he left behind. Therefore, Dickens is using this situation to show that the upper class disregards the lower class in the society and are parsimonious when it comes to aiding the less fortunate. Continuing, the Ghost of Christmas Present shows Scrooge the Cratchet’s Christmas dinner. Where Dickens inputs “…at last dinner was all done, the cloth was cleared, the hearth swept, and the fire made up. The compound in the jug being tasted, and considered perfect, apples and oranges were put upon the table and a shovel-full of chestnuts on the fire. Then all the Cratchit family drew round the hearth, in what Bob Cratchit called a circle, meaning half a one; and at Bob Cratchit’s elbow stood the family display of glass. Two tumblers, and a custard cup without a handle,” (Dickens, 1843, p. 37). The Cratchit family dinner illustrates the importance of people despite their social status. Utilizing the textual evidence, Dickens implies that people can enjoy life without heaps of money in their bank account. The Cratchit family is living in poverty and despite this, they host dinner for their family on Christmas. Whereas, Scrooge has a great deal of money but he doesn’t consider the happiness of others nonetheless his own family. Meanwhile, Scrooge perceives everything for granted, and is highly unappreciative of the things in his life. Scrooge isn’t very grateful or obliged and doesn’t believe in living his life to the fullest.

Overall, The Christmas Carol signifies the message of being thankful and living life to the fullest. Nonetheless, the primary cause was to substantiate that the British Empire’s shortcomings during the Victorian era were due to the circumstances in which the working classes lived, the upper class’s indifference and wanted to draw the upper class’s attention to their predicament. Dickens portrays Scrooge’s character as a selfish and oblivious character who spends his life making money. Scrooge doesn’t care for the lower class who struggle and considers them to be worthless if they cannot earn for themselves. Even during Dickens’s childhood, he faced rough circumstances due to the ignorance of the wealthy people in society. He went through many challenges and because of society’s irresponsibility, he had to temporarily leave his education and work to support his family. Charles Dickens represents his critique on society by exhibiting the mindset that the upper- class has towards the lower-class, and their insensitivity towards the situations that the lower-class face, daily because of the actions of the upper-class.

A Christmas Carol is a didactic text in which Dickens presents family as incredibly important. Dickens’ own father was put in prison when he was a child, which had a profound effect on him. Scrooge’s personality at the start of the allegorical novella juxtaposes other characters as he rejects the possibility of having a family and gives prime importance to money and wealth. Throughout the novella, we also see the joy in the Cratchit family despite their poverty and Fred’s kindness shown towards his family and Scrooge. Family was comforting in the Victorian society as the Welfare State was not in existence meaning families had to look after their elderly relations or they would end up in workhouses.

In the extract given, Scrooge finds himself in a “bright, gleaming room” that he recognized as Fred’s. The adjectives “bright” and “gleaming” connote positivity, joy and the energetic festivities that Christmas brings along with it. This is a juxtaposition to Scrooge’s office and house that have “a very small fire” because “darkness is cheap, and Scrooge liked it!”. The verb “liked” indicates Scrooge’s satisfaction at his financial gain and that Scrooge’s greed has reached an obscene level that he is happy to jeopardize his basic comfort and needs in order to profit from it. Dickens has perhaps used the character of Fred to suggest that Scrooge’s “wealth is of no use to him”. This suggests that his greed drives him away from spending quality time with members of family during such a joyous time of the year. Dickens describes this ignorance and lack of morals as “cheap” implying his disgust at the protagonist’s attitude towards life and family and Dickens hopes to encourage readers to adopt more philanthropic ways during the 1940s by showing how the Ghosts’ arrival brings a positive change in Scrooge. In the extract, Dickens also presents how Scrooge is losing his own family and those who genuinely through the use of Fred because he is “sorry for him”. The remorseful and regretful tone that Fred uses symbolizes the loving and caring nature of a family which Scrooge will lose the opportunity to experience if he doesn’t commence to prioritize family over his wealth.

