Christmas Carol-Charles Dickens Was a Victorian Writer .

A Christmas Carol

Charles Dickens was a Victorian writer . He grew up in London and therefore uses the city as the backdrop to most of his novels . Dickens took a keen interest towards the interaction between people of all classes which comes across in his writing. He would spend days simply wandering the streets of London in order to soak up the atmosphere and watch people pass by. These observations helped him to create larger than life characters in his novels. In his novels Dickens criticizes the injustices of his time. He especially focuses on the brutal treatment of the poor at a time when society was divided by wealth. A poor person living in London at this time would have experienced awful living conditions. Dickens was just as influential in the nineteenth century as he is now, during the Victorian period it would seem that he was able to use his writing as a form of social propaganda. People read his novels in instalments. He would publish a new chapter weekly in the from of a journal or magazine. Dickens wanted his readers to learn that poor people were not necessarily worthless. In his novels, the poor are usually good, kind characters On the other hand the rich are often mean and cold hearted oftenly people who need to learn a moral lesson .

A Christmas Carol, although set in a different time period is still able to teach people important values and morals in today’s societies. The main character, Ebenezer Scrooge, begins the novel with no Christmas spirit or emotion but no feelings for others or any other Christmas spirit, but changes from his gloomy, dark appearance to a carefree, child-like persona at the end. Dickens shows in A Christmas Carol that personal greed will lead to peril, while kindness and generosity lead to personal happiness. In this essay, I will explore how Dickens presents Scrooges change. at the beginning of the story Scrooge comes across as a tight fisted and heartless folk . Dickens described Scrooge as having ‘Thin lips blue ‘This emphasises his tightness. The word blue is a cold colour and makes Scrooge come across as being cold hearted. The quote ’Wired chin’ This tells the reader Scrooge is not a handsome man but hideous (no-one wishes to be near him). Dickens also describes Scrooge as Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster." The simile hard and sharp as flint shows he has a hard outer shell that is not impenetrable . Which no steel has ever struck a generous fire’ Dickens is referring Scrooge as the steal this tells us Scrooge has great power built up inside him which is thriving to be released. ’The generous fire’ contrasts with his personality because hes not giving but he is cold hearted. Dickens also uses ‘Self-contained, assolitary as an oyster’ Dickens uses this quote because it shows Scrooge has a hard outer shell that is extremely hard to break but just like every other oyster, Scrooge has a soft inside that is ceiled deep inside of him.

Later on in the story Scrooge is stopped by Charity collectors for poor people, already this contrasts the contrast between rich and poor .Dickens wants us to feel anger towards scrooge in this stave because of his tightness and greed. Dickens uses this quote ’ Are there no prisons said Scrooge ? ’ This tells us Scrooge doesn’t care less about the poor and describes them as a “Humbug” This is seen in the story as a mean and heartless decision to make . Dickens quotes “And the union workhouses demanded Scrooge” This shows Scrooge would make those less fortunate have to work in a place so petrifying they would rather be standing on deaths door. The effect this has on Scrooge is that he has no care for the poor and those less fortunate.

The ghost Marley was the first ghost to give a great scare to Scrooge. Because of marleys past mistakes he visits Scrooge to warn him that if he doesn’t change he will end up like Marley .Scrooge is shocked to be visited by the ghosts. Dickens repeatedly uses the work trembling e.g. You are fettered, said Scrooge, trembling. `Tell me why?'…… Scrooge trembled more and more. Dickens repeats these words to emphasise the surprise horror Scrooge encounters. This tells us there’s a change beginning to happen to Scrooge.

