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A Christmas Carol Topic Tracking: Regret

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Theme of Redemption in "A Christmas Carol"

• Categories: A Christmas Carol Charles Dickens

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Published: Sep 7, 2023

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Miss Huttlestone's GCSE English

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Category: A Christmas Carol

A model top band essay on ‘acc’ and family.

Throughout Dickens’ allegorical novella, the importance of family is carefully highlighted in each stave as Scrooge starts to realise that profit and gain is not the true way of maintaining happiness.

Primarily in Stave 1, Scrooge’s last-living family member, Fred, invites him round for Christmas dinner, (every year, after continuously getting declined) expressing just how ‘merry’ and morally-inclined Fred is over his Uncle, who is supposedly the influence upon Fred, making it ironic that the younger, less-economically inclined protagonist exhibits a higher moral compass than his own Uncle, this suggests past events that have molded Scrooge into the parsimonious old man he is now. Dickens uses Fred as a mouthpiece to the contemporary audience (as he embodies the Christmas Spirit and the upper-middle class) to communicate money doesn’t buy morals and family and love, so be grateful for what and who you have around you, and help those who need it the most. Scrooge’s lack of love and simple acts of kindness is shown through the way he treats and speaks to his own family, asking them, “what right have you to be merry? You’re poor enough” The dehumanizing interrogative belittles Fred, stripping him of his human “right” to be “merry” which portrays just how stagnant and immoral he is at the beginning of the novella, clearly family means nothing to Scrooge. Here the modern audience finds it comical, how ignorant and narcissistic Scrooge is towards his own family member.

Primarily, within the selected extract, Dickens starts off by using an excessive amount of derogatory language and an abundance of negations to communicate the true, ‘dirty’ ramifications that the lower working class were forced to live in. This is the moment where Scrooge is “appalled” and “starts aback” at the unhealthy living conditions his employee, Bob, lives under and starts to notice just how horrific the living conditions really were, all because he refused to pay Bob anything ‘more nor less than the minimum wage’. This is also where the audience is told that Peter, Bob’s eldest son, also works in order to gain some more income for the family’s welfare. Peter’s loss of youth clearly reminds Scrooge of his lonely childhood as we (as readers) can see a glimmer of hope within Scrooge’s future transformation. Here, Scrooge can see that no matter how poor this family is, nothing will ever change the love they possess for one another as they are described as “happy, grateful, pleased with one another, and contented with the time…” This communicates and foreshadows Scrooge’s possible want for change in the lower working class’ treatment and wages etc, as in Victorian England, anyone born into the lower working class was instantly assumed to be lazy as according to the upper and middle class, it was their fault for being in that situation and it was “punishment” for not working hard enough – although they probably worked just as much as the other working classes, if not more. Dickens went into such detail with The Cratchits living conditions as he wanted to raise awareness to the contemporary audience that societal norms needed to change in order to progress as a country.

Moreover, the importance of family is also shown through Belle’s happiness with her new family and husband. This is where we see slight guilt in Scrooge’s past actions as he “yells, ‘get me out of this place’”. The use of verb “yells” explains how there could be a glimmer of jealousy within Belle’s find for a new love for others and the loss of love she once maintained with Scrooge. In the Victorian Era, it was almost a necessity and classed as a life’s purpose to have a family to carry on future working development and to pass on the family name and so Scrooge has failed at learning to love and care about other people since he “replaced” everyone with a “golden” material. Dickens clearly wanted to make the society of the Victorian Era understand the sheer importance of having a family and not remaining lonely like Scrooge as happiness is spawned within family and laughter. The reader would realise just how much their family should mean to them as the average age of the Victorian Era was 29 years old which- to this day- is very young and they should appreciate who they have around them.

Finally, within the selected extract, The Cratchits are presented as economically disinclined but “happy, grateful, pleased…” and that is all they need to survive. Scrooge decides to have “his eye upon… Tiny Tim until the last” and this could be he doesn’t want to accept the fact that he declined Bob with a higher wage to help his ‘youngest son’ (Tiny Tim) gain the medication he needs in order to cure his illness. The use of lexical choice ‘upon’ shows how Scrooge is aware that this family needs and wants help economically but refuses to realise that its HIS fault for keeping him paid on the lowest wage. This could mirror a possible future where Tiny Tim was the ‘last’ one born, but the first to die, as in the Victorian Era, contraception didn’t exist and so families (usually of the lower class) had up to 7 kids, also because 1/6 of the born children would die before the age of 1 and 1/5 would die before the age of 5 due to the lack of health care and unsanitary living conditions. Scrooge clearly realised that he would have to live with the fact that he was the reason why Tiny Tim dies (when The Ghost of Yet to Come) takes him to the scene of his death. Here the reader can see that The Cratchits truly love and appreciate each other, and they possess something Scrooge becomes envious of- which is love and Dickens did this in the hope of more appreciation and acceptance of everyone, no matter what social class etc and that if things didn’t change in their societal norms, then regression would certainly take place.