In Stave 3, family is seen as paramount to the happiness of the Cratchit family. Bob is crushed with disappointment when he thinks Martha is not coming for Christmas dinner suggesting love, tenderness and a family bond towards his child. The adjective in “sudden declension in his high spirits” shows how disappointed he is. Alternatively, it may also suggest how important all members of the family are. Furthermore, Tiny Tim and his siblings are extremely caring towards each other when the younger one “spirits him off” so he can “hear the pudding sing” which seems like a simple pleasure, but shows that the little things in life matter and that siblings kindness is important, especially as Tiny Tim is the “cripple” and represents Christian goodwill and charity. Perhaps, Dickens was showing the effects of poverty through the presentation of the symbolic Tiny Tim who encourages the people in church to see him as Christmas is about Jesus and he “made beggars walk and blind men see” showing that although Tiny Tim is crippled, he is the heart of the family and represents the way people should be towards each other. Christianity is a recurring theme in the novella and Dicken’s may have been highlighting the juxtaposition in the teachings of the bible and the actions of the wealthy in Victorian London and how Christian values were often bent to suit the opinions and thoughts of the wealthy. Dickens appears to be criticising through the charitable and kind and loving Cratchits the way family is rejected by Scrooge, due to his greed, while those with the least are celebrating Christianity and Christian values. It is ironic that Scrooge cares money and wealth more than he cares family and humanity. Moreover, the love and happiness reflected in the Cratchit household is the way they all join together and share in the chores “in high procession” is used by Dickens to reflect the joyful atmosphere that is created in the small household when the “goose” is brought in for carving. The enthusiasm with which the goose is met is contagious and all the Cratchit household join in the celebration of the goose, “one murmur of delight” describes vividly the whole family gasping in joy at the sight of the food they have for Christmas dinner, despite the clear evidence of poverty that exists in the household. Mrs Cratchit is “brave in ribbons” which metaphorically describes the way she has made do and mended her dress to make it appear more festive as a piece of ribbon would have been a relatively cheap way of dressing up, while a new dress would have been an unquestionable expense and out of reach for the family. Although, poor she shows pride in her appearance and wants to look her best for the festivities and not disappoint her loving husband. Family here is shown as important as they all collectively share in the hardship and even though they are poor they don’t complain or grumble, they just focus on making the best of their situation. Symbolically, the Cratchit family are the antithesis of Scrooge and his cruel hearted rejection of his own family.

Earlier in the novella, when the Ghost of the Past took him to the boarding school, we see a glimpse of humanity and caring towards family when “Little Fan” arrives to “take him home”. He exclaims that she is “quite a woman” showing his admiration, love and affection for her and his sadness at the reminder that she “died a young woman” which implies that perhaps, like many women at the time, childbirth was too much for her and she died. Dickens doesn’t explicitly state that childbirth was the cause of her death but there is the implication that Fred, Scrooge’s nephew, is a painful reminder of his loving sister to Scrooge and this could be why Scrooge continues to harden his heart against Fred. Alternatively, his hardened nature and his inability to love could be a mechanism that he has used over the years as he became more and more isolated and less interested in sharing experiences with other people which could perhaps be influenced by his childhood. Scrooge’s behaviour, therefore could indicate fear and an unwillingness to open himself up to loss again, as in Stave 2 it is incredibly evident that Scrooge does have a heart and is capable of love and Fan, his sister, has experienced this love and attention from Scrooge. Scrooge’s nephew Fred is also an excellent example of how family should stick together through all the pain and heartache life can throw at people. Fred arrives at the “counting-house” on a bleak, dark and foggy Christmas Eve in stave one with the pathetic fallacy reflecting the inner sadness and stingy nature of Scrooge. Fred is cheerful and welcoming towards his grumpy uncle, who rejects the offer of Christmas dinner and in Stave 3 we see Scrooge become the joke during a game of “Guess Who”. Scrooge watches amused and seems to ironically miss the fact that he is being compared to an animal of some sort “Uncle Sccccrooooooooogggeee” is used in the game, too much hilarity as an example that no-one can guess initially. Scrooge watches on with the Ghost of the Present wistfully and plays along with the games, even though he can’t be seen or heard by Fred and the other guests. Although, they are being slightly unkind and poking fun at Scrooge there is some clear evidence of affection for him, due to the fact that he is family. In this Stave family is again seen to be normal, caring and loving and everyone is together, looking out for each other and enjoying each other’s company. Moreover, “the Ghost was greatly pleased to find him in this mood and looked upon him with such favour that he begged like a boy to be allowed to stay until the guests departed. The past participle “pleased” suggests that Scrooge is really “as solitary as an oyster” because just like an oyster reveals a pearl hidden inside its tough exterior. Similarly, Scrooge also has the willpower to reveal something truly as magnificent and that’s why the Ghost is “pleased” because he can see the warmth that Scrooge is hiding inside of him. Alternatively, the verb “begged” implies that Scrooge has had a rough childhood and that’s the reason why he is behaving like a child in order to fulfil what he didn’t have the opportunity to experience when he himself was a child.

