His response to the charity collectors was very discouraging and demeaning. Two portly gentlemen ask Scrooge to donate for charity. Due to his unbelief in charitable activities, he suggests they go to workhouses. They explain to him that most would rather die than go to such places. In reply, Scrooge says:
“If they would rather die, they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population…” (Page 11)
By this, the reader is disgusted by the character of Scrooge as well as his reaction to the carol singer which would appal the reader. For example, he flings a ruler at the carol singer, who “fled in terror”. By this reaction, Dickens is probably trying to suggest that Scrooge seems to be rejecting the Religious aspect of Christmas. Scrooge therefore makes his general opinion on Christmas clearly by referring to it as a “Humbug” and states that it should not be celebrated as it is not beneficial in any way. At this point, the reader is aware of what sort of man Scrooge is and would not want to be like him.
Again, Dickens makes us frightened of becoming like Marley’s ghost because of his vivid description of the ghost in chapter 2 pages 19 – 20. The train of things Marley is chained to remind the reader of the misdeeds committed in his lifetime. The series of things which Marley carries with him, for example, the chain of:
“Cash – boxes, keys, padlocks, ledgers, deeds and heavy purses wrought in steel” (page 20)
make us frightened of becoming like him. One must not however forget that part of Marley’s punishment was to wander around the earth feeling remorseful for his actions when he was alive. The purpose of Marley’s appearance as a ghost is, above all, to warn Scrooge of his life and make him aware of the human relations, hoping Scrooge will change. Marley makes it clear that if Scrooge does not change, he will end up like him, if not worse. This is a cause for readers to reflect on themselves, making them think of what the attributes of their sins would be and how long and heavy their chains would be like if they do not ‘keep Christmas well’- being generous and charitable.
In the fourth Paragraph, Scrooge is shown a dead miser who is robbed by greedy people who do not regret what they have done. This is because they do not respect the man and think he deserves to be robbed because he was wicked. Scrooge not only enacts the effect of the scene on himself, he then becomes aware of the assumption behind the message when he asks the spirit:
“If there is any person in the town who feel emotion caused by this man’s death, show that person to me” (Page 105)
However, to his disappointment, he is shown a couple who can not help but feel relieved by the death of the miser. This is because he was a threatening creditor to the couple who could not make their repayments. It can then be seen that because he was a creditor, he had money, but one can deduce from the couple’s reactions that he was unmerciful:
“The only emotion that the Ghost could show him caused by the event, was one of pleasure.” (Page 107)
In contrast to such reactions, Scrooge observes the sadness mingled with tenderness that arises from the death of Tiny Tim. Despite being poor, Tiny Tim is better of because his death bed was surrounded with those who loved and cared for him. Unlike the miser, the only emotion that could be shown due to his death was one of sorrow. This is how Dickens uses these scenes to frighten readers of ending up dead and unloved. Also the reader would want to be like Tiny Tim- surrounded with love rather than Scrooge- “neglected and unloved.”
Christmas according to Dickens is enjoyable because it is a time of cheerfulness, joy, generosity and abundant food. The Spirit makes Scrooge understand that socially, Christmas is a time where rancour gives way to humour and dissonance to harmony. It is a feast of fellowship and visiting.
“But, if you had judged from the number of people on their way to friendly gatherings, you might have thought that no one was at home to give them welcome when they got there…”(page 77)
Scrooge’s Nephew shows that he keeps Christmas well by throwing a Christmas dinner and inviting his friends and even Scrooge, his unfriendly uncle. The Cratchits also despite their state of financial difficulty manage to keep Christmas well through meals shared in company by having a Christmas dinner together as a family:
This shows how the Cratchit family were happy, harmonious and content.
Similarly, Fezziwig also kept Christmas well. He organises a party at Christmas for all acquaintances, not leaving out the poor. This goes to prove his cheerfuness, joy, generosity, abundant food and friendly gatherings at Christmas.
