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Cristóbal Martínez Jiménez

Prof. Olivares Merino

Literatura inglesa 1660-1890 (12212016)

May 23, 2023

ANALYSIS OF THE MAIN ASPECTS OF DICKENS’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL

CONTEXTUALIZATION

In the present essay, I will proceed to analyze Dickens’s A Christmas Carol1. The

reason I chose to study this novel hinges on the fact that I always had one of those ancient

books, organized in one of the shelves in the living room, which he always wanted to read. It

really had something which caught my attention.

A Christmas Carol is a novel written by the English writer Charles Dickens. He was

born on 7th February 1812 in Portsmouth, England. He is considered one of the greatest

writers in the Victorian era in English literature. Dickens started working at a young age as a

court reporter for the Morning Chronicle. His interest in literature was raised later after he

had gained fame with his series of short sketches called The Pickwick Papers.

After this release, Dickens would continue his literary career exploring different genres

and themes such as crime, romance or mystery. He also wrote works criticizing social

problems in his country, he would reflect these problems in one of his most famous writings

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Dickens, Charles. A Christmas Carol. Penguin, 2014.
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like Oliver Twist. Both novels are set in the Victorian era, a period of time when London and

the United Kingdom were generally booming as a result of the Industrial Revolution, which

was still happening at the time when A Christmas Carol was written. These novels will also

try to portray the misery and sordid aspects of their own characters and most of the

population.

In A Christmas Carol, one of his most famous novels, the author will share with the

reader the story of Ebeneezer Scrooge, a greedy and rude elder who has spent most of his life

hating Christmas’ celebrations and self isolated from the rest of society. Everything changes

after he receives the visit of three mysterious creatures which will try to make a great change

in his life.

This essay will focus on explaining some of the most remarkable aspects in Dickens's

writing. For instance, the meaning of the symbols which the authors make use of during the

development of the story. The way Christmas’s atmosphere is represented is also an important

aspect to take into consideration among other literary contents which will be explained in this

essay-like commentary. The structure of the allegory or the evolution of the dynamism in the

main character’s personality as well as its literary symbols are going to be other aspects which

will be analyzed.

CHRISTMAS’ MODES OF PORTRAY IN THE NOVEL

The author’s beliefs are present when describing the atmosphere in which Christmas is

represented in different modes during the story. It varies from a colder atmosphere in the
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streets to a warm atmosphere inside family homes on Christmas eve. The plot also has

relevance in connection with the manner in which these environments are characterized.

As Beekari and Besseriani stated:

In A Christmas Carol, he celebrates the atmosphere of love and peace, something which is still

considered to be the main message of Christmas. Except for Dickens ́s glorification of

Christmas in the book, this chapter analyses the story of A Christmas Carol as a story in which

Dickens not only shows his hope for better future of mankind but also criticises English society

and the theory of utilitarianism. (2022: 72)

This conception of Christmas will be present during this literary work. The author

tends to make Christmas charmer as the narrative advances for the readers. The descriptions

about this festive season have an evolution throughout the book.

In the first stanza, Christmas is described as a sordid environment. In order to transmit

this feeling to the reader, Dickens firstly creates a scenery which is more typical of an

industrial city. Dickens takes advantage of this description in order to show how degraded

society was and how social conditions were affecting people’s well-being.

This is visible in the following extract taken from the book, where a polluted and

hostile winter urban environment is described by making use of elements such as the brown

air. This is the result of the Industrial Revolution which England was going through by that

time.

The city clocks had only just fone three, but it was quite dark already: it had not been light all

day: and candles were flaring in the windows of the neighboring offices, like ruddy smears
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upon the palpable brown air. The fog came into pouring in at every chink and keyhole and was

so dense without, that although (p. 4)

The life surrounding Christmas’ eve is full of darkness. This gives the sense of a

ghostly atmosphere, houses are being vanished as a result of the pouring fog which is filling

every corner of the city’s streets. The author makes a correlation between how Scrooge

behaves and the hostile environment in which he lives.