Dickens towards the end of the novella introduces us to the idea that Scrooge has changed and has reflected on how family is important and why he should join in and become a part of the family, both the Cratchit family and his own nephew Scrooge. At the end of the novella Tiny Tim utters the phrase that is synonymous with his good nature “God bless us everyone!” which summarises the change that overcame Scrooge. Tim lived because Scrooge changed and became a better man. Scrooge vowed after seeing the Ghost of the Future, the death of Tiny Tim and the death of himself that he would “live in the past, the present and the future” showing that he understood the importance of being a better person. His first act of kindness after this proclamation is to send a “Turkey to the Cratchit family” which was a huge gesture and showed that he valued their family and really did not want to see Tiny Tim die, he asks the Ghost of the Future “Will Tiny Tim live?” and this rhetorical question reveals that he already knows the answer to this. Without Scrooge’s epiphany and change Tim will die, so Scrooge shows that he recognises how pivotal to happiness Tiny Tim is by sending the food to them. Due to the way family is presented throughout the novella it is obvious that Scrooge begins to understand that family keeps people together and makes them more humane. In the end Scrooge goes to Fred’s house and is invited in. He also becomes “like a second father” to Tiny Tim and shows that he understands the importance of being a better person and the role that having a family plays in this. Turkey was an extremely expensive meat and the fact it was the “largest” shows that Scrooge really had changed and starting to show love and care for members of family.

The important and lasting consequences that result from our action, for good or evil, is a key theme in the novel. For Jacob Marley, the actions he chose to carry out in life had enduring consequences. He was doomed to roam the earth in the chains he forged, desperately craving to help other but being unable. Hence, ‘Christmas Carol’ depicts the importance of actions that have enduring consequences.

Scrooge’s actions in ‘Christmas Carol’ is widely seen to be influenced by his past which change the way he is today. His time in boarding school prepared him to be lonely later in life. Dickens suggest that Scrooge childhood, that has both led to and is the result of Scrooge’s miserly, bitter character. Having rejected to start a family, Scrooge focus on developing his career and wealth. Acting on fears held unto since childhood, Scrooge has decided that the guarantee of a stable future is of utmost importance. When asked to donate to the poor and needy, Scrooge answered blatantly if there ‘were no prisons…no workhouses?’ This suggest that Scrooge belief is that poverty is almost a crime and that ‘they had better die and decrease the surplus population.’ Therefore, the miserly, tight-fisted man Scrooge is at present is the aftermath of his actions in the past.

The consequences that Scrooges sees from the present and future ghost is the result of his actions in the past. Dickens foreshadowed the death of tiny Tim through the future ghost which acts to teach Scrooge the effects of his actions upon the Cratchit family, for tiny Tim dies because Bob Cratchit could not afford the medical attention tiny Tim needs due to the paltry wages earned from Scrooge. Through the use of tiny Tim, Dickens is able to display to Scrooge the extent of poverty within society. Thus, the importance of actions is significant in the novel.

Scrooge’s actions in the present altered the future which ultimately saved his life. The final vision from the future ghost which assisted Scrooge’s transformation is his ‘neglected grave’ that was ‘overrun by grass and weeds, the growth of vegetation’s death, not life’ Upon the sight of his own grave, Scrooge fell to his knees and tells the future ghost that he ‘will keep Christmas in his heart, and try to keep it all year. [He] will live in the Past, Present and Future.’ Certainly, his partner’s demise had not affected him until that very moment. Scrooge became a transformed man and was given a second chance to live which he most certainly seizes it, for he became a ‘second father’ to tiny Tim, increased Bob’s wages and was known for having the Christmas Spirit. Dickens showed to his audience that Scrooge had forsaken what is truly meaningful in life, his family with his nephew, his loyal employee Bob Cratchit and most importantly the plight of the poor and needy. Therefore, the enduring consequences that Scrooge sees from the future ghost is the result of his actions in the past.

In retrospect, the enduring consequences that Scrooge sees is a result of his actions in the past. Scrooge had a miserable childhood, sent away from home, no friends in school, takes solace in books and the only student not to go home for Christmas. Coupled with a strong fear of poverty, Scrooge made bad decisions for the majority of his life which had enduring consequences.

A Christmas Carol is an ideal movie for anyone wanting to witness what some people experience throughout the holidays. The movie is set in England, and it accounts for some of the most crucial years in the world, the early to mid-1800s. This was a time of change, especially in England. A Christmas Carol overlooks the life of Ebenezer Scrooge, as Scrooge is played by the actor Alastair Sim, and the film was released December 2, 1951. The emphasis of the movie is when Scrooge gets a call, or illusion, from three ghosts. It is up to the viewer to find out what each of these ghosts illustrate as it might raise personal advocacy to some and impact the viewer’s opinion on life. The viewer might be surprised how A Christmas Carol is different from other movies such as It’s a Wonderful Life, or A Christmas Story as it demonstrates a not so jolly Christmas. The author Charles Dickens was eighteen-years of age when he first published a book. Dickens came from a large family, with quite a modest upbringing. He earned the status and respect that came upon his name, as he was an achieved author. A Christmas Carol was also a book, based on one of the many novels that the author wrote. The movie has been redone, including a version that is not in black and white. The best way to review A Christmas Carol is by breaking the following paragraphs into the visions that Ebenezer Scrooge witnessed, and also the events that took place in England during this time.

