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A Christmas Carol Character Analysis
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A grade 9 character analysis of GCSE text 'A Christmas Carol'. Includes all major characters and relevant themes within their presentation.
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A Christmas Carol Character Analysis(will try and use different thematic quotes for each character so in the essay you
can write about all different presentations of the character and its resulting
allegorical intent)
Scrooge and Greed
‘a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, covetous old sinner’
Repetition of action verbs in an asyndetic list emphasises just how much Scrooge
wants to extract worth from others. Uses harsh vocabulary in order to present
Scrooge’s greed and influence the reader to dislike him. Scrooge is averse to
charity, demonstrating him as a ‘sinner’ as he possesses one of the seven
deadly sins, and also has broken one of the 10 commandments as he is
‘covetous’.
Scrooge represents the attitude of the wealthy in Victorian times. He believes the
poor should die to ‘decrease the surplus population’ – a view pioneered by
Thomas Malthus, who was an economist who believed that poverty was a natural
product of population growth and there was nothing that could be done to help
the situation.
Scrooge and Loneliness
‘secret, and self-contained, and as solitary as an oyster’
Simile to present the initial characterisation of Scrooge as isolated, oysters have
a hard exterior, which implies how Scrooge is shut off from the world. Scrooge
lacks love, family, and a sense of community. An alternative interpretation is that
oysters can contain pearls, which could represent how there is a possibility of
redemption for Scrooge.
Sibilance makes the description more vivid to the reader, and makes a hissing
sound like a snake, which could link to the garden of Eden, and how Eve was
tempted by the Snake, which represents how Scrooge is tempted by wealth.
Scrooge and Poverty
‘are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?’
Scrooge uses an accusatory tone which demonstrates how he believes poverty is
the fault of the person who is poor (a widely held belief of the time). The
rhetorical questions suggests how Scrooge is aware of the lack of support
available for the poor, but chooses to ignore this and is instead disrespectful and
dismissive of their struggles. Dickens presents Scrooge as uncharitable as to
influence the Victorian readers to change their ways as to be a better Christian.
Workhouses were horrendous places akin to being in prison, where those who
ended up in them were the most unfortunate and destitute in society. They were
, feared by ordinary people as only the most desperate would go there for help.
This system was designed by the amendment to the Poor Law in 1834, which
although sought to make conditions better for the poor, did not actually achieve
this, and thus in the Victorian Era the workhouses became synonymous with hard
labour and cruelty.
Scrooge and Redemption
“I am as light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I’m quite a baby”
The series of similes and cliches show how light hearted Scrooge has become in
his new attitude. On a whole text level, there is a real contrast between the
heavy, laden vocabulary used in Stave One and the simplistic choices here. This
contrast frees the reader and could be a linguistic transformation as the novella
progresses.
The anaphora of “I am” shows deep pleasure and excitement at feeling
different. The word “light” suggests that Scrooge feels free as a result of his
encounters with the ghosts. The noun “baby” symbolises the innocence and
purity that should always remain in the world, or, alternatively, could also be
symbolic of Christ, a baby who came to save the world in the same way the
transformed Scrooge can begin to change the world with his renewed presence
and commitment it also juxtaposes the "heavy" chain Scrooge was forging in
life, while "angel" evokes ideas of Scrooge's salvation by God instead of
damnation
Bob Cratchit and Poverty and Christmas
‘then tried to warm himself at the candle… not being a man of
strong imagination he failed’
By using the pitiful verb “tried”, Dickens creates a sense of helplessness. This
causes us to sympathise with Bob and acknowledge his powerlessness before
Scrooge. Furthermore, the anticlimactic “candle” highlights the poor provisions
provided to Bob Cratchit within the workplace. Dickens follows this line with the
blunt “he failed” which illustrates the nonchalant attitude that many of the rich
held towards the appalling working conditions of the lower class or could
alternatively further show the powerlessness of the poor.
The failure of Bob Cratchit to receive warmth from the candle emphasises the
little support, good will and generosity Scrooge provides, which is likely intended
to represent the little support Victorian society provides in general.
Bob Cratchit
“I’ll give you Mr Scrooge, the Founder of the Feast!”
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