As the story progresses, during the first visit of the Ghost of Christmas Past,

celebrations are portrayed in a different way. The scenery during Scrooge’s first years

working for Dick Wilkins. It is noticeable how past times influenced in a different way to this

festivity description. Here the atmosphere described inside of a workplace is full of joy and

celebration. A typical celebration of Christmas eve. As it is portrayed in the extract:

There were more dances, and there were forfeits, and more dances, and there was cake, and there was

negus, and there was a great piece of Cold Roast, and there was a great piece of Cold Boiled, and there

were mince-pies, and plenty of beer. But the great effect of the evening came after the Roast and Boiled,

when the fiddler (an artful dog, mind! The sort of man who knew his business better than you or I could

have told it him!) struck up “Sir Roger de Coverley.” Then old Fezziwig stood out to dance with Mrs.

Fezziwig. Top couple, too; with a good stiff piece of work cut out for them; three or four and twenty pair

of partners; people who were not to be trifled with; people who would dance, and had no notion of

walking. (p. 46-47)

The author makes use of the ghosts' appearances in order to illustrate the

celebrations or the scenery in a happier way or in a more depressing manner. The

Ghost of Christmas present and the Ghost of Future Christmas show how different the

future and present environments are in comparison with the past travel Scrooge had

been before.
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During the visit of the Ghost of Christmas Present, the people's attitude described in

the city streets contrasts with the depressing environment full of pollution. It is shown an

image of contrast between the black houses and windows as a result of the perjudicial

pollution and the joy of the rest of the people who are looking forward to Christmas eve and

to buying food from poulterer’s shops and fruit sellers. The following extracts exemplifies

that feeling of joy despite the dirtiness and polluted atmosphere:

The people who were shovelling away on the housetops were jovial and full of glee; calling out

to one another from the parapets, and now and then exchanging a facetious

snowball—better-natured missile far than many a wordy jest—laughing heartily if it went right

and not less heartily if it went wrong. (p.65)

ANALYSIS OF SCROOGE AS A DYNAMIC CHARACTER

The reader can notice a certain dynamism regarding Scrooge’s attitude towards life

and joy. He is firstly introduced as a greedy cold man as it is portrayed during the first stanza

of the book. The following description taken from the first stanza of the book exemplifies the

way Scrooge is viewed by the rest of society.

But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone (...) a squeezing, wrenching, grasping,

scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner! Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever

struck out generous fire; a secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. (...) He carried

his own low temperature always about with him (...) External heat and cold had little influence

on Scrooge. (p. 2-3)

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In the last extract, the author describes the character’s main physical features and

compares its personality to objects in order to connect them to his personality. Scrooge is

compared to tough and hostile objects.

According to Erwindriani (2012: 36), Scrooge also shows behaviors which can be

categorized as misanthropic. This attitude towards the rest of society led into a disassociation

from the social festivities like Christmas.

This sort of attitude of self isolation is seen in the manners he treats his nephew when

he visits his workplace in order to talk to him and wish him a merry Christmas. Scrooge

thinks that the fact of greeting people for holidays is a non-sense, a humbug.

Alongside the story’s linear development, the main character will go through a journey

of self-awareness which will be taken as a chance to start a new way of treating people

politely.

Scrooge’s personality begins to change with the appearance of the ghost of Marley. He

will play an important role in this topic of the story since he is responsible for giving another

chance of changing his life to Scrooge. The conservation which will take place during his visit

at the end of the first stanza will mark the FIRST PART of this “journey” and radical change

for Scrooge’s life. This can be perceived in the following extract: “Jacob (..) Old Jacob

Marley, tell me more. Speak comfort to me”

This will be one of the first signs which will show a change in Scrooge’s perception of

the world. His early hostility at the beginning of the appearance of Marley’s ghost vanishes
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once Marley explains to him the purpose of his visit. The following dialogue taken from the

book is when Marley explains his purpose:

After this first sign of change, Scrooge will live through the early stages of his life

during the very first visit of the Ghost of Christmas past. He will remember how lonely he felt

but at the same time, he will feel joy of remembering family times and at the same time

remembering his dead sister.