The dull set of the movie illustrates the mood of the main character, Ebenezer Scrooge, and how he was affected by his past. Not only was this the mood for Scrooge, but also a glimpse into the moods of many of the unemployed laborers in England during the Industrial Revolution. For many, seasonal events just seem more of a dread than an enjoyable time with family, and that was the case for Scrooge. These lives often envision how other’s holidays are spent, and it seems to become a depressing time for many who have lost ones they were once close to. Scrooge has lost everyone including the almost love of his life, but he still has Fred, who is his nephew.

The first ghost takes Scrooge back to when he was a child. His father was a stern man, who seemed to lack heart. Scrooge was not the only one with a hunger for money, as the Industrial Revolution visited England during the 18th and 19th centuries. The cities became booming places as the population increased, but overcrowded and grimy conditions were created. The factory owners seemed to have established a craving for wealth, in which made non-pleasant conditions for the workers. Throughout this era were new developments, but instead of helping the economy, they just began to take away jobs for some people. These developments were great as they made improvement in the economy, but it created unemployment. The lack of laws being enforced caused abuse for the working families, and this did not become resolved for many years to come, perhaps 1938. Minimum wage was also established because of this unfair predicament.

The second ghost which appears to Ebenezer Scrooge is the present, or the realization of needs in the current economy. This is the process where change was taking place. Change was not only occurring in the situation for Scrooge, but also in the world he lived in. There became an idea that each person should be given opportunities, although it was thought a division in social standings was needed. This idea occurred during the Enlightenment, 1715-1789, and was in due thanks to John Locke and Adam Smith. A balance of power would not be simply fixed, and it would surely take time. This ghost also serves as a reminder to give back during the holidays, and not to be like the main character of the movie, Scrooge.

The third ghost which appears to Ebenezer Scrooge was of the future, or of the actual changes such as new laws protecting the working class. Scrooge visualizing himself as a dead man, without anyone weeping at the funeral, makes the man regretful of his past. In life, most will not receive a chance to redo the errors they have made. It is best to live with meaning and to make the most of the opportunities at hand. This is when equality was slowly becoming the new norm. Child labor laws were also coming into place. The new ideas that were created were important to the economy of England, and also to the world now, as transportation was also developed in this era. It was not the thought of development that was bad, it was the way the industry was treating the lives inside the factories.

In conclusion, Scrooge is just a representation of what the government and or the world is still like today. Although there have been several movements to create equality, there is still sovereignty. It is a simple immoral activity, where the poor become even more poor and the rich become even more wealthy. It is important to remember that everyone is equal no matter what the amount the pay check received says. It is time the world accepts that everyone is not from the same upbringing, but that they have a chance to earn their own achieved status, no matter where they are from.

On November 29th, 2019 I went with my family to see A Christmas Carol, the Patrick Barlow adaptation. It was playing live in Nashville at the Nashville Repertory Theatre. It was an amazing play that somehow only included five real stage actors.

The plot of the play was the same as the original text by Charles Dickens. Set in London in the mid 1800’s the play followed the main character Ebenezer Scrooge. It detailed his struggle with the holiday spirit and after a few visits from the Ghost of Christmas past, present, and yet to come, and from an old business partner, Jacob Marley, Scrooge began to change his ways and become a kinder, gentler man. This particular production of the play added a lot of humor which made it more enjoyable. The script writer took plenty of risks with the language and breaking the fourth wall. The way that was accomplished was through the use of puppets on stage during the play to accompany the five actors. Although there were only five actors, only one played Scrooge the whole time while the other four actors played a plethora of actors throughout the play. Barlow also did not strictly adhere to the original script which is why his adaptation is so nuanced in performance and recognition.

As mentioned earlier, there were only five real actors on stage and they included three men and two women. Barlow’s production also included two puppets, one of which played a young Tiny Tim. The set of the play and the props were simple, but they were effective and relative to the setting of the play. I noticed the desk that Scrooge worked at on the play looked similar to the one I saw in the live action movie years earlier. So, that was kind of exciting because it brought back nostalgic memories. The costumes worn by the actors looked pretty detailed. They actually looked like clothing and material that would have been worn during the 19th century, which is when this play is supposed to take place. Also, the shadows of the ghosts were shown, and it was pretty interesting to see; it was almost like a dance of ghosts. This played into the lighting of the show. Whomever was in charge of the lights did a great job because everything was on cue, and the audience could see everything that was going on onstage throughout the whole play.

Furthermore, the sounds of the play were magical. There was opera-like singing, and live instruments being played on stage by the actual actors. Some of the instruments included the accordion, violin, mandolin, and a multitude of guitars, and also a piano. It made the play seem very exhilarating and I think this appealed to the younger audience members. Some of the Christmas songs that were sang were Deck the Halls, and We Wish You a Merry Christmas. There were also ghostly sounds from the ghosts in the play which helped make it realistic.