While Scrooge is trying to sleep, he is visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past. Scrooges reaction towards the ghost was "You may be an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of underdone potato. There's more of gravy than of grave about you, whatever you are!" This tells us Scrooge doesn’t want to believe what hes seeing, he is shocked , there is change. . Also, this spirit takes Scrooges to visit three events from his past. Scrooge saw his childhood sorrows and happiness. He saw his friends and family. He also saw himself turn from all these great emotions to greed as he grew older, and saw himself alone Dickens decided to do this to show Scrooge what life was like and to remember a time of happiness for him. Dickens uses "You fear the world too much", Belle says to Scrooge as she beaks off their engagement. His withdrawal with Belle is what starts his growing interest in financial dealings, lack of companions, and unhappiness.

The Ghost of Christmas present begins to change Scrooge “ The moment Scrooges hand was on the lock a strange voice called him by his name, and obede him, enter “ This shows Scrooge isn’t as tough as what he used to be, he taking the orders now. The ghost of Christmas present take Scrooge to the Cratchets house to make him feel sorry for the poor. The Cratchets family is a working team that aren’t selfish but are filled with compassion. The “two young Cratchets set chairs for everybody , not forgetting themselves” this shows the family are not selfish and are always prepared to help others. “Bob hugged his daughter to his hearts content” this tell us the family has a bond of passion. Dickens begins to make Scrooge feel sorry for the poor for example he felt passion for the young cripple tiny Tim, the ghost quoted “The child will die , no , no said Scrooge” this shows Scrooge has feelings for Tiny Tim also repetition is used , dickens uses no , no to show Scrooge is deeply in shock , it shows change has taken place. The ghost of Christmas past also takes Scrooge to see his nephew Fred. Dickens uses words in the text to tell us Scrooge is the outcast of the family for example “ Scrooge was the ogre of the family” an ogre is a rare creature that is rare to find this shows Scrooge doesn’t fit in with his family and is different compared to everyone else. Scrooge shows emotion in this stave which shows change has taken place.

The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is also referred to as the Phantom in the story. He is the third spirit to visit Ebenezer Scrooge. The apparition is a menacing figure who is clothed in a black hooded robe. . In this part of the story Dickens uses dramatic irony this is when the reader knows whets going on but the characters don’t . In this case Scrooge does not know he is dead but the readers do. This gives off a great effect because this shows Scrooges true emotions to Christmas spirit.” 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?” This shows fear in Scrooge which he hasn’t encountered till now in the whole story , it shows change. The ghost shows Scrooge what will happen to him if he does not change. Scrooge would die and nobody would show any emotion after his death. Nobody would care. This was too much for Scrooge and he begged the ghost to not see anymore,’ Hear me! I am not the man I was. I will not be the man I must have been but for this intercourse.’ He tries to tell the ghost that he has changed to stop him seeing anymore. The stave shows change in Scrooge because hes encountered fear and a desperate hope of becoming a better man.

Dickens presents Scrooge as a new man at the end of the story , Scrooge was “most light as a feather, as happy as an angel” this shows Scrooge is a new person just like a kid again hes light and agile and is free from the spell binding curse of corruption.” the effect of this is to show Scrooge is a new person , just like a young boy. it’s Christmas Day!" said Scrooge to himself. "I haven't missed it. The Spirits have done it all in one night. They can do anything they like. Of course they can." Here scrooge is not doubting the power of the spirits he once doubted earlier on in the story, once again it shows hes a new person. “ A Merry Christmas to everybody ! A happy new year to all the world !” this shows Scrooge has used exclamation marks to emphasise Scrooges happiness towards being a new person , instead of darkness, theres a greater light burning deep inside his soul that shows purity and a happiness to tell the world ‘HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS’ !

The story is a contrast between good and evil. Throughout the book it shows you the true meaning of Christmas and what its all about. The story is jaw dropping and makes you want to read on, makes you want to know the climax of what really happens to Scrooge, whether he adapts to a better way of life or stays a grumpy old man , who cares for no one or absolutely nothing , to sum up the book is fantastic probably one of the best books of all time.

The moral of this epic story is that its never to late to change your true colours, you change from a solitary oyster to a full of life pearl. It only takes a glint of emotion to transform a being into something magical.