Ultimately, through the ideals of family, Dickens seeks to illuminate its great value, encouraging greater benevolence and sense of community for readers of all contexts.

Model Grade 9 ‘ACC’ essay: Christmas as a Joyful Time

Starting with this extract, explore how far Dickens presents Christmas as a joyful time. (30 marks)

Throughout Dickens’ allegorical novella, his aim is to passionately highlight how such a joyful season can create positive role models for Scrooge. The constant succession of images relating to joy around Christmas may well have been utilised to demonstrate how readers too can learn and improve from the inspirational characters during the novella.

Primarily, within stave 1 of the novella, Dickens utilises the characterisation of Fred as the embodiment of the Christmas spirit with all the positive virtues associated with Christmas. This is evidenced when Fred is described as coming in ‘all in a glow’ with ‘his face ruddy and handsome; his eyes sparkled.’ Here the use of the noun ‘glow’ connotes light and warmth which is strongly linked to hope and purity. This highlights the contrast between Fred and his uncle Scrooge, who was described as ‘hard and sharp as flint.’ Structurally, introducing Fred immediately after Scrooge focuses the reader’s attention on the clear variation between the two and all of the positive qualities that Scrooge lacks. Furthermore, Fred highlights the belief that Christmas is a time for unity within the social hierarchy although it ‘never puts a scrap of gold or silver’ in his pocket and he frowns upon his uncle, completely consumed in the greed for money. Dickens may have done this to foreshadow Scrooge’s transformation into a better man as a result of the inspirational role models around him during the novella. Alternatively, Dickens may have used Fred and Scrooge together to challenge the situation in Victorian Britain during the Industrial Revolution. Scrooge highlights all of the negative traits of upper class men during this time and Fred is a caring and benevolent character, who cares for people lower down on the social hierarchy.

Secondly, within the extract, Dickens utilises the characterisation of Fezziwig to suggest a clear contrast in the two employers. This is evidenced when Fezziwig ‘laughed all over himself, from his shoes to his organ of benevolence.’ The use of the abstract noun ‘benevolence’ suggests the joy and love Fezziwig has for Christmas time. Fezziwig’s kind, caring personality is another role model and catalyst for Scrooge’s transformation. Furthermore, Dickens presents Christmas as a joyful time through Fezziwig’s Christmas party. ‘Fuel was heaped upon the fire’ and the warehouse was transformed into a ‘snug, and warm’ ballroom filled with light. The use of the adjective ‘warm’ connotes kindness and comfort. The detail here in Fezziwig’s scene overwhelms the senses; his generosity is physical, emotional and palpable. As an employer he is the foil of Scrooge and presents all of the positive virtues that Scrooge lacks. Dickens may have done this to highlight a different side to capitalism. Alternatively, presenting Fezziwig as the embodiment of Christmas suggests the importance of Christmas and all of its positive qualities on everyone in society.

Thirdly, within the novella, Dickens utilises the Ghost of Christmas Present to personify Christmas itself. When the ghost appears it has set up an impressive feast of lights and food. This is evidenced when Scrooge’s room is filled with ‘the crisp leaves of holly, mistletoe and ivy reflected back the light, as if so many little mirrors had been scattered there, and such a mighty blaze went roaring up the chimney.’ The scene is hyperbolic and creates a clear contrast with the frugal state of Scrooge’s past Christmases. The use of the light imagery here provides a clear and undeniable tableau of the joyful Christmases Scrooge can afford but chooses to shun. Dickens may have done this to portray Christmas as a bright and familiar celebration which everyone should celebrate in harmony. A modern reader may feel hope that Scrooge will use his wealth to celebrate Christmas with all of the festivities that Christmas should include and celebrate it with the people that care for him, like his nephew Fred.

Finally, in ‘A Christmas Carol’ Dickens reinforces the theme of Christmas spirit through the Cratchit family. Dickens utilises Bob Cratchit to symbolise the true spirit of Christmas and the importance of family. This is evidenced at the Cratchit’s dinner where nobody remarked that it was ‘a small pudding for a large family’. The adjective ‘small’ emphasises the Cratchit’s lack of luxury and yet their enthusiasm in the scene is palpable. This highlights that this ‘small’ pudding was seen as an indulgence to them which is something Scrooge takes for granted. Furthermore, the Cratchit’s ‘four roomed house’ is filled with an overwhelming sense of energy and excitement, which exists as an antithesis of Scrooge’s ‘old…dreary’ abode. This is evidenced as the youngest Cratchit children ‘danced about the table’ this suggests the sense of energy despite their lowly status in society on this festive day. Dickens may have done this to suggest the importance of Christmas to all members of society. Although the Cratchit family are less fortunate than Scrooge or Fred their Christmas is filled with the love they have for each other. A reader may feel delighted to see this family enjoying Christmas day, contented with what they own and hope that Scrooge will see this family as a role model for his transformation.

