How Does Dickens Use Language In A Christmas Carol
Novels are a precious source of education, and their effect heavily relies on their ability to deliver messages through their conveyance of language. In his novella, A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens illustrates the need for social reform during the Industrial Revolution, and explores the power of the Christmas spirit. His talented use of language features such as the striking emotive language, the clever and deliberate music-focused structure, and the brilliant characterisation of Scrooge are very effective in delivering his messages. The significant impact the novella has had on the audience of the Victoria Era and on the generations that followed through the effective use of language features, and hence delivery of messages, has helped A Christmas Carol remain the beloved classic it is today.
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Dickens’ ability to create a gloomy mood and sympathy within the reader through striking words and imagery is exceptional.
During the industrial revolution, there were thousands of children living in poverty. In 1839, it was estimated that almost half of all funerals in London were for children under the age of ten. Their lower-class parents were unable to cater for their needs, and the common lack of care shown by the upper-classes only made the circumstances worse. Through the novella, an example of these children who suffered as a result is portrayed through Tiny-Tim. The reader feels much sorrow when the death of Tiny Tim is foreshadowed to Scrooge by the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. This was cleverly done by Dickens and arguably the most influencing moment of the novella. ‘My little little child,’ cried Bob. ‘My little child.’ He broke down all at once. He couldn’t help it. If he could have helped it, he and his child would have been farther apart perhaps than they
were.”
Through his imagery, Dickens is able to evoke guilt within his readers because it shows the extent to which the carelessness and mistreatments of the poor has created a horrific incident, where a father must cope with the death of his son. Michael Patrick Hearn, in his book The Annotated Christmas Carol, reports that one observer of a public reading by Dickens of A Christmas Carol in Boston in 1867 noted that the passage of Tiny Tim 's death (mentioned above) "brought out so many pocket handkerchiefs that it looked as if a snow-storm had somehow gotten into the hall without tickets." At these and other instances attest, Dickens’ talent as well as striking ways of delivering his messages through A Christmas Carol has a significant emotional impact on readers; a reason why the novella is enjoyed and appreciated even until today. Throughout A Christmas Carol, Dickens makes reference to the sense of joy that comes with Christmas and the role that music plays in this joy. He has deliberately decided to divide the novella into staves (a music reference) rather than chapters, in an attempt to reinforce the joy that comes out of music, particularly to the audience of London during the Industrial Revolution, where Christmas Eve was one of the very few days the majority people could enjoy gatherings and sing together. In fact, the title of the book itself is a music reference. During Fezziwig’s Christmas celebrations, they hire a fiddler. There is music and dancing, and Scrooge enjoys it so much that he describes Fizziwig’s actions by saying that “the happiness he gives is quite as great as if it cost a fortune.” Despite being a person who believed “everyone that goes around with Merry Christmas… Should be boiled with their own pudding..” Dickens shows that even he could not resist the joy that came from music during Christmas. Moreover, Sounds also take on greater importance to Scrooge after he has undergone his transformation, observing that “the broad fields were so full of merry music that the crisp air laughed to hear it.” In essence, The author’s musical focus in A Christmas Carol assists greatly with the delivery of his message about the power of the Christmas spirit, hence helping A Christmas Carol remain a well-loved story.
Dickens’ characterisation of Scrooge has had a forever lasting impact on the audiences of all the generations from the time the book was published. Dickens employs Scrooge as an allegory of the greed and selfishness present in the Victorian Era; a “tight fisted hand at the grindstone,” external temperatures have “little influence” on Scrooge who carries “his own temperature always about with him.” Dickens utilises imagery to portray Scrooge’s home as “dreary” and “gloomy,” and so isolated that it had “forgotten the way out again.” The characterisation of the “squeezing,wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner,” has had such a large impact that even until this day, people who display acts of selfishness are often referred to as a “scrooge.” The current Cambridge Dictionary’s definition of a “scrooge” is “someone who spends as little money as possible and is not generous.” Moreover, References from A Christmas Carol regarding Scrooge such as the famous as well as humorous quote “Bah! humbug!” are used in everyday life. The novella has had such a significant impact, that it somewhat affects the way we speak today. Centuries later, and yet still commonly referred to due to brilliant descriptive words is another reason why A Christmas Carol has remained a cherished story.
