SCROOGE: Miserly, mean, bitter, materialistic, unsympathetic, indifferent, cold, selfish, isolated, cynical,

EVENTS / CHARACTERS: charitable, value driven, generous, happy, sociable, transformed.

o As the central protagonist of the novella, all the action of the story revolves around Scrooge.
PREFACE: Charles Dickens explains to his readers that he wants to introduce an entertaining idea to them. He
over-uses the semantic field of the supernatural to establish the subject matter of the novella and to Even if he is not in a scene, Scrooge watches the events unfold and we see how these affect
show us that it’s not intended to be frightening. He calls the novella a ‘Ghostly little book’ and refers him. Dickens shows how each scene that Scrooge is shown by the Ghosts changes him, until
to his ‘Ghost of an idea’. Dickens wants his ideas to ‘haunt’ the ‘house’ of the reader – the house in his final, joyful transformation.
this case is not just the reader’s home, but also their body and mind. Dickens wants the reader to o In stave one, Dickens makes it clear that Scrooge is cruel both with his money and in his
accept and embrace the ideas in this book and not just dismiss them when they finish reading it. dealings with others. Pathetic fallacy is used to emphasise his bitter and cold heart, as well as
his ignorance.
STAVE 1: 1. We are introduced to Ebenezer Scrooge on Christmas Eve. He is a lonely miser obsessed with o Stave two builds pathos for Scrooge as we learn about his childhood. He finds his past
MARLEY’S money. He refuses to pay to heat the office properly – meaning Bob Cratchit is very cold
painful to watch – especially Belle breaking their engagement. Scrooge is also able to identify
2. We learn Jacob Marley, Scrooge’s business partner, died exactly 7 years earlier.
GHOST the happiness Fezziwig created for his employees. He reflects on his treatment of Bob
3. Scrooge is irritated that Christmas Day seems to be interrupting his business. He is visited by
his nephew, Fred, who invites his uncle to Christmas dinner. Scrooge refuses. Cratchit.
4. Scrooge is visited by two charity workers, asking for donations. Scrooge refuses and asserts o By the arrival of the Ghost of Christmas Present the change in Scrooge is clear to see. He
that the poor should either go to the workhouse or die. behaves “timidly” and is no longer demanding or impatient. Scrooge is horrified by what he
5. Reluctantly, Scrooge allows Bob to have Christmas Day off. sees at the Cratchit household; he shows a level of concern he has never shown before. In
6. When he is home, Scrooge is visited by the Ghost of Jacob Marley. Marley explains that he is in addition, he is overwhelmed with shame and “grief” when his own words are repeated back to
torment because he only cared about money. He warns Scrooge that he will suffer the same fate him.
if he continues to live the way he does. Later, Marley reveals that Scrooge will be visited by three o The detached and uncaring reactions towards Scrooge’s death in Stave 4 emphasise how
more ghosts to help him change his ways. vital it is for him to change. He learns that he will die alone unless he becomes a better man.
STAVE 2: 1. Scrooge is visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past who takes him to witness his past. The cold responses to his death force him to reflect on his egotistical lifestyle. Scrooge begs
2. Scrooge is taken to his schoolboy years and is reminded how his friends would go home for for the chance to redeem himself and pledges to live in the past, present and future.
THE FIRST OF
Christmas while he was left at school alone. He is reminded of how unhappy and lonely he was. o At the end of the novella, Scrooge is a new man: he is compassionate, generous and jubilant.
THE THREE
3. We see him with his sister, who one year took him home for the holidays. Dickens uses pathetic fallacy to reflect his newfound happiness. The weather is “clear, bright,
SPIRITS
4. Next, we are shown Scrooge as a young apprentice, working for Fezziwig. Dickens describes the jovial” – a huge contrast to the fog and cold in Stave 1.
Christmas ball Fezziwig organised for his employees.
5. Finally, Scrooge is taken to see his ex-fiancée, Belle. We see the scene when they break up, as
BOB CRATCHIT: Uncomplaining, tolerant, courteous, deferential, patient, civil, humble, eager,
money has taken over Scrooge’s life. Scrooge cannot bear to see any more and struggles with
the spirit. pleasurable, good-humoured, playful, caring, tender, cheerful, loving, forgiving, generous, sensitive.
STAVE 3: 1. Scrooge is visited by the Ghost of Christmas Present.
o Bob and his family represent the lower classes. He must accept poor wages and working
THE SECOND 2. The spirit shows Scrooge how the Cratchit family celebrate Christmas. Scrooge learns that Tiny