Additionally, the diction of the play was something interesting to pay attention to. I noticed that the words were often quietly spoken but with some subtle aggression. The actors held almost like a passive aggressive tone of voice during certain parts. With the good job of the lighting, the audience was able to see all of the facial expressions when words were spoken by the actors and it helped convey the message of the emotion the actor was putting off.

The main character of the play was Ebenezer Scrooge. He was the one who the play was centered around. Scrooge was an elderly man who hated Christmas and only cared about himself and greed. It is the people around him, the other characters, that helped to change that character flaw about him. Other main characters included Tiny Tim, Jacob Marley, and the three Christmas ghosts. Tiny Tim was a crippled young boy whose father Bob Cratchit works for Scrooge. Jacob Marley was Scrooge’s old business partner who is now a ghost who suffers because of his greed when he was alive. The three ghosts show up to try and convince Scrooge it is time to change his ways or he will suffer in the afterlife.

In conclusion, I really enjoyed this play. I was a little skeptical at first because I really liked the live action movie and I did not know if this adaption would live up to its’ hype. Also, I was kind of worried because when I read the book it was a lot scarier, and I did not want to be scared by the play. However, I really enjoyed the humor of the play. I did not actually know it was only five actors until the play started, and I still do not know how I feel about that. It worked for the play, so, I guess that is all that matters. I would recommend this play to everyone who loves the story of A Christmas Carol.

Charles Dickens’ holiday classic is made over in ‘A Broadway Christmas Carol’ with parodies of famous musicals such as ‘Phantom of the Opera,’ “Annie,” and “Chicago.” What a brilliant idea! I attended the musical ‘A Broadway Christmas Carol’, which is produced by the University of Colorado in Boulder, at the CU boulder theater on Saturday, December 7, 2019 7:30 pm. I really appreciated the fact that the creator Kathy Feininger updated the original musical script with newly opened Broadway shows. The incredible choreography, from tap dances, jazz hands, ballet, and the wonderful customs along with unforgettable songs are what make this musical successful in my opinion. Eventually, you can reach an experience that is amusing, peculiar, and enjoyable in “A Broadway Christmas Carol.” Hence, in this essay, I’m going to examine how songs, customs, and choreography contributed to the success of the CU musical.

Ted Stark, the designer of costumes, created flashy, awkward but fun outfits brilliantly. He turned the early haunting ghosts into foolish characters: Christmas past, a slender Santa with a very long neglected carpet-like beard, Christmas present, a ghost who is present dressed-like in an oversized box, and the silent Opera Phantom with a candy cane and a small slay. The costumes were cleverly designed. Each scene had new costumes from black diamond-model shorts to a huge white ball gown with vermillion bows and lamps. The costume crew led by Ted were creative with the unusual costume of chandelier in particular. This amazing production is presented in a beautiful atmosphere with wonderful costumes. I enjoyed seeing through the various costume designs that made the musical successful due to the Ted’s brilliance as a costume designer.

Melissa Zaremba’s choreography incorporates a surface of whimsical joy, including time, the classical Fosse and ballet to present an outstanding choreography. The choreography is well performed throughout the musical, and even shows through roles such as Fred and the Chandelier, by Eric Gaydon. For the actors and the audience, it was a great time to merge the choreographic style with hit show tunes. You can tell that from the first scene of ‘Put on a Happy Face,’ when Fred tries to bring Scrooge the joy of Christmas. With the beautiful moves and the excellent tap dancing he brought joy to the audience. The difficult dances he performed seemed so easy to be performed by anyone as a result of the smooth execution of the dances. Melissa Zaremba’s choreography that effectively created the musical adds layers of wacky enjoyment and sophistication of dances to the musical making the musical successful.

Reproducing Broadway’s popular hits was a brilliant idea by Kathy Feininger that made the musical enjoyable. For example, when Belle tries to reason with ‘Let Me Go’ to the teen Scrooge in the tune of “Let It Go” from Frozen. Scrooge is called to ‘Try to remember’ by Ghost of Christmas Past from the Fantasticks, and when Scrooge is mocked by the family of Cratchit as ‘The master of feast.’ You could hear the audience singing along because most of their favorite songs were there. Even “Thank you for the Pudding”, sung by The Cratchit family, brought back some memories from Mama Mia. In general, the student actors did a fine job of performing the songs at all levels.

In short, as ‘A Broadway Christmas Carol’ hits the same level as the classic Dicken carol, there is much more foot tapping and laughter along the way. The music is presented in over 20 songs and its set is constantly inhabited. The passion by the students for the musical is evident and allows the audience to indulge in the fun. What makes CU’s success very unique is the creator’s brilliant idea of switching the songs and the incredible choreographer who lets you dance in your spot and eventually the amazing costumes that matched stage’s design as well as the script. Attending a live musical has changed the entire picture of musical in my mind. Unlike setting behind the screen, watching a live musical enabled me to interact with the musical. I even felt if I were part of the play.