Everything will end up once Scrooge is aware that his death is relatively close as he

previously had seen in the visit of the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come when he saw himself

completely in the graveyard after having stood in front of his business colleagues which were

making fun of his loneliness.

Scrooge eventually states a short sentence which will mark the new era in his life, a

new beginning of behaving with humility, kindness and love to the others. He will keep

repeating this at the start of the final stanza: “I will live in the Past, the Present, and the

Future!” (p. 109). This means that he will enjoy every moment in his present and future life

as much as he did in the past in the present and future times.

MARLEY AND SCROOGE: TILL DEATH DO THEM JOIN

The link between Marley and Scrooge is discovered at the early stages of the first

stanza. Marley was his partner and they both have a business. The starting point of the novel

is Marley’s funeral. Scrooge is one of the men who knew him better and is the one who is

managing the funerary issues.

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Marley takes a paternal figure in the moment when he came along as a ghost in front

of Scrooge and with his body surrounded by chains. In that moment, he will warn Scrooge the

purpose of his visit.

He does not want his partner to live such a greedy and sad life as he had lived. He

warned him to take advantage of the visit of the three ghost as a second chance to change his

life forever.

Marley still cares about Scrooge and that is the reason of why he does not want it.

Nothing will ever let him live again as he will state in the following part of the writing, but he

will try not to let Scrooge end up in the same way as he did, dead.

“That is no light part of my penance,” pursued the Ghost. “I am here to-night to warn you, that

you have yet a chance and hope of escaping my fate. A chance and hope of my procuring,

Ebenezer.”

“You were always a good friend to me,” said Scrooge. “Thank’ ee!”

“You will be haunted,” resumed the Ghost, “by Three Spirits.”

Scrooge’s countenance fell almost as low as the Ghost’s had done.

“Is that the chance and hope you mentioned, Jacob?” he demanded, in a faltering voice.

“It is.”

“I—I think I’d rather not,” said Scrooge.

“Without their visits,” said the Ghost, “you cannot hope to shun the path I tread. Expect the

first to-morrow, when the bell tolls One.” “Couldn’t I take ’em all at once, and have it over,

Jacob?” hinted Scrooge. (p. 26)

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STRUCTURE AND SYMBOLS OF THE WRITING

A Christmas Carol is an allegorical writing full of symbolism in its most relevant

elements such as the ghosts or the poverty circumstances. The novel is divided into 5 different

stanzas which portray the ghosts’ appearances Each ghost symbolizes a different feeling.

Firstly, Marley’s ghost comes along in order to warn Scrooge of the visit of 3 other

ghosts which have the mission of changing his fate. The appearance of these 3 ghosts have a

certain symbolism. As Beťková (2012: 21) states:

The three ghosts symbolize the continuity of Christmas but not in the historical aspect but they

are rather reminders of Scrooge’s own personal history. The first represents the memory and the

second is a symbol of the Christmas spirit. These two are quite definite in their meaning as they

present events that had already happened or are happening in Scrooge’s present. The Ghost of

Christmas Yet to Come is a little more complicated character. He is a symbol of death, fear and

the future, however, in the Carol the future is not definite. He only represents a possibility

which can be changed.

In the writing, fire is used as an element which gives life to every scene in which it is

present. Fire is life and represents a vivid atmosphere such as the familiar ones in festivities.

Even the intensity in which fire is regulated represents an environment with more or less

vividness. For instance, this example of low fire which represents sadness, low motivation in

life. This can be in the following extract: “At one of these a lonely boy was reading near a

feeble fire.” (p.39)

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The feeble fire is a reflection of Scrooge’s younger version, who was a lonely child

who spent his days at home. This little fire reflects a little sign of life inside himself despite

the loneliness he is living through by that time.