‘Big Ideas’ in your Literature texts

Having pre-planned ‘big ideas’ that can function as top band essay introductions is a productive use of your time ahead of the Literature exams over the next two weeks. I sat down and had a go for ‘A Christmas Carol’ and ‘An Inspector Calls’. One of my year 11 students also came up with three superbly perceptive ‘big ideas’ for ‘Macbeth’, also displayed below. No matter the focus, knowing your concept, your way in before you enter the exam hall is excellent preparation and a HUGE time saver.

Many of Shakespeare’s critics, Bloom among them, have argued that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth may be Shakespeare’s most authentic couple out of all of his plays, this is due to the deep devotion and passion they demonstrate to each other. However, if we observe their marriage at a microscopic level throughout the play, we can see how it fluctuates and slowly decays at the hands of their unchecked ambition and hubris.

In Shakespeare’s eponymous play, ‘Macbeth’, our tragic hero and his wife are both riddled with unchecked ambition and often take radical measures to accomplish their ultimate goal: kingship. While this ruthless thirst for power is seemingly prosperous at first, it hastily crumbles to nothing as guilt plagues their minds full of “scorpions”. Macbeth transforms from a “brave” and noble warrior to a guilt-ridden and despised “butcher”, while Lady Macbeth’s stoic and transgressive persona deteriorates into a pitiful and anxious version of her former self.

‘A Christmas Carol’ Grade 9 Response on Fred’s Characterisation

Hi all – another AMAZING essay penned by my year 11 student Ashley. Use as a model for how to structure a top band response:

Within his festive, allegorical novella, Dickens crafts Scrooge’s only nephew Fred to function as a model for embracing Christmas. Most importantly, he demonstrates the virtues associated with this time of year, namely goodwill, benevolence, family and community.

Primarily, the first time the reader meets Fred he is depicted as an embodiment of the Christmas spirit. Fred is ‘all in a glow’ when he comes to meet his uncle. The lexical choice ‘glow’ connotes light which is often linked with purity and hope, emphasising that Fred acts as a role model for Scrooge to learn from. Fred spreads his Christmas cheer and is happy despite not being wealthy. Additionally, Fred is said to have walked through the ‘fog and frost’; the fog could symbolise the lingering presence of the Industrial Revolution in the 1800s and all the negativity it brought such as apathy and ignorance. The ‘fog’ blinkered many capitalists from the fact that the people of London were suffering greatly due to the functions of power failing to protect them and for choosing capitalism over socialism. Fred being ‘all in a glow’, stands out from this metaphorical atmosphere of capitalism and material gain; whilst doing so, he clears a path for goodness and cheerfulness to seep into Scrooge’s melancholy life. He therefore paints himself as selfless and caring – qualities that were quite rare in the 1800s.

Secondly, Dickens cleverly utilises structure to illustrate the weak relationship between Fred and Scrooge. Throughout the extract the terms ‘nephew’ and ‘uncle’ are repeated several times. Dickens intention for this technique may have been to remind the reader that Scrooge and Fred are blood relatives; therefore they should have a familial connection. This is extremely ironic considering the way Scrooge communicates with his ‘nephew’ by calling him ‘poor enough’. This remark can be perceived as very rude, dismissive, ignorant and derogatory to a reader; one may even say their conversation resembles two strangers conversing. Dickens does this to highlight the distance between the two, one whose ‘eyes sparkled’ and one who is ‘hard and sharp as flint’. However, despite this obstacle, Fred continually tried to bridge the gap between them by inviting Scrooge to his annual Christmas dinner every year. From this we can infer that Fred is persistent in ensuring that his uncle stops marginalising himself and is included in familial engagements. This is because Fred understands the importance of community and how one can benefit spiritually from it, something Dickens strongly believed people needed to have.

In stave 3, the ghost of Christmas present takes Scrooge to a ‘bright, dry and gleaming room’, which we soon learn to be part of Fred’s home. The description of this setting is essential in understanding the character is Fred. The adjective ‘gleaming’ implies that Christmas spirit is almost leaking out of Fred’s house as it is so full of joy and benevolence. This proves that Fred’s house stands out, drastically, from the cold darkness that many people, like Scrooge, fall into on special occasions like Christmas. Here Dickens shows the vast division between those who are wealthy in the Christmas spirit and those who are wealthy but lack the spiritual benefits of Christmas through imagery. Therefore urging readers to understand that importance of family and relationships in order to avoid isolation.

