Dickens uses narrative language to involve the reader into the novel. 'The mention of Marley's funeral brings me back to the point I started
from.' Dickens does this in a personal way and makes the reader a part of the novel. This is used such as a basic form of story telling when a person is telling the story to you. Dickens uses this also to involve the reader with the themes and feelings in the novel.
The setting in 'A Christmas Carol' almost reflects the character Scrooge at the opening stave. The setting is a dark London street scene which is cold and foggy 'foggier yet and colder, piercing, searching, biting cold.' The setting of the novel gives us an insight into the harsh and dreary conditions that Scroooge works in. It gives a bit of sympathy towards him. It is important for Dickens to set the scene to show the audience that it is set in a cold winter Christmas.
Dickens uses language to engage the reader towards the novel adn to emphasize feelings, emotions or situations. Dickens uses onomatopoeia to give a emphasis on the emotions and sounds 'Clash, clang.' Dickens also uses similes to give the reader a sense of the situation 'Old Marley was dead as a door nail.' Dickens also uses imagery to involve the reader, and to give the reader a sense of the setting and emotions. Dickens' use of adjectives are greatly used in the opening stave to give sense of character and environment and to bring it out to the reader. Dickens complex vocabulary is used to set out feelings or situations in the novel.
The opening dialogue in the novel shows Scrooge as a sinister and cold character, 'I don't make merry myself at Christmas.' It also shows his attitudes towards people, when the carol singer is asking for a penny towards his song and Scrooge shunts him away harshly. He also shows his attitude towards money and work, when he is not willing to give to charity. The dialogue shows that Scrooge is almost feared in society and that people do not wish to confront him. The reader reacts to his attitudes, which gives Scrooge the impression that he is tight fisted and sinister. Dickens wants the reader to react with Scrooge, as they will want to see how the moral change of character unfolds throughout the novel.
Dickens uses 'A Christmas Carol' to invoke the emotion of the public into considering the poor people in the 19th century. The novel shows how a cold-hearted businessman can change his ways to show compassion towards people such as the poor. Dickens also mentions the Poor Law in the novel so that he could interpret the reaction of Scrooge towards people at that time. The social significance of the poor law reflects the time period, this shows that the poor people were treated badly
The opening stave establishes the themes of the novel as regret and change. Dickens shows this by Scrooge badly treating Bob Crachit, and later finds out by the spirits that Bob Crachit's son is ill and he regrets treating him so badly. The spirits remind Scrooge that his actions have affects on his feelings and the feelings of others towards him. The spirits also remind him that he used to be happy and joyful, but let business in his way of happiness.
The opening stave is important as it establishes the character and the social conflict and the conflict of the main character. Dickens also uses language and many other key factors to engage the reader into the novel and the main issues of the novel. The main character is important to the novel, as the reader has to react to this character and feel that they have to read on to see the development of the character. Dickens uses allegory to engage the reader into finding out the meaning of the moral.