The above discussions show that those who ‘keep Christmas well’ seem happier than Scrooge. For example, Scrooge is surprised to see miners and others in the lighthouse far away from the shore singing happily to celebrate Christmas Therefore; Dickens makes those who ‘keep Christmas well’ seem happier than Scrooge to persuade the reader to also ‘keep Christmas well’
Thus, having a poor background himself, Dickens was interested in the poor and opposed class systems in most of his novels.(Oliver Twist, David Copperfield) Due to that, he often wrote to recreate a sense of social wholeness through religious values and to suggest a deep faith in the power of Christian love which is dependent on social relations. He thought that there should be charitable activities from the rich to the poor.
Therefore in the novel, we are told that despite their financial difficulties, the Cratchits keep Christmas well by sharing the little provisions they have to make them happy. On the other hand, we are introduced to Scrooge, a very rich business man who has everything at his disposal but very stingy, wicked and uncompromising. The reader is therefore made to feel sorry for the Crachits family because as poor as they are, share whatever they have got to make them happy at Christmas while Scrooge who has more that necessary to spare does not make himself merry at Christmas and can not afford to make idle people merry.
In the third chapter, the spirit shows Scrooge two children, “Want” and “Ignorance”. Here Dickens uses the technique of personification to represent the poverty and hardship of the poor in Victorian London.
“This boy is ignorance. This girl is want. Beware them both…” (Page 91)
Dickens makes it clear to the reader that a society which does not tackle these deprivations is likely to face the consequences of the desperations of those who suffer them.
Therefore Scrooge, having had a change of mind towards Christmas becomes happier at the end of the novel. For instance, Scrooge wakes up on Christmas morning a different person. He becomes joyful and charitable and really turns into the person he promised the ghost he would become. He carries the spirit of Christmas with him all year round. This becomes evident when he says:
“I will honour Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all year round” (Page 114)
So Scrooge keeps his word and is now ‘keeping Christmas well’. This is shown in various ways like his visit to his nephew on Christmas day, when he buys the turkey for the Cratchits and becomes a second father to Tiny Tim, he gives money to the boy who buys him the turkey and he donates money to charity. The above incidents show how Scrooge himself realises that his old life was not pleasant and acceptable so he changes for a better life that makes him happier. This makes the reader want to be like the new Scrooge.
A Christmas Carol is a story of reformation and transformation of Scrooge into a man who knows how to ‘keep Christmas well’. Dickens portrays Scrooge as a wicked, hard, cold, utilitarian miser and orge who spends his days counting his profits and desires that society leaves him alone. He thinks “idle people” look out for handouts and so does not believe in charity. However, Scrooge turns into a kind, generous, charitable man.
Though Dickens sets this story in different periods of time, nevertheless, its impact today is still valuable to the reader. It is realised that Dickens uses the story to point out his views and concerns about society, in the Victorian period. He uses ‘A Christmas Carol’ to convey morally that kindness leads to happiness and that Christmas spirit together with care for one’s neighbour especially the poor can bring changes to a person’s outlook on life. Dickens again sends moral messages through ‘A Christmas Carol' by raising awareness of poverty in society and how people looked at the poor in the Victorian times.
According to Dickens Christmas is a time to be happy and charitable. By this Dickens appealed to wealthy people in society of his time to consider the poor and other disadvantaged people in society and show love and kindness through giving, sharing, lending a hand and all forms of togetherness which he thinks gives both parties happiness. This is what Charles Dickens called ‘keeping Christmas well’.
It can be realised therefore that though Dickens lived in a different era, his ideas on Christmas has not changed. Society today still views Christmas as a time of merry making where-by families, neighbours, relatives and friends share and exchange gifts so as to be happy and enjoy the celebrations. Communities, individuals and various organisations send out presents to charitable institutions, needy people, hospital, care homes and many others. Such attitudes make people feel honoured, valued and esteemed. This, it is said makes Christmas looks what it is.
Thus I’m convinced and I agree with Dickens that it is important to keep Christmas well for the message he sends in the story is still significant today. This is why I perceive that Dickens has successfully achieved his aim of portraying his feelings through a thorough meaningful story. That is why his novel ‘A Christmas Carol’ is still widely read and studied today.
By Agnes Ofosu-Asiedu
10 SM
Ms Long