In essence, Dickens utilises Fred to jolt Scrooge and his targeted capitalist readers out of this apathetic ways via his thoughtfulness, cheerfulness and ‘extraordinary kindness’.

The significance of the supernatural in A Christmas Carol

The supernatural isn’t merely utilised by Dickens because he was intrigued in the power he felt it wielded in reality or because society was fixated on witches like in Shakespeare’s era. Instead the supernatural is used as a catalyst for Scrooge’s change. It’s present as a plot device to move the action along and to encourage Scrooge’s redemption. In their own unique way each spirit has a lasting impact of our protagonist.

I’ve found a really great student response you might look at before tomorrow:

It takes you through the significance of each of the spirits and the lessons they encourage in Scrooge.

Watch and take note!

“If a question on Fred in ‘A Christmas Carol’ cropped up what would I talk about?!”

Despite the fear that potentially surrounds this character appearing in Literature Paper 1, there is a logical means of approaching this. Think of his key moments and what Scrooge and the reader learn from them:

Fred’s key moments:

1) Visits Scrooge in his office to wish him a merry Christmas – contrast in characterisation established (Fred as a foil to Scrooge: ‘There are many things from which I might have derived good, by which I have not profited’) 

2) Fred holds a jolly family orientated Christmas party where he refuses to be derogatory about his uncle although he does laugh at his miserly ways (“He said that Christmas was a humbug, as I live!” cried Scrooge’s nephew. “He believed it too.”). Fred abandons himself to childish pleasures and games, displaying his absolute acceptance of the Christmas spirit. This intimate moment displays Fred’s deep and unwavering concern for family and the spiritual wealth it brings. 

3) Fred is authentically benevolent towards Bob, expressing his genuine sorrow for the death of Tiny Tim (as portrayed by the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come). Bob recounts the ‘extraordinary kindness’ he displays. It appears Fred is unaffected by social prejudice and sees all humans as ‘fellow passengers’ throughout live. His is non-discriminating, a pure model of good will.  

4) Finally, he welcomes Scrooge into the family Christmas without question, never berating him for his past erro r s (“It’s I. Your uncle Scrooge. I have come to dinner. Will you let me in, Fred?” / Let him in! It is a mercy he didn’t shake his arm off.’). He stands for forward progression and celebrates Scrooge’s redemption. 

So why is he so important?

• Allegorically, Dickens utilises Fred as a model for embracing Christmas and its associated virtues e.g. goodwill, family, love, community
• Fred’s concern is revealed by his persistence and pity – his manner is what Dickens sought to inspire in others.
• Both Bob Cratchit and Fred are important characters in bringing about the transformation of Scrooge’s character.
• Fred is a foil to Scrooge in the opening of the novella, so helps to heighten Scrooge’s absolute misery nature and need for change.

More on Fred:

The Theme of Regret in ‘A Christmas Carol’

Hi all, a pupil asked me to go over what the key moments for the theme of regret might be if you were faced with such a focus in the exam next week. I sent the following advice which may be of use to you also:

1) Marley’s unsettling and potentially prophetic display of regret . The ‘chain’ he ‘forged in life’ is composed of the consequences of his fixation on the accumulation of capital at the expensive of spiritual wealth. Now in a state of purgatory he is doomed to walk the earth baring witness passively, unable to help, those most in need. Marley’s regret foregrounds Scrooge’s later acknowledgement of all the ills his own fixation has wrought him.

2) Scrooge himself has many regrets while he visits the past. His biggest regret is likely his relationship with Belle (he allowed ‘another idol’ to displace his love, a ‘golden one) as he drove way a young woman who would have been his lifelong companion and enriched his life with love: a far greater wealth than money.

3) We also see him lament brushing of the little caroler without giving him money (he later displays clear regret for this dismissive action when he redeems himself by speaking enthusiastically the the boy from his window: ‘An intelligent boy!” said Scrooge.  “A remarkable boy! The series of exclamatives and short complimentary sentences displaying his regret for not engaging in community.

4) His treatment of Cratchit, his loyal employee is regretted in stave two fairly early on upon baring witness to his foil Fezziwig (‘I should like to say a word or two…that’s all’). Scrooge seeks to remedy this regret in stave five when he gifts them a large turkey. Scrooge was better than his word.  ‘He did it all, and infinitely more; and to Tiny Tim, who did not die, he was a second father. Through the Cratchits he embraces family again, tackling the regret for marginalising family from young adulthood.

