Charles Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol in 1843 when Christmas was growing more popular and traditions were being revived, including carol singing. His famous novella tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly businessman who is visited by the ghost of his former business partner, Jacob Marley. He also experiences the spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come. Scrooge is transformed by his experience and becomes gentler and generous.
The themes in Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol are relevant today, including the spirit of Christmas, redemption, and social injustice. Our article explores these key themes with examples from the plot and quotes. We explore Dickens' message and how the themes shape the characters and events. It is aimed at students revising for their GCSE English Literature exam. It is suitable for all exam boards, including AQA.
If you need help, TeachTutti has qualified GCSE English Literature tutors who can help you revise and learn about A Christmas Carol, such as making revision notes.
Christmas
As the title suggests, Christmas is crucial in A Christmas Carol. Dickens presents the season as joyful, full of generosity and human interaction. This contrasts sharply with the cold-hearted Scrooge we are introduced to. not only in the setting but also in its deeper message. The novella is structured like a carol, with five staves rather than chapters. This reinforces the atmosphere of festivity and musical spirit.
Scrooge's nephew Fred embodies Christmas. The season is a time of generosity and warmth, which Fred embraces. He repeatedly invites Scrooge to his festive celebrations as he believes Christmas is "a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time". He is a foil to Ebenezer, representing what life can be when you embrace goodwill and companionship.
Tiny Tim is Bob Chratchit's son. He is a frail child who is seriously ill and his family are in financial straits. Despite this, Tiny Tim is hopeful and grateful. He represents the true spirit of Christmas and his famous quote showcases Dickens' message that kindness and compassion should be offered to all:
"God bless us, every one!"
The Victorian era saw a revival in the popularity of the Christmas holiday. The Christmas tree was introduced in the 18th century and Queen Victoria and Prince Albert championed the holiday. This was the context in which Dickens wrote his novella. He used A Christmas Carol to encourage readers to embrace the values of generosity and family togetherness throughout the year.
Transformation and redemption
The redemption of Ebenezer Scrooge is an important theme in A Christmas Carol. The main character is introduced as a miser and selfish person. He rejects the warmth and kindness of Christmas, famously renouncing it with his phrase "Bah! Humbug!"
Scrooge transforms during his encounters with the three spirits. They force him to reflect on past mistakes, witness the consequences of his actions in the present and glimpse a bleak future if he doesn't change:
- The Ghost of Christmas Past shows Scrooge when he was innocent and capable of love through the relationship with his sister Fan and his former fiancée, Belle. This highlights how Scrooge's obsession with wealth led to his isolation as the neglected Belle ends their relationship.
- The Ghost of Christmas Present confronts Scrooge with the harsh realities of the present world. He sees the struggles of the Cratchit family and the happy Tiny Tim, who the spirit warns will die unless action is taken. The spirit shows two emaciated children who symbolise Ignorance and Want. Scrooge is forced to recognise his role in maintaining the current social inequality.
- The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come presents Scrooge's death, where only local businessmen attend his funeral on condition that lunch is provided. He sees the Cratchit family mourning the death of their beloved Tiny Tim. The confrontation with his fate pushes Scrooge towards redemption.
Scrooge is a transformed man by the end of the novella. He is full of joy when he wakes on Christmas morning. Ebeneezer donates to charity, reconciles with his family and finances the medical care that Tiny Tim requires. The following quote effectively summarises his changed nature:
"I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year."
Dickens delivers a moral message through the character arc of Scrooge: anyone can change and become a better person. The redemption of Ebenezer is uplifting and an inspiration, encouraging readers to embrace generosity and compassion all year round.
Social injustice and poverty
The harsh realities of poverty and social inequality in Victorian England are stark in A Christmas Carol. Dickens uses characters and events to critique the neglect of the poor by the wealthy and influential.
Early in the novella, two charity collectors ask Scrooge to donate to help the poor. Scrooge dismisses this request for generosity. Her coldly remarks:
"Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?"
This reflects the new Poor Law of 1834, which required the poor to be clothed and fed in workhouses. In exchange for these harsh living conditions, they were expected to work several hours per day. Dickens strongly opposed this treatment of the poor and used his novella to challenge the lack of compassion in society.
The Ghost of Christmas Present presents two figures of poverty that are hidden beneath his robes: Ignorance and Want. They are emaciated children who represent the failure of society to support the most vulnerable. The spirit warns Scrooge about the figures. In doing so, Dickens implies that ignoring poverty will lead to societal collapse, with Ignorance representing the dangers of an uneducated lower class and Want symbolising extreme poverty:
"This boy is Ignorance. This girl is Want. Beware them both, and all of their degree, but most of all beware this boy, for on his brow I see that written which is Doom."