Tim will die unless the future changes. The spirit reminds Scrooge of his earlier words: ‘If he is conditions to support his family.
OF THE o He also represents the loving father that we see Scrooge never had.
to die, he had better do it, and decrease the surplus population’
THREE o Despite the severity of their poverty, Bob and his family have unyielding Christmas spirit and
3. Scrooge is then taken to see how others celebrate Christmas: miners, lighthouse workers and
SPIRITS sailors on a ship. love. They are far richer than Scrooge when it comes to family and affection.
4. He is then taken to Fred’s house where they are playing games. They discuss Scrooge and Fred o Bob still toasts Scrooge even though he is not paid enough and is shown no respect from his
is full of pity for him. employer. He is a grateful and gracious man despite the hardships his faces.
5. The spirit reveals two children hidden under his robes: Want and Ignorance. The Ghost explains o He is devoted to his son Tiny Tim and his love is shown through his grief.
that they belong to Man and warns Scrooge to beware of them both, but especially to beware of
FRED: Warm-hearted, empathetic, cheerful, optimistic, even-tempered, insightful, determined,
Ignorance.
6. The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come appears. generous, forgiving, jovial, enthusiastic, caring.
STAVE 4: THE 1. The Ghost of Christmas Future is described.
o Fred acts as a foil to the hardened Scrooge. Their personalities juxtapose one another at the
LAST OF THE 2. The spirit takes Scrooge to see a group of businessmen discussing someone who has died.
They do not care about his death. start of the novella and this helps to emphasise Scrooge’s initial selfishness. Fred is defined
SPIRITS by his good humour and laughter.
3. Scrooge is then taken to see Old Joe, where he is in the process of buying stolen property
belonging to the dead man. o His unrelenting Christmas spirit illustrates Dickens’ own views about Christmas. He defines
4. The Ghost tries to make Scrooge look at the face of the dead man but Scrooge says he can’t. Christmas as ‘a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time’.
5. A young couple are given hope that they will have longer to repay a long because this man has o He refuses to be rude about Scrooge, even when others share their negative opinions of him.
died. He does laugh at his miserly ways but also pities his uncle.
6. Scrooge then returns to Bob Cratchit’s house to find the family mourning the loss of Tiny Tim. o He accepts the changed Scrooge without question which suggests he always suspected
7. Scrooge is then taken to a gravestone with his own name on it. He realises he is the dead man there was good in Scrooge and he welcomes it.
whom the people were talking about. Scrooge falls to his knees and vows to change his ways.
STAVE 5: 1. Scrooge wakes up in his own bed to find everything as it was the night before. He is MARLEY: Materialistic, self-centered, terrifying, haunting, exhausted, direct, reformed, regretful.
THE END OF overwhelmed at having a change to put things right.
2. Scrooge arranges for a prize turkey to be sent anonymously to the Cratchits, o The narrator goes to some lengths to make us accept that Marley is dead.
IT
3. On his way to church, Scrooge makes a large donation to charity. o Marley is weighed down with chains and baggage that represent the concerns Marley had in
4. Scrooge then goes to Fred’s house and is welcomed in. He enjoys the dinner and party. life. The chains symbolise his greed and negligence of the lower classes.
5. On Boxing Day, Scrooge arrives early to work and plays a trick on Bob. Scrooge then tells him o He awakens Scrooge to the seriousness of his situation; his message is serious and there is
he is going to raise his salary and promises to help Bob’s struggling family. Scrooge is nothing humorous about his appearance. He scares Scrooge and shows him the horror of not
described to have completely changed and becomes a ‘second father’ to Tiny Tim – ‘who did not being able to help others.
die.’ o Marley verbalises Dickens’ message that caring for others is more important than making
money. Marley cannot make amends for his selfish life despite his deep remorse.
o It is made clear that Marley was the same kind of person as Scrooge. When the reader hears
about Marley’s fate there is no doubt in their mind that Scrooge will suffer the same fate if he
does not change.
 EVENTS
CHARACTERS / TERMINOLOGY:
1.
A story which can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or
Allegory
THE GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST: Contradictory, strong, gentle, quiet, forceful, questioning, mysterious, political one.
ephemeral. 2. Novella A novella is longer than a short story, but not as long as a traditional novel.