““It is a fair, even-handed, noble adjustment of things, that while there is infection in disease and sorrow, there is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humour.”, is the original famous phrase said by Ebenezer Scrooge in a Christmas Carol by Charles Dicken. A Christmas Carol is a novella by Charles Dickens about Ebenezer Scrooge, an old man, who is well-known for his miserly ways. On Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by a series of ghosts, starting with his old business partner, Jacob Marley. It is a book which encaptures the possibility of change for a person, no matter how “scroogy” they are. Published in December of 1843, during the Victorian EraLiteracy, this book explores themes about greed, generosity, family and forgiveness, alongside many of the “Great Ideas”. A Christmas Carol was also the first fictional story written with the setting of Christmas. Prior to its release, all holiday books were about the birth of Christ or religion-based. Charles Dickens incorporated many symbolic characters, aesthetic qualities and universality into a Christmas Carol making it a necessity that this book is included with the literary canon.

Every reader needs to read the story of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. This book explores many deep themes involving family, greed, generosity and forgiveness, just to name a few. Each of these themes was common within the so-called Great Books of the Western Culture, although Dickens was able to fuse them together with an original story to create a masterpiece. Scrooge, this book’s main character prefers to be stingy and hold money over everything else. He turns down family and co-workers, he doesn’t have any friends, in attempts to keep all his wealth to himself. Although he is visited by a deceased past business partner who wears a chain around his waist made of “…cash-boxes, keys, padlocks, ledgers, deeds, and heavy purses wrought in steel.” (pg. 14). Jacob says to Scrooge, “I made it link by link, and yard by yard; I girded it on of my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it. Is its pattern strange to you?” (pg. 25 – 26). He is giving warning to Scrooge’s greed saying that men are meant to help one another. Throughout the book three other ghosts appear, “The Ghost of Christmas Past”, “The Ghost of Christmas Present”, “The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come”, which are the ones to change Scrooge into a personable, family man who now seeks forgiveness from his actions for being the person he was. The original story and unique themes Dickens fussed to this book isn’t the only significant part of why this book should be part of the literary canon. Dickens’ story reflectsorganised what is known as “Great Ideas”. The path of desire and the journey to happiness are both colossal, in-depth ideas of the book. At the opening of the book, Scrooge is quite wealthy, but he is utterly unfulfilled at the heart. When Scrooge visits the past, he sees how much happier he didn’t have as much wealth. And a present-day visit to his employees household, Scrooge learns that despite not having anything, he is much happier as he finds joy with his family. Thus, the message that Dickens is portraying is relevant and true even in today’s day and age, that happiness is found in friendships and family rather than worldly goods.

Every reader must read the pages of A Christmas Carol, especially because of its aesthetic qualities. Every character introduced in this novel has a symbolic element tired to them. Either embodying a specific lifestyle seen in the written era or possessing a symbolic element with them. The three ghosts are symbolic representations of Scrooge’s life, past, present and future. The Ghost of Christmas Past carries a light,illuminating lighting up the fact that Scrooge, though lonely and poor, was much happier with his family. The ghost of Christmas Present has the children of “Ignorance” and “Want” underneath his cloak, not only representing the plight of Victorian children but the dangers of social neglect. “And they cling to me, appealing from their fathers. This boy is Ignorance. This girl is Want. Beware them both, and all of their degree; but most of all beware this boy, for on his brow I see that written which is Doom, unless the writing be erased.’ (pg. 90). Dickens’ intended them to represent Man’s worst enemies – the state of Want (desire for food, shelter, wealth, more..) that many live and suffer through every day, even today. And the boy who symbolises the self-imposed ignorance that many choose to live by in their day-to-day lives. Dickens wanted the ghost to portray the message, we must wake up and see what is needed by others over ourselves and the part they could play to ease the pain and suffering of our friends and neighbours. Cautioned by the spirit, unless we wake up from our self-imposed ignorance, society will create its own downfall, our own “Doom”.

To set the scene, the techniques Dickens used so the reader could visualise the location is unsurpassable. Dickens could describe a majestic Christmas Londen for the reader to envision, or use minimum yet powerful elements to encapsulate the reader into an isolated room, like Bob Chratit’s workspace, “…the door cracked open… Sat the clerk and a desk… tried to warm himself at the candle.” (pg. 4-5). To go alongside the descriptive language, Dickens integrated figurative and allusive language, a reference to something from history or literature to give more context. For example, Jacob Marley makes allusion to the Bible when he says, “Why did I walk through crowds of fellow-beings with my eyes turned down, and never raised them to that blessed Star which led the Wise Men to a poor abode!” (pg. ?). It is because of the aesthetic qualities that Dickens incorporated and used to make a Christmas Carol the masterpiece it is it should be in the literary canon.