The Cratchit family contrast sharply with Ebenezer's wealth and greed. They are surrounded by love and warmth despite their situation, showing that wealth does not guarantee happiness. Despite this, their situation is precarious as Bob Cratchit cannot afford medical care for Tiny Tim. Their poverty will lead to Tiny Tim's death without outside intervention, a reality Dickens wants his readers to recognise.
Scrooge is a changed man by the end of the book. He raises Bob's salary and guarantees Tiny Tim's medical care. Dickens uses Scrooge to stress that society must be responsible for its most vulnerable members.
Family
Family is presented as a source of love, warmth and moral guidance. Dickens contrasts the happiness of loving families with the loneliness of Scrooge who prioritises wealth above all else.
The Cratchit family is full of love and joy, particularly during the Christmas season, which they embrace:
"They were not a handsome family; they were not well dressed; their shoes were far from being waterproof; their clothes were scanty... but they were happy, grateful, pleased with one another."
Bob Cratchit is devoted to his family and they care for each other, including the happy and hopeful Tiny Tim, despite his poor health. They celebrate their Christmas dinner even though it is meagre, reinforcing Dickens' message that family matters more than material wealth:
"Such a bustle ensued that you might have thought a goose the rarest of all birds; a feathered phenomenon, to which a black swan was a matter of course ... There never was such a goose."
Scrooge is used to convey isolation from the start of the novella. He has no meaningful relationships and avoids his nephew Fred who is his only living relative. Fred repeatedly invites Scrooge to Christmas dinner. However, Scrooge refuses, scoffing at the idea of celebrating the festivities. Fred refuses to give up on his uncle and he represents unconditional family love and forgiveness towards Scrooge.
The Ghost of Christmas Past reminds him of the family he lost. Ebenezer is shown visions of his younger self and how greed leads to the breakdown of his engagement with Belle who he ignored. He also loses his beloved sister Fan who dies in childbirth, while it is implied that his first employer Mr. Fezziwig has died, who treated him like a son. These losses escalate Scrooge's loneliness, and he furthers it by prioritising his wealth over developing existing relationships and creating new ones. In contrast, Belle has built a loving family of her own after separating from Scrooge.
Scrooge recognises the importance of family after his encounters with the spirits. He attends Fred’s Christmas celebration and becomes a second father to Tiny Tim, ensuring the child receives medical care and support:
"I’ll raise your salary, and endeavour to assist your struggling family."
Dickens uses the transformation of Scrooge to highlight how family and human connection trump wealth, encouraging the reader to cherish their loved ones. It is a message that remains relevant today.
Generosity and charity
Dickens uses the transformation of Scrooge to underscore how important kindness is to the lives of others in the form of generosity and charity. The selfish actions and greed of characters are critiqued in contrast to the true wealth from giving to others.
Scrooge is introduced as the embodiment of greed. He never donates to charity, as he believes the poor should use workhouses or prisons as per the 1834 Poor Law. He is dismissive when approached for charity, reflecting the lack of social responsibility in the Victorian upper class:
"It's enough for a man to understand his own business, and not to interfere with other people's"
Scrooge learns that money does not guarantee happiness through the intervention of the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future. Scrooge can witness the struggles of the Cratchit family through the Ghost of Christmas Present. He also sees the joyful Christmas gathering of his nephew Fred. These visions show Ebenezer that even small acts of generosity can make a difference:
"After a while they played at forfeits; for it is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas, when its mighty Founder was a child himself."
Scrooge is finally confronted with the grim reality of his death by the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. He is unloved and unmissed when he dies. His possessions are stolen by his charwoman, laundress, and the undertaker. This underlines that his wealth brings Scrooge no respect or legacy. Further, when Scrooge asks the ghost to show anyone who has emotion over his passing, he is shown the reaction of a couple rejoicing that they have more time to put their finances in order:
"We may sleep tonight with light hearts, Caroline!"
Conclusion - Themes in A Christmas Carol
Charles Dickens's novella discusses the power of kindness, family and social responsibility. Readers learn that wealth means little when it isn't shared as Scrooge changes from a miserly individual to a generous man who can show compassion. Throughout the novella, Christmas is a time of spirit, family and charity. True happiness is only achieved by giving and connecting with others.
The moral lesson of this novella remains relevant today. Readers are encouraged to be mindful of those less fortunate, not just at Christmas, but all year round. The following is a summation of the transformed Scrooge's actions at the end of the novella:
- He donates generously to charity.
- He raises Bob Cratchit’s salary to ensure the Cratchits can afford a better life.
- He becomes a second father to Tiny Tim and secures both his health and future.
- He joins his nephew Fred’s Christmas celebration.
For further reading, The Dickens Project has written an article on Charles Dickens's views on poverty in his time. English Heritage has explored Christmas traditions in the Victorian era.
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This post was updated on 30 Nov, -0001.
