A Christmas Carol - Food and Shopping
A Christmas Carol - Food and Shopping
In the Victorian times, many working people suffered from malnutrition from not having certain foods and vitamins. Where money is scarce, many would have to survive on whatever they can get their hands on. Food was a central part of the Christmas celebrations in the Victorian ages, and was traditionally shared and enjoyed, even though it was scarce. Many of today’s Christmas traditions date back to the Victorian era, including having a turkey for Christmas dinner, and the relationship between eating mince pies at Christmas time. In A Christmas Carol, food is presented from many different ways: whilst the Cratchit Family and Old Fezziwig ‘treasure’ the food and enjoy it between the family, Scrooge does not eat for pleasure but for nutrition.
P18 – A Small Saucepan of Gruel
For Scrooge, food is not eaten for pleasure but just to function. When Scrooge returns home, he heats up some gruel. “spoon and basin ready; little saucepan of gruel” Gruel is a thin porridge that is cheap and was often served in workhouses to the poorest of the poor. Scrooge eating gruel shows him saving money by eating cheap food that is normally eaten if you cannot afford anything else, when Scrooge, with his wealth, could eat full meals. The gruel could be looked at as a reflection of Scrooge because it is bland and has nothing about it.
P61-63 – The Ghost of Christmas Present
When Scrooge is visited by the Ghost of Christmas Present, he turns around to find masses of food laid out on the floor in his bedroom. “Heaped up on the floor… were turkeys, geese, game, poultry, braun, great joints of meat…” “juicy oranges, luscious pears, immense twelfth cakes” Dickens lists the food and drinks found around Scrooge in great detail, describing their tastes, colours and textures. The long list features many festive foods, and is mainly themed around Christmas and the traditions of eating certain foods at Christmas. The foods described are vibrant and
In the Victorian times, many working people suffered from malnutrition from not having certain foods and vitamins. Where money is scarce, many would have to survive on whatever they can get their hands on. Food was a central part of the Christmas celebrations in the Victorian ages, and was traditionally shared and enjoyed, even though it was scarce. Many of today’s Christmas traditions date back to the Victorian era, including having a turkey for Christmas dinner, and the relationship between eating mince pies at Christmas time. In A Christmas Carol, food is presented from many different ways: whilst the Cratchit Family and Old Fezziwig ‘treasure’ the food and enjoy it between the family, Scrooge does not eat for pleasure but for nutrition.
P18 – A Small Saucepan of Gruel
For Scrooge, food is not eaten for pleasure but just to function. When Scrooge returns home, he heats up some gruel. “spoon and basin ready; little saucepan of gruel” Gruel is a thin porridge that is cheap and was often served in workhouses to the poorest of the poor. Scrooge eating gruel shows him saving money by eating cheap food that is normally eaten if you cannot afford anything else, when Scrooge, with his wealth, could eat full meals. The gruel could be looked at as a reflection of Scrooge because it is bland and has nothing about it.
P61-63 – The Ghost of Christmas Present
When Scrooge is visited by the Ghost of Christmas Present, he turns around to find masses of food laid out on the floor in his bedroom. “Heaped up on the floor… were turkeys, geese, game, poultry, braun, great joints of meat…” “juicy oranges, luscious pears, immense twelfth cakes” Dickens lists the food and drinks found around Scrooge in great detail, describing their tastes, colours and textures. The long list features many festive foods, and is mainly themed around Christmas and the traditions of eating certain foods at Christmas. The foods described are vibrant and