The universality of A Christmas Carol is a story that can be told and retold in all different styles and manners. In the past century, many feature-length films and animations told the story of A Christmas Carol, with big names such as Jim Carrey, Tom Hanks, Michael Caine and Patrick Stewart to name a few. The films adaptations can appeal to all ages. Younger audiences enjoy the story with the message portrayed about finding joy with one another. Although, the more mature audience could understand and connect with the symbolism and characters. Although wider audiences have been reached. This classic has been translated, published and sold successfully all around the world. This gem is a timeless tale, one that has never not seen success no-matter where it travels. The story is set in Victorian, Londen, although it is not restricted to that era. The story has been redone over and over for all different audiences, young and mature, since the release of the book.

English writer, Charles Dickens released the tale of A Christmas Carol almost two centuries, during the Victorian era. And although the book was released so long ago, current movie adaptations show how well the book can stand the test of time. With the exploration of many “Great Ideas” and the dominate symbolism each character presents to the reader, A Christmas Carol must be forever included in the Western Literary Canon.”

Dickens presents each of the four ghosts in very different ways as they contrast one another throughout the novel. He uses the views and reactions of the character Scrooge and the physical descriptions of the ghosts to portray their moral significance.

The novel is split into five staves (or chapters) with the three ghosts of the past, present and future visiting Scrooge in the middle three chapters and the readers first meet Scrooge when he is introduced by Marley’s ghost in the first chapter who was Scrooge’s former business partner, however in Stave 5 we see how Scrooge has changed, contrasting to the first chapter when he is a mean, stingy old man. Dickens called the chapters ‘staves’ which are references to verses of a song, which he has cleverly linked in with the title of the novel ‘A Christmas Carol’, so each chapter is like a verse in a carol and this structure of the novel is effective because it emphasizes the story and gets across the spirit of Christmas in a subtle and different way.

The first ghost to appear in front of Scrooge is the ghost of Jacob Marley – Scrooge’s former business partner. “The chain he drew was clasped around his middle.” Dickens presents Marley with a long chain wrapped around him made of “cash-boxes, keys, padlocks, ledgers, deeds and heavy purses” to show that he is trapped by his regrets made in life and he isn’t free of his sins. The cash boxes on Marley’s chain represent his character showing that when he was alive he relied on money and it was the only thing Marley thought about. Dickens presents businessmen as selfish and heartless people saying there are “keys” and “padlocks” on Marley’s chain which may suggest that they keep everything locked inside them, including feelings and their money. Dickens stereotypes this society as self-contained, ignorant people who turn a blind eye to the poor and the lower-class households in the Victorian times. Dickens also describes the chain “as a tail” wound around Marley and by using a simile he helps the reader to visualise the imagery given describing Marley’s ghost, as though Marley cannot escape his regrets. Dickens uses the word tail, which could be suggesting that the chain becomes part of Marley’s anatomy and so he has to live with it his whole life.

There is a theme of regret throughout the novel and I think that Dickens could be personifying Marley’s regrets as they are the things that are forcing him to stay on Earth as a spirit. Marley visits Scrooge to warn him about the regrets and mistakes he made in his own life and is, therefore, telling Scrooge to change his ways before it is too late. Marley tells Scrooge that being a spirit is “incessant torture of remorse” which shows the reader that Marley wishes he could have lived a more fulfilling life as he finds his time as a spirit tormenting and unhappy. Because of Marley’s never-ending torture, it could also suggest that because of his actions Marley has gone to hell to repay his sins. Charles Dickens is giving a moral message to the readers and also to society, telling them to think about their regrets made in life and how their actions have affected others and to possibly change their way of life like Scrooge. Marley tells Scrooge that his chain was as long as his seven years ago and Scrooge has “laboured on it since.” Marley then tells Scrooge that he has “hope of escaping my fate,” when three Spirits will visit him over the next three nights and with that Marley is gone. Dickens is trying to portray the message that you should think about the actions in your life and treat everyone with respect because otherwise your regrets made in life could catch up with you like Marley.

Another theme in the novel is the theme of redemption, as Scrooge is told by the ghosts he can still change the person he might become. When Dickens wrote the novel there was a large divide between the rich and poor societies and he wanted to change that, by selling A Christmas Carol for 5 shillings each which meant that everyone could read the book no matter how much money they earned. Also, Dickens was trying to get the message across to the ignorant rich of Victorian times about how the poor lived in poverty like Tiny Tim and his family in the novel. Because of this moral message Dickens portrayed, he hoped that it would encourage more people to give money to the poor, possibly to redeem their sins made in life. Furthermore, the character of Scrooge could have related to many upper-class, selfish businessmen who felt regret about their mistakes and wanted to become better people much like Scrooge, as at the beginning of the story Scrooge is shown as a cold, bitter man but by the end of the novel he is a changed man. This moral message about redemption is still a very important issue today and I think that is why the book is still as popular as it was 100 years ago.

