400 words essay on A Christmas Carol
Vincent666
AChristmasCarolNotes.pptxA Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Brit Lit: Spano (Fasano)
Setting
London
Probably during the Victorian Era
Winter (a day before Christmas)
Major Characters:
Ebenezer Scrooge:
Business owner of a Counting House- which is similar to a bank
Very miserly when it comes to lending money and spending
Not personable/ known around the town for his angry disposition and how mean and cruel he is
Scrooge has family, but rarely sees them because he tends to push people away and doesn’t have interest in having relationships
He does not treat people well, which is the reason for the story’s plot
Minor Characters
Fred (Scrooge’s nephew):
He invites his uncle to Christmas dinner each year knowing he will reject the offer
Feels bad for his uncle, despite him doing it to himself
Holds no bad feelings for his uncle, despite what others suggest
Bob Cratchit and his Family:
Bob works for Scrooge, is paid very minimally for his work, and is expected to work even on holidays
He has a larger family, and a young son, Tim, in need of medical help
Despite his ill feelings towards Scrooge, he does not voice his negativity among his family often
The Ghosts
Jacob Marley
Partner to Scrooge at the counting house until his death 7 years ago
The first “ghost” of the night to visit Scrooge
Informs him of how he must change his ways or his life will end the same way his did
Cursed to have chains weighing him down for all of his greed and self serving through life
The Ghosts of Christmas:
Ghost of Christmas Past:
A younger adaptation of a ghost (childlike) who takes Scrooge through his past
The young ghost takes him to his childhood (where he remembers being alone)
His next step is his apprenticeship with his old boss: Fezziwig, who showed his kindness
The last trip of this journey was revisiting his past love, Belle, who eventually leaves him because his greed overpowers his love for their relationship
The spirit shows Belle years later with a family and happy- this does bring Scrooge to tears
The Ghosts of Christmas:
Ghost of Christmas Present:
A giant who is dressed in furs with lavish foods
He proceeds to take Scrooge across London to show the present day Christmas
They visit Cratchit’s household where it is clear they have meager amounts of food and money to live on
Cratchit’s son, Tim, is crippled, yet he is humbled and positive
They travel also to Scrooge’s nephew’s house to view the party at his house
Before the spirit leaves, he reveals two children under his coat: Ignorance and Want
The Ghosts of Christmas:
Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come:
The Ghost does not speak, only points
Brings Scrooge through mysterious scenes where people speak of an unnamed man’s death
Many are arguing over the man’s keepsakes, then a young couple who is relieved over the death of their demanding creditor
Images of the Cratchit family’s woes as they have lost Tim from his sickness- yet the family pulls together to find some solace in his pain
The spirit’s visit ends when Scrooge is taken to the graveyard where he finds the unnamed man spoke of before was him
Fairy Tale Ending:
The story ends with Scrooge realizing his terrible ways, and he begins to “turn over a new leaf”
He offers his employee more money to live on, he begins to give to the poor, and he allows his family back into his life
Allegory
A story that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral
A Christmas Carol has clear symbolic meaning in characters and events
Characters:
Scrooge (represents opposite of Christmas spirit)
Ghost of Christmas Past (memories)
Ghost of Christmas Present (generosity, empathy)
Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come (fear of death and the unknown)
Cratchit’s (the represent the poor, but shows warmth and sympathy)
The Hidden Questions
The Ghost of Christmas Present showed Scrooge the two poor children at the end of his visit: Want and Ignorance
Want: a desire to do or possess something
Ignorance: lack of knowledge or information
“Beware them both, and all of their degrees, but most of all beware this boy (ignorance), for on his brow I see that written which is Doom, unless the writing be erased” (Dickens 47).
Ignorance and Want
Symbolic of the poor in Victorian Era- if people are educated they can perhaps not repeat the past and grow
Ignorance seems to lead to want, but also it could be a way for Dickins to show how people should know about the situations before judging
Argued they are showed with the Ghost of Christmas Present because this is a present issue- not something that can easily go away