4) There’s the son of his beloved sister. He hasn’t been good to Fred over the years, but this is the one relationship from the past he can do something about. When he ventures to Fred’s Christmas morning he requests: ‘It’s I.  Your uncle Scrooge.  I have come to dinner.  Will you let me in, Fred?”. This is a huge marker of his indication. Wishing to be ‘let..in’ can be taken to symbolise his regret of existing far too long in his ‘solitary’ state. His regret is for not forging a family, for not honouring his sister’s memory through her son, a true extension of her.

5) The ghost of Christmas present reveals ignorance and want and scrooge exclaims: ‘Have they no refuge or resource.’ cried Scrooge – vocalising an interpretative in absolute juxtaposition to his previous dismissive and intolerant nature in stave one. The ghost reminds him how he should regret such ignorance of the poor’s plight by echoing his previous words:’Are there no prisons.’ said the Spirit, turning on him.

6) In stave 5 it is palpable that scrooge regrets his ill treatment of the charity workers in stave one. Upon meeting them a second time he seems to remedy his brusque nature by offering a hearty donation: ‘a great many back-payments are included in it, I assure you.’ His regret is that he failed to acknowledge the great power of charity as a remedy to want and to actively target the persistent cycle of poverty dickens abhorred.

Key Structural Features in ‘A Christmas Carol’ – boost your author’s methods!

The novella has a simple structure:, a christmas carol is divided into five chapters, and dickens called each chapter a ‘stave’. staves are the five lines on which musical notes are written, which may explain why there are five chapters. the word ‘stave’ is also another word for a verse of a song..

• The use of staves and the title, ‘A Christmas Carol’, suggest that this novella, like a carol, was meant to be listened to and enjoyed by groups of people. Reading aloud to friends and family was more common in Victorian times than it is today. Could it be that the novella, like a carol shared among singers, was meant to be shared in a community, passed on and recalled?
• The middle three chapters each relate to Scrooge’s past, present and future, and they contain various lessons for Scrooge to learn from the three ghosts. The appearance of each ghost is signaled by the ominous tolling of a bell.
• The final chapter reintroduces things from the first chapter, such as the charity collectors. This gives the story a circular structure that clearly shows how Scrooge has changed — Scrooge shows that he’s learnt from his experience, saying that he promise s to “live in the Past, the Present and the Future”.
• Scrooge’s transformation is foreshadowed by the change in Scrooge’s father. The fact that Scrooge was more kind-hearted in his youth also acts as a hint that he will be able to change back.
• In the first few pages of the novella, Dickens uses the phrase “Once upon a time”, which links the story to a fairy tale and suggests that it will have a happy ending.

The story has an unusual time scheme:

• The story doesn’t follow a chronological structure. It’s mainly set in Scrooge’s present, but it includes three separate episodes that have visions set in different time periods — Scrooge’s past, present and future.
• Each individual episode with the ghosts doesn’t follow a regular time scheme — each one contains several jumps in time.
• The linking sections between each ghostly visit are set in Scrooge’s present, but they also don’t follow the normal rules of time. Scrooge falls asleep after 2 am, but he’s visited by the first ghost at 1 am that same night. The tolling of the bell shows that hours are passing, but the three visits only take one night.

Supernatural visits drive the action:

• The reader is repeatedly made aware that the ghosts have a short amount of time convey their messages to Scrooge. This drives the plot forward with a sense of urgency and dramatic tension that builds with each ghostly visit.
• The Ghost of Christmas Past instructs Scrooge to “Rise! and walk with me!”, and its manner gets more urgent from then on. It tells Scrooge “Let us go on”, “Let us see another Christmas!” and, “My time grows short… Quick!”
• The Ghost of Christmas Present’s visit is a blur of activity. Scrooge and the spirit speed through several Christmas visions, but there’s a sense that there’s barely enough time for Scrooge to learn all that he needs to learn before the spirit leaves — the spirit warns Scrooge “My life upon this globe, is very brief”.
• The Ghost of Christrnas Yet to come is in such a hurry it appears in the chapter of the previous ghost. It rushes Scrooge towards what seems to be his final lesson — the vision of Scrooge’s own corpse. Scrooge slows down the pace by refusing to look at the corpse, which increases the tension as the reader worries that Scrooge may run out of time to fully learn his lesson. However, later on, the pace builds as the spirit relentlessly points Scrooge towards his final lesson in the graveyard.

The omniscient narrator influences the reader’s view of Scrooge:

• The narrator puts the reader at ease immediately with his casual tone and humorous ramblings about the phrase “dead as a doornail”. The narrator comes across as a talkative, witty storyteller — Dickens presents the narrator in this way so that the reader likes and trusts him.
• Once the narrator has the reader’s trust, he gives lots of negative opinions about Scrooge, e.g. describing him as a “covetous old sinner” with “ferret eyes”. By doing this, Dickens uses the narrator to encourage the reader to despise Scrooge at first.
• As the novella goes on and Scrooge begins to change, the narrator reveals the feelings and emotions Scrooge is experiencing, causing the reader to sympathise with Scrooge. This allows the narrator to drastically change. the reader’s opinion of Scrooge over the course of the text, making his eventual transformation even more powerful

Key Adjectives For Characters in ‘A Christmas Carol’

Use the following vocabulary when discussing any of the following characters:.

