In the scene where the charity collectors asked Scrooge to donate money for charity he says “the treadmill and the poor law are in full vigour”. This shows that Scrooge does not want the poor around. Scrooge treats the charity collectors wit no respect at all. making them seem like they were jus wasting their time. Scrooge’s solution to dealing with the poor is for them to be in prison.
This relates to Dickens own background because his father was in debt, his father and all of Dickens’ brothers and sisters were sent to prison.
Scrooge treats his clerk Bob Cratchit wit no respect. Language is used to make Scrooge seem miserable by using pathetic fallacy. Dicken uses words such as “cold”, “bleak” and biting. These words aren’t only to describe the weather but Scrooge’s personality.
The things Scrooge says shows us his attitude. When he is in his counting house, talking to his nephew, his clerk Bob Cratchit applauded Fred on what he was saying. Scrooge says to Bob, “you’ll keep your christmas by losing your situation”. This shows us his attitude and that Scrooge isnt a very nice person.
It is important we see Scrooge’s attitude like this at the beginning of the novel because it makes audience not like him at the beginning and for audience to see later on in the novel why Scrooge turned out so miserable.
Scrooge thought seeing Marley’s ghost was just something he imagined and didn’t believe.
The ghost of christmas past showed Scrooge his childhood, where he worked when his was a youth, how he fell in love and where he broke up with his fiance.
He spent his christmas in boarding school, his family neglected him because they blamed him for the death of his mother. When Scrooge was a apprentice for Fezziwig’s christmas was celebrated with a party, where all the staff would be invited.
When Scrooge started to become more successful an making a lot of money, he started to think less about his fiance and only cared for his money. Where Belle is talking to Scrooge about how much he has changed. Scrooge says “there is nothing on which it is hard as poverty….”. This tells us that Scrooge feels that there is nothing as bad as poverty. Scrooge and Belle were both poor when they fell in love and his saying that he doesn’t want to live in poverty anymore.
His attitude about christmas begins to change slightly because his seen all the things his missed out on. He says to the spirit “I cannot bear it!”. Scrooge can’t take another look at the past because his realising how much he really has lost rather than gained.
The ghost of christmas present shows christmas morning where the markets are packed with people and there are a lot of sales going on. In the book it says“…Jolly old gentlemen”, this tells us that in the victorian times that christmas was celebrated with joy and happiness.
The ghost shows Scrooge the home of Bob Cratchit, because Bob Cratchit was poor him an his family didn’t have a lot of decorations.
We learn that Tiny Tim is very ill and that if he doesn’t get treatment he will die. Scrooge feels sad and also grieved by how the spirit used his own words against him.
Scrooge sees a gathering at his nephews house. Scrooge feels thankful and happy how his nephew wishes him a merry christmas. In stave 3 it says “…thanked them in an inaudible speech”. This shows that his views are beginning to change.
Scrooge is shown a poor family. Scrooge begins to feel disgusted about how they are living and sad. The two children Scrooge was shown are Ignorance and Want. This tells us that Dickens’s aim in writing this novel is to teach people that we should think about others before we think about ourselves.
The Ghost of christmas future shows Scrooge that he dies and that nobody cares. Nobody cared about Scrooge’s death. In stave 4 where scrooge listens to 3 men having a conversation about his funeral, 1 of the men sed “….i don’t know of anybody to go to it”. This shows that because Scrooge was so mean an heartless no-one feels any sympathy for him. This has a big effect on Scrooge.
Scrooge begins to realise that he has to change after finding out that he dies in the future and nobody. His views begin to change when he sees his neglected grave. In says “…..why show me this, if I am past all hope”. This shows that Scrooge wants to change but feels that there is no point because he has been so mean and heartless.
When Scrooge woke up in the morning he was happy, glad and knew that he had changed, after all he had seen.
He was thankful to the spirits for what they had shown him.When Scrooge wakes up he says “I will live in the past, present and future…the spirits of all three shall strive within me”. Scrooge is greatful to the spirits and is saying that he will not forget what they have taught and shown him.
Scrooge has transformed from how he was before. When he walk up and was wondering what the date was he says “…I’m quite a baby”. This shows us that he has changed completely and that he has noticed the things he never noticed when he was a totally different person to how he is know.
Scrooge’s new views are representative of victorian attitudes towards christmas because christmas is a time everyone should be happy and share with family and friends.
Scrooges’s new views are also representatives of Dickens’ own attitudes to christmas because, Dickens’ attitude to christmas was a time for everyone to cheer up and be happy, and also think about others before they think about themselves. Scrooge in the end knows what christmas is all about.
Scrooge shows Dickens attitude and Victorian attitudes towards christmas by sending the big turkey to Bob Cratchit and goinging his nephew for dinner.