o This spirit personifies what Scrooge has been. It takes Scrooge on a journey to see his past 3. Stave A set of five parallel lines on any one or between any adjacent two of which a note is
written to indicate its pitch.
Christmases and forces him to reflect on his past. Some of the scenes the ghost presents are painful
for Scrooge, others remind him of happier times. 4. Omniscient A narrator that sees everything, including what a character is thinking and feeling.
o Scrooge is encouraged to reflect on how he adopted the negative emotions, actions and ideas of his narrator
later years. 5. Protagonist The leading character in a novel.
o Appears as a strange figure – an old man and a child combined. This serves as a reminder that our
past actions and experiences help to form the person we will become in the future. Whilst it may be 6. Tone How the narrator or a character speaks; can also be set through description.
long gone, our past is a part of our identity. 7. Gothic genre A genre (type of story) that incorporates elements of the gothic e.g. frightening
o The white tunic the ghost wears represents the innocence that should be a part of childhood. It is also incidents, supernatural occurrences, unexpected sequences of events…
decorated with summer flowers, a reminder that his spirit represents Scrooge’s ‘summer’ years. The 8. Pathetic fallacy Where human feelings and responses are attributed to inanimate things or animals.
“fresh green holly” suggests that change is possible for Scrooge,
Although Scrooge attempts to extinguish the ghost’s light with its own cap, the light cannot be put out.9. Juxtaposition Juxtaposition is a literary technique in which two or more ideas, places, characters
o
and their actions are placed side by side in a narrative to develop comparisons and
The light symbolises seeing the truth. Scrooge must revisit his past to light up the dark shadows that
contrasts.
have caused his misery. Without illuminating his past, Scrooge cannot redeem himself in the present.
10. Symbolism Using an object or person to represent something else (ideas or qualities).

THE GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PRESENT: Compassionate, abundant, generous, cheerful, jolly, friendly, severe, 11. Foreboding A feeling that something bad will happen.
sympathetic, prophetic.
12. Repetition Saying the same thing more than once for emphasis.
o This ghost’s function is to illustrate what life is like for different people in Victorian Britain at Christmas 13. Sensory Language that connects to the five senses to create an image or description.
and to compare this with Scrooge’s previously declared views. language
o The spirit provides Dickens with a mouthpiece to show the importance of education, declaring that
ignorance is more dangerous than poverty. 14. Analepsis These are ways in which a narrative's dialogue re-order's a given story by "flashing
back" to an earlier point in the story
o The Ghost of Christmas Present personifies generosity, both spiritual and material. The Spirit reminds (flashback)
us of the importance of social responsibility. 15. Prolepsis These are ways in which a narrative's dialogue re-order's a given story by "flashing
o The ghost is surrounded by plenty and sitting on a throne of food, this emphasises that there is forward" to a moment later in the chronological sequence of events
(flashforward)
enough to go around in the world.
Despite the ghost’s pleasant appearance, it conceals the harsh realities of Victorian life in the shape 16. Mirroring When a character, for example, resembles another character.
o
of the children, Ignorance and Want.
17. Parallel Using the same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas have the same level
of importance.
THE GHOST OF CHRISTMAS YET TO COME: Mysterious, silent, ominous, intimidating, frightening, resolute, structures
menacing.
18. Tension and A building of extreme emotion / anticipation where the outcome is uncertain.

