Interview
GCSE AQA English Literature 'A Christmas Carol': Fred Essay.
- Course
- Institution
I scored 25 out of 30 on this essay. I explored the significance of Fred in 'A Christmas Carol'.
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
chocolatedaisy03
Reviews received
Content preview
In ‘A Christmas Carol’ Dickens deliberately uses the character of Fred to investigatewider themes such as poverty, the pursuit of greed and the social responsibility of
Victorian middle class business owners. In using Fred to challenge the behaviour of
Scrooge, Dickens challenges the views of Thomas Malthus, who believed that the
poor should be allowed to die. Fred symbolises what Scrooge could and should be.
He epitomises charity, compassion and joviality. Furthermore, he is the antithesis of
Scrooge, used to highlight and expose Scrooge’s negative facets of character.
Moreover, Fred allows Scrooge to achieve salvation and redeem himself.
In the opening of the extract, the reader is able to see Fred showing positivity
towards his Uncle. Dickens deliberately dichotomises these two characters to
reinforce Fred’s positive attributes and Scrooge’s curmudgeonly nature. Dickens in
the role of the intrusive narrator tells the reader that Fred speaks with a ‘cheerful
voice’. The adjective ‘cheerful’ highlights that Fred embodies the spirit of Christmas
and brings warmth into Scrooge’s cold office. This heat is further reinforced when
Dickens uses the semantic field of heat to describe Fred. The reader learns that Fred
was ‘a glow’, ‘his face was ruddy’ and ‘his breath smoked’. This description is
antithetically juxtaposed against the coldness of Scrooge at the start of the novella
with his ‘frosty rime’. The verb ‘glow’ and ‘smoked’ remind us of the warm, charitable
heart of Fred. Using the verb ‘glow’ and ‘sparkled’ symbolises light that is linked with
purity and hope. Dickens uses Fred to highlight what Scrooge has the potential to
become.
Notably, Fred demonstrates virtues associated with Christmas. Dickens uses the
character to display goodwill, family values and he demonstrates community spirit.
His speech to Scrooge at the end of the extract shows that Fred displays
philanthropic values. He uses a metaphor to show that he resists the stratification of
Victorian England saying, ‘fellow-passengers to he grave not another race of
creatures bound on other journeys’. Dickens uses the character of Scrooge to
challenge the ideas of many Victorian middle class business owners who saw the
working classes as a work force to be exploited to raise their profits. In using the
metaphor ‘fellow-passengers’ and comparing life to a journey, Fred defends the
‘people below’ and he challenges capitalism. Dickens depicts him as selfless and
caring.
Dickens uses Fred acts as a role model for Scrooge to learn from. In this extract, he
embodies Christmas cheer. Fred is revealed to have been walking through the ‘fog
and frost’. Perhaps, Dickens uses the fog to symbolise the Industrial Revolution and
blinkered capitalists. Fred challenges capitalism and the pursuit of wealth. Fred asks
him why he got married and Fred reveals ‘because I fell in love’. He is shown to
value love over money because he is ‘poor’. Whereas, we see that Dickens chooses
a ‘golden idol’ over love. Fred is used open the door to goodness into the melancholy
life of Scrooge.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller chocolatedaisy03. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $3.90. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
75759 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now