A Christmas Carol - review

Authors Avatar

A Christmas Carol

Characters

Ebenezer Scrooge: the main character of this novel

Fred: Scrooge’s nephew

Fan: sister of Scrooge

Bob Crachit: clerk to Ebenezer Scrooge

Peter Crachit: son of Bob Crachit

Tim Crachit: (Tiny Tim) and youngest son of Bob Crachit

Mrs Crachit: wife of Bob Crachit

Belinda and Martha Crachit: daughters of the proceeding

Mr Fezziwig: a kind-hearted, jovial old merchant

Mrs Fezziwig: Mr Fezziwig’s wife

Dick Wilkins: a fellow-apprentice of Scrooge’s

Ghost of Christmas past: a phantom showing things past

Ghost of Christmas present: a spirit of a kind and generous heart

Ghost of Christmas yet to come: an apparition showing shadows of things that might happen

Ghost of Jacob Marley: spectre of Scrooge’s former partner

Mr Topper:, a bachelor

Joe: a marine dealer and receiver of stolen of goods

Belle: a sweetheart of Scrooge’s

Caroline: wife of one of Scrooge’s debtors

Mrs Dilber: a laundress

Introduction

A Christmas carol was written by Charles Dickens in 1843. This novel was set in London. The central theme to this novel is about Scrooge’s past, present and future experiences of Christmas and his transfiguration from a cold-hearted man to a man to a man who always knows how to spend Christmas. In the beginning of this novel Scrooge is depicted as a cold and heartless man who is shunned by society. This essay will focus on how Dickens engineers Scrooge’s transformation.

Section 1

In the opening of the novel Scroooge is depicted as cold-hearted man that does not care about anyone but himself (p.8 stave 1) “The cold within him froze his old features nipped features, shrivelled his cheek stiffened his gait made his eyes red, his lips blue; and spoke out shrewedly in his grating voice.” In this section of stave 1 Scrooge is used as a metaphor to the cold winter winds and snow and is also depicted as a bad boss to Bob Crachit his assistant who struggles to keep his family fed because he is badly paid by Scrooge.

Join now!

Section 2

Dickens uses the supernatural i.e. Jacob Marley’s ghost and the three ghosts of Christmas past, present and future to transform Scrooge. He does this by using the ghost’s to scare him or make him feel happy with scenes from his Christmas past, present and future. Scrooge is most scared because of what he sees happen to him after his death and how overjoyed people our about his death and even the people he worked with did not care they did not even want to go to his funeral they could not be bothered. When Scrooge sees ...

This is a preview of the whole essay