The first of the three spirits to appear in front of Scrooge is the ghost of Christmas Past, whom Dickens describes as “strange” and “like a child” making the ghost seem as if it were young and childlike however Dickens then contradicts himself saying that the spirit’s hair was “white, as if with age” giving the readers the impression that even though the spirit might be old, the childhood memories are still with him and because of this you feel as a reader that even though you are more mature, your past stays with you as you grow old, helping to shape the person you become. The ghost is showing Scrooge that for him to be able to change his ways, he must look into his past and learn from the mistakes he has made but also from the happy experiences he has experienced with Marley. Because of this, the spirit can be seen as a personification of memory as everyone must look into their past and learn from it to become a better person. Also the spirit could be seen as an angel as Dickens describes the spirit with “a bright clear jet of light” coming from his head which could be perceived as a halo-like an angel and because it is shining very brightly out of the spirit’s crown it could represent its mind and the strength of his thoughts and memories.

The second ghost that visits Scrooge is the ghost of Christmas present. Dickens presents this ghost as a happy, kind spirit which is very much the opposite of Scrooge who is a miserable and selfish man. The spirit is seen as a kind-hearted and welcoming person saying “come in!” to Scrooge and he wears “a green robe” which could symbolise Christmas as this a typical festive colour but also it could represent nature and the pureness of it. To begin with, Scrooge is very wary of the spirit, as “he lay upon his bed,” but eventually he goes to visit the Spirit. This could be because Scrooge is scared about what is to come but also it could imply that he is finding it hard to change his ways. He finds that the room has had a “surprising transformation,” with holly, mistletoe and ivy scattered around, “poultry, brawn, great joints of meat,” and “bright gleaming berries.” These are all typical Christmas objects, which could be portraying the happiness of Christmas spirit and the warmth and kindness that comes with Christmas.

At this point in the novel, the two most important symbols of the story are introduced to Scrooge to make him want to change his ways. He asks “is it a foot or a claw,” as he is wondering what the sprit is hiding under his robes. The spirit shows Scrooge two “ragged, scowling, wolfish,” children which symbolise Ignorance and Want. Ignorance shows Scrooge’s ignorance towards the poor and to others around him and the ghost warns him that if he doesn’t change, he will end up like Marley. It also shows how the rich ignore the suffering of the poor like Scrooge at the beginning of the novel. The child of Want shows Scrooge’s greed of money throughout the novel however it could also represent the want of the poor society, as they require a better life, food, and education and they want to live. Want and Ignorance have been personified into children to make the reader think

about what society is becoming and also that it could be society’s fault that they are here.

This part of the book is showing how Charles Dickens wanted to change the lives of many and to help the less fortunate, as in Victorian Society the life of the poor was very difficult. The streets were dirty and filled with disease and death and children as young as five were sent to the workhouses, where they often worked long hours in dangerous jobs for a very little wage. Houses were overcrowded with large numbers of families living in one house and there were many deaths caused by starvation and disease. Dickens created these characters of Ignorance and Want to show the readers what Victorian Society was like and what they shouldn’t ignore it but help to improve the lives of others.

When the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come “silently approached” Scrooge, he is “draped and hooded,” a phantom-like figure who could represent the fear of death. The ghost never talks to Scrooge, he just leads Scrooge, pointing forward so Scrooge can think about what he has done and what will come if he doesn’t change. The silence of the spirit could be frightening to Scrooge, as this spirit is traditionally shown as the scariest ghost. The spirit wears a “deep, black garment” and could remind readers of the Grim Reaper, which is often portrayed as an old man or a skeleton. Scrooge is reminded of Marley’s fate by this spirit and what is going to happen to him unless he changes his ways, which he promises to do after he is haunted by the image of his death. When the characters are in the graveyard, Dickens uses pathetic fallacy to portray the feeling of death around the spirit, describing the graveyard “overrun by grass and weeds” and “choked up with too much burying,” giving the reader an image of the scene but also a feeling of the atmosphere around them. The spirit could also be showing Scrooge the difference of heaven and hell, as Tiny Tim would go to heaven as he is a kind, generous boy whereas Scrooge would go to hell for being a greedy, cold-hearted man.

In conclusion, Dickens presents the four ghosts in very different ways; each one is showed by its character, appearance and feel. The spirits each have their moral significance, giving not just a message to Scrooge, but a moral to the readers too. Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol in the 19th century of Victorian Britain and he wanted to show the rich and ignorant that they should help the suffering and the poor, not just ignore them, like Scrooge’s character throughout the novel. The spirits helped him to see that he should change, by simply showing him memories, present times and what would happen to him in the future if it didn’t change his ways. This novel is still very popular today, because of the ghosts’ moral messages which are still so relevant today and in modern society.