o This is the most mysterious of the ghosts, reflecting the fact that the future is uncertain and depends suspense
on our present actions. It shows Scrooge what will happen if he doesn’t change his ways. The 19. Dramatic Irony Where the reader knows something that a character(s) are not aware of.
description of the ghost creates a sense of foreboding.
o Personifies death which is inevitable for all humans. It is a terrifying figure, ‘shrouded in a deep black
20. Cliff-hanger A dramatic and exciting ending to an episode of a serial, leaving the audience in
suspense and anxious not to miss the next episode.
garment, which concealed its head, its face, its form’. This reminds us of the Grim Reaper archetype.
o We are unable to distinguish its features, reminding us that the exact details of death are unknown 21. Similes A figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a
until it strikes. different kind, used to make a description more emphatic or vivid.
o Just as time will not stop for anyone, the ghost will not wait for Scrooge; it leads him from scene to 22. Circular The reader reaches a sense of closure when the piece finds its way back to the
scene, pointing out what he must see. beginning of the narrative.
structure
t5 23. Foil Something or someone with opposite characteristics to the subject, used to balance
them out and even to draw attention to their feelings.
TINY TIM: Frail, ill, compassionate, religious, optimistic.
24. Personification Attributing a human characteristic to something non-human.
o Tiny Tim personifies the severe consequences of living in poverty. His ill health emphasises what can
happen when a family 25. Hyperbole A form of extreme exaggeration to make something sound better/worse than it
o Despite his illness, Tiny Tim is an optimistic and generous child. He thinks of others and is well-loved actually is.
by his family. 26. Dialogue A discussion or conversation, or simply the words spoken by a character.
o Scrooge is deeply affected by Tiny Tim and when he is shown the Cratchit family Christmas by the
Ghost of Christmas present, he worries whether Tiny Tim will live. 27. Rhetorical A question that is asked to make a point rather than elicit an answer.
o The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come shows a possible future in which Scrooge’s fears are confirmed questions
and Tiny Tim has died. This reinforces Dickens’ message that unless things change, those living in 28. Interrogative A question that seeks to find something out.
the poorer classes will suffer at great cost.
At the end of the novella, after Scrooge’s redemption, we learn that he becomes like a second father 29. Motif An image that is repeated throughout a text showing the dominance of an idea.
o
to Tiny Tim. 30. Charactonym A name which helps to give the reader an idea of a character’s personality.

Which characters are missing? Create your31.

own profiles exploring
Onomatopoeia Where their
wordscharacteristics andthey
sound like the things significance.
describe.

32. Pathos In literature, a quality that creates pity or sadness in a reader.

 THEMES:
Redemption Redemption is the idea of being saved from sin or evil. In Scrooge, we see a man who is transformed from a greedy, selfish miser into a generous and good-natured character by the end.
o Dickens uses the Ghost of Christmas Present to show Scrooge how unpleasant his behaviour has been. Scrooge is clearly ashamed when the Ghost uses his own words against him, he hangs his head and is overcome with
‘penitence and grief’. This self-reflection builds the foundations of his redemption.
o When the last Ghost leaves and Scrooge finally awakes on Christmas day, we are shown a new man. Scrooge becomes generous and full of life, he is emotionally overwhelmed with his new chance at life. The reader, just like
the characters in the novella, are delighted by his transformation.
o Scrooge declares that he will live in ‘the past, present and future’ confirming that he has grown from his experience and learned from the errors of his ways. He is able to avoid the same fate as Marley.
Responsibility Dickens felt that every individual had a responsibility for those around him or her.
o Fred describes Christmas as a time when men and women ‘think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys’.
o Marley’s Ghost succinctly conveys the message of the novella when he cries, ‘Mankind was my business’. This change of focus jolts us, as well as Scrooge, because we learn that the proper ‘business’ of life is not about
seeking financial reward but having concern for others.
o Scrooge learns to take responsibility for the poor, and in doing so redeems himself ‘as good a man, as the good old city knew’.
o Scrooge shows us the difference a wealthy individual can make, but Dickens also shows us that Fezziwig’s small contribution, ‘The happiness he gives, is quite as great as if it cost a fortune’, can make a significance difference
to an individual’s life.
Poverty The Cratchits are regarded as Dickens’ face of the poor in this novella:
o They are living on the edge as Bob Cratchit can only just afford to keep his family fed and sheltered. Tiny Tim’s poor health emphasises the harsh realities and consequences of living in such poverty.
o Mrs Cratchit’s ribbons may be a luxury but they are also a symbol of her desperation to make her dress look new and respectable. She is ‘brave in ribbons’.
o The Cratchits are grateful for their Christmas meal, although we have to wonder if this is because they don’t have enough throughout the rest of the year ‘nobody said or thought it was at all a small pudding for a large family.
It would have been flat heresy to do so. Any Cratchit would have blushed to hint at such a thing’.
Dickens also shows us glimpses of poverty even deeper than that of the Cratchits:
o The charity collectors emphasise the desperation of the poor, they reveal that ‘Many thousands are in want of common necessaries’. Many of the poor ‘would rather die’ than go to the Union Workhouses or the Treadmill.
o Dickens places Old Joe’ shop in a part of the city which ‘reeked with crime, with filth, and misery’. With this scene, he shows the corrupting nature of poverty as these thieves enjoy showing what they have stolen to sell.
o Scrooge is appalled by the appearance of the children, Ignorance and Want. The children personify the dangerous consequences of allowing poverty to continue.
Scrooge’s refusal to give to charity highlights the selfishness of the higher classes and the injustice of wealth distribution in Victorian society.
Education Dickens emphasises the value of education through his presentation of the two children, Ignorance and Want:
o They are horrific in their appearance ‘Yellow, meagre, ragged, scowling, wolfish’.
o They serve to illustrate Dickens’ belief in the power of and need for education. We are told to ‘beware’ ignorance for he is ‘Doom’. This not only refers to the uncivilised and inadequate lives the children will have as adults,
but it also warns readers about the blind ignorance of the rich who do not take any responsibility for the children. The negligence of the higher classes only contributed to the suffering of the poor.
o Dickens does not shy away from presenting the most graphic effects of ignorance and deprivation – he makes us think about the role of education in the fight against poverty. His chilling, emotive language shows us how
seriously he takes this issue.
The A Christmas Carol is set in an ordinary location with ordinary characters. Having a convincing setting means that readers are more likely to accept an event as supernatural. It also makes the supernatural seem even stranger by
Supernatural contrasting it with normal events.
o The narrator works hard to convince us that Scrooge’s partner, Marley, is dead. There can be no other explanation for his reappearance than that it is his ghost haunting Scrooge.
o This theme does not just refer to Ghosts – Dickens also makes use of the supernatural to manipulate time and allow Scrooge to travel to his past, present and future and back again.
o The use of supernatural characters and events creates a unique and interesting story. Being the first writer to associate Christmas with ghost stories enabled Dickens to give his readers a new experience. The gothic
characteristics also help to structure the story: each ghost teaches Scrooge an important and valuable lesson.
Family Dickens balances Scrooge’s isolation with vibrant vignettes that show us the positive benefits of a close and loving family life:
o The lonely young Scrooge is rescued by his sister and returns home.
o As an apprentice, Scrooge is part of Fezziwig’s Christmas party, along with countless locals. Through the description of the party, Dickens emphasises the impact small actions can have.
o The Christmas celebrations of the Cratchits and Fred’s family show the benefits of sharing laughter and optimism. Despite their poverty, the Cratchit family are shown as the model happy family.
o Bob’s ‘sudden declension in… high spirits’ when he thinks Martha can’t come home for Christmas shows us the need for families to be together at key times.
o The closeness the Cratchit family have supports them in dealing with the foreshadowed death of Tiny Tim in stave four.
o The transformed Scrooge revels in being part of his own and the Cratchit family.
Isolation Dickens demonstrates the need for companionship and company:
o Left to himself as a boy, Scrooge finds companionship in stories. As an adult, Scrooge focuses on making money at the expense of personal relationships.
o The difference between Scrooge at the beginning of the novella and the redeemed Scrooge is considerable, and we see that it is not just due to his helping poor; it is a result of his rejoining society, ‘as good a man, as the
good old city knew’.
o Becoming a second father to Tiny Tim means Scrooge gets some of the love and support he has been missing or refusing.