This idea of fire as a source of life and warmth is repeated alongside the book with

several examples which shows the evolution of the character depending on the time travel he

is experiencing with the ghost.

The idea of a door-nail is first introduced as a resource to compare Marley's death

with that item. According to Bekkari and Besseriani (2022: 55), Scrooge uses the expression

of being “as dead as a door-nail” as a joke about how unimportant his death was for the rest,

He uses a door-nail since it is element in furniture which nobody cares about. That is what

happens with Marley’s death.

Poverty is clearly shown as a symbol of humility and charity as it can be appreciated

during his visit to Bob Cratchit’s home, with whom Scrooge had an impolite behavior and

slavery tone by not giving him the day off. Scrooge will understand thanks to the visit to his

home that even poor people, who could be believed not to be able to be happy, find happiness

in the little things of life despite the amount of difficulties which they have to overcome as it

is said regarding Tiny Tim’s problems with his body. The following extract exemplifies how

happy they are having enough food on christmas eve although the meal was not suitable for,

what it is understood, as Christmas dinner.

There never was such a goose. Bob said he didn’t believe there ever was such a goose cooked.

Its tenderness and flavour, size and cheapness, were the themes of universal admiration. Eked

out by apple-sauce and mashed potatoes, it was a sufficient dinner for the whole family;
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indeed, as Mrs. Cratchit said with great delight (surveying one small atom of a bone upon the

dish), they hadn’t ate it all at last! Yet every one had had enough (p. 74)

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, A Christmas Carol has become throughout the years a classic in English

Literature. It is a novel for all kinds of readers and its background transcends the title itself

since Dickens explores several topics such as loneliness, kindness, humanity or avarice.

Those topics which the author expresses in his work are conveyed through the use of

numerous symbols which represent a certain aspect in time which has affected the way the

main topics are transmitted to the readers. Symbols such as poverty gives the novel the

cautionary tone which the author aims to transmit through Christmas festivities.

Its main character, Eveneezer Scrooge, is treated following a clear evolution

throughout the story which gives evolution to the character itself. The manner in which

Dickens treats every Christmas depending on the time the stanza is set is clearly used as a way

to interpret Scrooge’s change in his personality, as it can be seen in the change of scenery in

the early stanzas and at the end of the novel.

It is also a visible sense of friendship between Scrooge and Marley, which encourages

him to change and become a better person. Marley feels a sense of compassion towards his

former business partner and, the fact that he is forced to be under the power of 3 different

ghosts, exemplifies it.

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To sum up, Scrooge shares with the readers, and society in general, teachings applied

in a moment when kindness and humility reigns, Christmas. He does it through the use of the

resources which have been exposed in the present essay.

CITED WORKS

Beťková, Markéta. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens in the Context of Victorian Society.

Charles University in Prague, 2012.

-Dickens, Charles. A Christmas Carol. Penguin, 2014.

-Erwindriani, Theresia. “SCROOGE’S CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT IN CHARLES

DICKENS’ a CHRISTMAS CAROL.” Celt: A Journal of Culture, English Language

Teaching and Literature, vol. 12, no. 1, Soegijapranata Catholic University, Jan. 2012,

pp. 29–45. https://doi.org/10.24167/celt.v12i1.3.

-Jaffe, Audrey. “Spectacular Sympathy: Visuality and Ideology in Dickens’s a Christmas

Carol.” Publications of the Modern Language Association of America, vol. 109, no. 2,

Modern Language Association, Mar. 1994, pp. 254–65.

https://doi.org/10.2307/463120.

-Tyler, Daniel. Dickens’s Style. Cambridge UP, 2013.

-Yousra, Bekkari, and Besseriani Amira Rihab. Symbolism in Charles Dickens’s a Christmas

Carol: A Psychoanalytic Approach. Kasdi Merbah Ouargla University, 2022.

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http://dspace.univ-ouargla.dz/jspui/bitstream/123456789/32751/1/Bekkari%2BBesseri

ani.pdf