• Prejudiced • Ignorant • Cold-hearted • Miserly • Cruel • Isolated

By Stave 5: • Altruistic • Penitent • Redeemed • Charitable •Emblematic

Show the contrast through key quotes:

“If they would rather die, . . . they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population” “Squeezing” “Wrenching” “Gasping” “Clutching” “Odious” “Stingy” “Secret, self contained”  “Solitary as an oyster” By Stave 5: “I am as light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel” “I will honour Christmas in my heart”  “I’ll raise your salary” “Overcome with penitence and grief” “Delighted smile” “Wonderful party”

The Cratchits:

• Vulnerable • Hardworking • Moral/ Christian • Cheerful • Grateful

Key quotes:

“Brave in ribbons” “I’ll give you Mr. Scrooge, the Founder of the Feast!“ “Bob was very cheerful” Food is “eked out” The children “work” and “help” out

• Benevolent • Family orientated • Altruistic • Charming

Key Quotes:

Christmas is “as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time” “Don’t be angry Uncle. Merry Christmas!” “If you should happen, by any unlikely chance, to know a man more blessed in a laugh than Scrooge’s nephew, all I can say is I should like to know him too.” “Scrooge’s offences carry their own punishment. Who suffers? Himself!”

Jacob Marley:

• Direct • Prophetic • Reformed • Emblematic • Terrifying

“I wear the chains I forged in life” “Mankind was my business” “I am here tonight to warn you” “Death cold eyes”

Ghost of Christmas Past:

• Young and old • Commanding • Light

“Bright clear jet of light” “relentless ghost”

“Would you (Scrooge) so soon put out..the light I give?”

“A small matter to make these folks so full of gratitude”

Ghost of Christmas Present:

• Jolly • Welcoming • Prophetic • Honest

“Jolly Giant, glorious to see” Has “sympathy with all poor men” “Sorrowful” for Ignorance and Want “Will you decide what men shall live, what men shall die? It may be in the sight of heaven, you are more worthless and less fit to live than millions like this poor man’s child”

Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come:

• Silent • Dark • Ominous

“Scrooge feared the silent shape” “It seemed to scatter gloom and misery” “it’s kind hand trembled”  “It was shrouded in a deep black garment which concealed its head, its face, its form and left nothing visible except one outstretched hand” “Ghost of the Future. I fear you more than any spectre I have seen. But as I know your purpose is to do me good, I am prepared to bear you company with a thankful heart.”

Each Key Event in ‘A Christmas Carol’ listed and ordered

The narrator tells us marley is dead. scrooge is in his counting house – it’s christmas eve and he and his clerk bob cratchit are still working, fred, scrooge’s nephew arrives to wish him merry christmas and to invite him to spend christmas with him but scrooge refuses rudely. two charity men also visit and scrooge refuses to give them any money “are there no prisons, scrooge arrives home and sees the face of jacob marley in the door knocker., later that evening the ghost of jacob marley appears – he is wrapped in heavy chains and is doomed to wandering the earth. marley says scrooge will end up the same as him if he doesn’t change and that scrooge will be visited by three spirits who are the only chance scrooge has of saving himself. stave two:, the ghost of christmas past appears to scrooge. he is both young and old looking and has a beam of light coming out of his head., the ghost shows scrooge his childhood – spending christmas alone at school with only books for company., in his next memories the ghost shows scrooge some happier times. a christmas spent with his sister fan collecting him from school and fezziwig’s party., next scrooge is shown belle breaking off her engagement to scrooge because scrooge is obsessed with money. he then sees belle grown up with a family of her own., scrooge struggles with the ghost to make the visions stop and puts the hat on its head extinguishing the light., stave three:, the ghost of christmas present arrives – he is jolly and friendly., scrooge and the ghost visit bob cratchit’s family on christmas day – they are enjoying christmas and are very grateful for their tiny feast. scrooge learns tiny tim will die if nothing changes for the cratchits., scrooge and the ghost travel the world visiting other people who no matter their circumstance or environment, are all enjoying christmas., they then visit fred’s house where everyone is having fun but are making fun of scrooge., the ghost reveals ignorance and want hidden in its robes – the ghost tells scrooge to beware of them., stave four:, the ghost of christmas yet to come arrives., the ghost silently shows scrooge the reaction of some people to the death of an unknown man. nobody seems to care that the man is dead., an undertaker, a cleaner and a laundress try to sell the dead man’s belongings which they’ve stolen. they’ve even taken the shirt from his body and laugh that none will notice or care., scrooge and the ghost visit bob cratchit and his family and learn that tiny tim has died, everyone is very upset., the ghost shows scrooge a grave with scrooge’s name on it scrooge promises the ghost he will change., stave five:, scrooge finds himself back in his own bed and discovers that it is christmas day., scrooge has completely changed – he laughs and wishes everyone a merry christmas. he buys the cratchit family a huge turkey and joins fred and the family for christmas dinner. the next day he gives bob cratchit a pay rise., we’re told tiny tim will survive and scrooge celebrates christmas for the rest of his life., it is imperative that you know the rest of the novella – this means as a starting point you must learn the sequence of events and where key events occur (as above). create a timeline of the above events and add helpful images/sketches/quotes to aid your revision. .