Christmas The story of Scrooge takes place on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and uses the ideas of generosity and compassion that we associate with Christmas to highlight the transformation of the main character. We see Scrooge
change from a miserly man, contrasting with the spirit of Christmas, to someone who is full of joy.
o The theme of the novella is clear from the title - A Christmas Carol - which refers to the traditional carols that are sung at Christmas time. The novella has an unusual layout, using five staves rather than chapters. Each stave
has a specific purpose, this enables Dickens to guide his readers through Scrooge’s transformation. We can clearly understand how each Ghost affects Scrooge and how each lesson contributes to his final, joyful redemption.
By reflecting the shape of a typical carol, Dickens can present his moral tale of transformation whilst also emphasisng the delight and generosity of the season.
o As it does during the festive season, music has a significant presence in the novella. Music is central to a lot of the celebrations (from Fezziwig’s party to the men in the solitary lighthouse) in the story and often provokes a
powerful emotional response. Music symbolises the joy and unity of the season – something Scrooge eventually learns to accept and appreciate. In addition, the “merry” sound of the bells in Stave 5 reflects Scrooge’s
change and reinforces Christian values as Scrooge goes to church.
o Scrooge’s nephew, Fed, embodies the spirit of Christmas; he celebrates the season wholeheartedly and appreciates how it brings the classes together. Fred reminds the reader of the importance of compassion and
forgiveness, he refuses to give up on his uncle and welcomes him with open arms at the end of the novella.

Can you find any other examples of these themes?

A Christmas
Carol