In essence, whilst it is evident that Dickens calls for a social reform and a stronger Christmas spirit, the striking and effective manner in which he conveys the messages through appropriate language features is the reason why A Christmas Carol has remained the well-loved, cherished, adored and beloved story it is today.
Dickens’ ability to create a gloomy mood and sympathy within the reader through striking words and imagery is exceptional.
During the industrial revolution, there were thousands of children living in poverty. In 1839, it was estimated that almost half of all funerals in London were for children under the age of ten. Their lower-class parents were unable to cater for their needs, and the common lack of care shown by the upper-classes only made the circumstances worse. Through the novella, an example of these children who suffered as a result is portrayed through Tiny-Tim. The reader feels much sorrow when the death of Tiny Tim is foreshadowed to Scrooge by the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. This was cleverly done by Dickens and arguably the most influencing moment of the novella. ‘My little little child,’ cried Bob. ‘My little child.’ He broke down all at once. He couldn’t help it. If he could have helped it, he and his child would have been farther apart perhaps than they
were.”
Through his imagery, Dickens is able to evoke guilt within his readers because it shows the extent to which the carelessness and mistreatments of the poor has created a horrific incident, where a father must cope with the death of his son. Michael Patrick Hearn, in his book The Annotated Christmas Carol, reports that one observer of a public reading by Dickens of A Christmas Carol in Boston in 1867 noted that the passage of Tiny Tim 's death (mentioned above) "brought out so many pocket handkerchiefs that it looked as if a snow-storm had somehow gotten into the hall without tickets." At these and other instances attest, Dickens’ talent as well as striking ways of delivering his messages through A Christmas Carol has a significant emotional impact on readers; a reason why the novella is enjoyed and appreciated even until today. Throughout A Christmas Carol, Dickens makes reference to the sense of joy that comes with Christmas and the role that music plays in this joy. He has deliberately decided to divide the novella into staves (a music reference) rather than chapters, in an attempt to reinforce the joy that comes out of music, particularly to the audience of London during the Industrial Revolution, where Christmas Eve was one of the very few days the majority people could enjoy gatherings and sing together. In fact, the title of the book itself is a music reference. During Fezziwig’s Christmas celebrations, they hire a fiddler. There is music and dancing, and Scrooge enjoys it so much that he describes Fizziwig’s actions by saying that “the happiness he gives is quite as great as if it cost a fortune.” Despite being a person who believed “everyone that goes around with Merry Christmas… Should be boiled with their own pudding..” Dickens shows that even he could not resist the joy that came from music during Christmas. Moreover, Sounds also take on greater importance to Scrooge after he has undergone his transformation, observing that “the broad fields were so full of merry music that the crisp air laughed to hear it.” In essence, The author’s musical focus in A Christmas Carol assists greatly with the delivery of his message about the power of the Christmas spirit, hence helping A Christmas Carol remain a well-loved story.
Dickens’ characterisation of Scrooge has had a forever lasting impact on the audiences of all the generations from the time the book was published. Dickens employs Scrooge as an allegory of the greed and selfishness present in the Victorian Era; a “tight fisted hand at the grindstone,” external temperatures have “little influence” on Scrooge who carries “his own temperature always about with him.” Dickens utilises imagery to portray Scrooge’s home as “dreary” and “gloomy,” and so isolated that it had “forgotten the way out again.” The characterisation of the “squeezing,wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner,” has had such a large impact that even until this day, people who display acts of selfishness are often referred to as a “scrooge.” The current Cambridge Dictionary’s definition of a “scrooge” is “someone who spends as little money as possible and is not generous.” Moreover, References from A Christmas Carol regarding Scrooge such as the famous as well as humorous quote “Bah! humbug!” are used in everyday life. The novella has had such a significant impact, that it somewhat affects the way we speak today. Centuries later, and yet still commonly referred to due to brilliant descriptive words is another reason why A Christmas Carol has remained a cherished story.
In essence, whilst it is evident that Dickens calls for a social reform and a stronger Christmas spirit, the striking and effective manner in which he conveys the messages through appropriate language features is the reason why A Christmas Carol has remained the well-loved, cherished, adored and beloved story it is today.