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Home Essay Examples Literature A Christmas Carol

Themes of Fear and Guilt ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens: Scrooge's Change of Heart

• Category Literature , Life
• Subcategory English Literature , Emotions & Feelings
• Topic A Christmas Carol , Fear

In the novella, ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens, the themes of fear and guilt are utilised to exhibit the development of the protagonist, Scrooge. Personal attributes such as cold-hearted and selfish prolong his distaste of Christmas which refers to the bourgeois in the eighteen-forties who were ignorant and treated the proletariat without respect. The fear and guilt that is manifested in ‘A Christmas Carol’ displays the transformation of his character which benefits society as he becomes generous towards individuals around him and to his family. This development further intrigues the audience as the poor are impacted by this change of character from Scrooge which is for the better of society.

Dickens conveys that fear can be huge influencer on Scrooge’s personality. Nevertheless, he fears that no individual will remember him on earth. As Scrooge is a part of the upper class, Dickens wants the audience to relate as they were in the middle/working class. In addition to that, the working class are hard-working but still full of joy as they are depicted as having the best values. Due to Scrooge treating his employees with no compassion as he has a heart, “…as hard as a flint…” this allows the fear that Scrooge feels to become apparent towards the reader. Furthermore, the catalyst of his fear is the entrance of Marley who displays the consequence of living a mean-spirited life, “…the chains I forged in life..” but Scrooge doesn’t want to have the same repercussion as him. The chains that have bound themselves to Marley exhibit the ‘sins’ that he committed and that have become a burden on Marley after he left this world. This incorporates how Dickens utilises allusion to allude to how Scrooge may alter his actions as the memories influence his decisions and use Marley as a guide of what not to become. Consequently, Dickens allows the moral of the allegorical story to become apparent as he wants to display even though individuals aren’t wealthy, they do have other tangible items such as family and friends which is contrasted against Scrooges loneliness, “melancholy tavern” who has no one now. Scrooge’s fear is based off the fact that it dawns on him that he has isolated himself from others which caused him to become miserable and as “solitary as an oyster,” which further prolongs the burden he carries and the same fate as Marley may occur to himself. Dickens proves that fear that can be utilised to acknowledge the fact that to change your morals, fear is a useful tool. This message is directed towards the upper class of the Victorian era thus displayed through Scrooge.

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Dickens displays guilt as the main form of how Scrooge’s character develops into a compassionate person by the end of the novella. As Scrooge feels this quilt, it’s purely based on the visions that the ghosts provide which further causes Scrooge to realise the consequences of his actions. His alienation from specific characters that he used to love such as Belle, “…has displaced me…” whom left Scrooge, due to his desire for money and wealth which grew. This desire grows with him as he is rejecting the christmas joy and spirit as he continuously states that Christmas is a “humbug,” but by stating this it provides comparison. Dickens depicts that Scrooge has become a better person because of fear but in the end he has become kinder. As the audience unravels the novel, they are able to realise Scrooge may have become the person he is today because of past events and neglect from friends and family. This reinforces the idea that although people may have bad experiences in the past, they decision they make to deal with it is the most important. This is compared with Fred and the cratchits even though the latter is poor, they are caring due to the way they dealt with their situation as they are surrounded with love. As Bob Cratchit clearly loves his family, “…he ran home…” he still makes sacrifices by staying as an employee to make a living for his family, “as hard as he could pelt.” Introducing fear into Scrooge’s life was a way of Dickens displaying how fear can contribute to someone’s choices in life therefore leading into a positive life purely based on incorporating fear into someone’s life. ·

The development that Dickens portrays is that fear and guilt lead to a change of morals and personal attributes as Scrooge is a representation of this. As he conveys that Scrooge was originally a mean and cold hearted individual, the ghosts provide that change may occur. The supernatural theme provides an essence for the novella to become intriguing to the audience. Scrooge is enlightened by the Ghosts as they provide visions from the past, present and future. Scrooge is entitled to his money, but over the course of the years, wealth has become the most important part in his life. The ghost of christmas past exhibits these visions to contribute to Scrooge reinventing himself into a kinder character.

ConclusionDickens reinforces the concept and message that the introduction of fear into Scrooge’s life allowed Scrooge’s transfiguration to occur. The consequence of living a life to fulfill nothing in the afterlife triggers Scrooge to modify his actions as eternal doom is the next stage after this world. His realisation of mistakes plays an important part as it shapes his character and portrays the allegorical story as the moral is prominent.

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A Christmas Carol

Charles dickens, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

Scrooge is a caricature of a miser, greedy and mean in every way. He spends all day in his counting house looking after his money but is so cheap that he keeps his house in darkness, his fire small and allows no extravagance even on Christmas day. But we soon learn that he is the most impoverished character – he is lacking love, warmth and the spirit of Christmas, all of which make lives like Bob Cratchit ’s so worth living despite their hardships.

The story’s structure and Scrooge’s character development are engineered so that as Scrooge becomes aware of his own poverty and learns to forgive and listen to his buried conscience, he is able to see virtue and goodness in the other characters and rediscovers his own generosity – he even becomes a symbol of Christmas in the final stave.

Scrooge is remedied in the novella by the Christmas-conscious characters that surround him, including his own nephew and Bob Cratchit and his family, who show Scrooge in the Ghost of Christmas Present ’s tour the true meaning of goodness. All of the generous characters in the story are financially downtrodden but succeed in being good and happy despite their lot, whereas Scrooge needs to go through a traumatic awakening in order to find happiness. But the virtue that really ensures Scrooge’s transformation is forgiveness – it is this key of Christian morality that saves him when the characters that he has always put down—Fred, Bob Cratchit—welcome him into their homes when he undergoes his transformation, giving Dickens’ tale the shape of a true religious redemption.

Greed, Generosity and Forgiveness ThemeTracker

Greed, Generosity and Forgiveness Quotes in A Christmas Carol

Oh! But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner! Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster.

'A merry Christmas, uncle! God save you!' cried a cheerful voice. It was the voice of Scrooge's nephew, who came upon him so quickly that this was the first intimation he had of his approach. 'Bah!' said Scrooge, 'Humbug!'

'Business!' cried the Ghost, wringing its hands again. 'Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!'

'Our contract is an old one. It was made when we were both poor and content to be so, until, in good season, we could improve our worldly fortune by our patient industry. You are changed. When it was made, you were another man.'

The sight of these poor revellers appeared to interest the Spirit very much, for he stood with Scrooge beside him in a baker's doorway, and taking off the covers as their bearers passed, sprinkled incense on their dinners from his torch.

Oh, a wonderful pudding! Bob Cratchit said, and calmly too, that he regarded it as the greatest success achieved by Mrs Cratchit since their marriage. […]Everybody had something to say about it, but nobody said or thought it was at all a small pudding for a large family. It would have been flat heresy to do so.

'God bless us every one!'

'Ghost of the Future!' he exclaimed, 'I fear you more than any spectre I have seen. But as I know your purpose is to do me good, and as I hope to live to be another man from what I was, I am prepared to bear you company, and do it with a thankful heart. Will you not speak to me?'

'If he wanted to keep them after he was dead, a wicked old screw,' pursued the woman, 'why wasn't he natural in his lifetime? If he had been, he'd have had somebody to look after him when he was struck with Death, instead of lying gasping out his last there, alone by himself.'

He recoiled in terror, for the scene had changed, and now he almost touched a bed: a bare, uncurtained bed: on which, beneath a ragged sheet, there lay a something covered up, which, though it was dumb, announced itself in awful language.

Scrooge crept towards it, trembling as he went; and following the finger, read upon the stone of the neglected grave his own name, Ebenezer Scrooge.

'I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future!' Scrooge repeated, as he scrambled out of bed. 'The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. Oh, Jacob Marley! Heaven, and the Christmas Time be praised for this! I say it on my knees, old Jacob, on my knees!'

He went to church, and walked about the streets, and watched the people hurrying to and fro, and patted children on the head, and questioned beggars, and looked down into the kitchens of houses, and up to the windows, and found that everything could yield him pleasure. He had never dreamed that any walk – that anything – could give him so much happiness.

'Now, I'll tell you what, my friend,' said Scrooge, 'I am not going to stand this sort of thing any longer. And therefore,' he continued, leaping from his stool, and giving Bob such a dig in the waistcoat that he staggered back into the Tank again; 'and therefore I am about to raise your salary!'

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