What is Dickens Message in his Novel 'A Christmas Carol' and How does he present it?

Scrooge sees the figure of his 7-year dead partner Marley morph onto his doorknocker. He goes in and lights a candle "Darkness is Cheap!". Marley visits Scrooge in the night and warns him that three spirits that will change his ways will haunt him. Marley trails a "Ponderous Chain" which is made of ledgers, moneyboxes and other money related objects that Marley was obsessed with, much like Scrooge. From this we can see Dickens is trying to tell us that money is not everything and the chain Marley wears acts as a symbol that Scrooge and us as a nation have to take notice of.

When the 'Ghost of Christmas Past' arrives at Scrooge's place of residence, Scrooge is taken on a journey through his prior years as a schoolboy. He is shown as lonely and unloved until his sister comes to pick him up. Here Dickens is showing us that family is important and can bring happiness; she addresses him as "dear, dear brother". When Scrooge is taken to his old work he is reminded of how wonderful Christmas used to be. He is given the night off with a, "Yo-ho" reminding him of how mean he was to his clerk when he told him it was a, "poor excuse for picking a man's pocket every 25th of December". This implies that we leave our mark on society; Fezziwig would leave a good one, Scrooge would not be so lucky. When Scrooge is transported to the scene of him and his fiancée together he is reminded of how he chose money over love something Dickens proves to be wrong "What idol has displaced you he rejoined a Golden one". The fiancée knows Scrooge is totally in love with money and frees him from the contract they have she departs with "May you be happy in the life you have chosen. This shows us as a reader that Scrooge is mean and still takes money over his life we feel sadness for the fiancée and more bitter towards Scrooge.

Next Scrooge sees the ghost of Christmas Present and a throne of wonderful food "to form a kind of throne, were turkeys, geese, game, poultry..." This shows Scrooge how wonderful Christmas can be and the amazing food that could be available to him. The people who were shovelling away on the house tops were jovial and full of glee....". Dickens shows us that if Christmas is kept in out hearts we can be warm and happy whatever the circumstance. We then read about Christmas at the Cratchits, an incredibly poor family where Bob, Scrooge's clerk, is the father of several children. We read about the extreme lack of money they have and how poor Tiny Tim is " supported by an iron frame". They have very little; "a small pudding for a large family" but they do not mind as they are with each other and that is what is important to them; the family, not the money spent. Scrooge asks about tiny Tim and finds out he is likely to die, however, the ghost quotes Scrooge saying " decrease the surplus population" exactly what Scrooge had said to two men collecting for the poor and needy. Scrooge begins to feel bad about what he has done and is ashamed of his prior beliefs he realizes money is not everything and you can be happy without it. Scrooge is whisked through three scenes of people celebrating Christmas joyfully even though there conditions are appalling. Scrooge then goes to his nephew's party; here he sees how others interpret him, an old miser. He feels sad then Fred makes a toast to him and this brings a tear to Scrooge's eyes. He is loved and knows family is important which is what we must recognise. The spirit then produces two children. One is want the other is ignorance, Dickens is trying to say we have major faults in our society that need to be corrected. People want so much, yet are ignorant about other peoples faiths or beliefs.

Scrooge now sees the last of the spirits, the 'Ghost of Christmas Future". We first travel through the streets to a building of business to see men discussing an unnamed mans death and how they wouldn't go to his funeral unless " a lunch is provided". Here Dickens is trying to say that if you live a lonely life then you will die lonely. Scrooge then travels through filthy back streets to a dingy hole where women are getting money for things they have 'accumulated'. One of the women has taken down bed curtains from the dead man's bed "you don't mean to say you took 'em down, rings and all, with him lying there? Yes I Do!". Dickens shows that if you die a lonely, unloved and hated person, in your death your shirt will be literally ripped off your back, like the washer women did to Scrooge. Scrooge and the spirit go to a graveyard where no mourners are present here Scrooge finds his neglected grave and realises it was his body they saw in the room and the people were talking about. Scrooge now realises all the wrong doings he has done, He sees he needs to change his ways. Dickens shows we need to be charitable and to change our ways if we are to keep the true meaning of Christmas alive.

Scrooge learns many valuable lessons, from which we can learn to, the spirits transform him from this hideous hook nosed demon to a Christmas loving human all in the course of one night. He learns the true meaning behind Christmas and things like family, charity and good will. He sees his ways are wrong, his obsession with money, much like most people who fight over who has the best this and the fastest that but don't see themselves as a Scrooge. He gives money to poor people and is happy with his life finally. This world acclaimed novel has been made into many films, as it is still highly relevant and can be learnt from still. His literary genius conveys, feelings emotions and other amazing literary devices authors recently seem to have lost touch with.

So as tiny Tim would have said

" God bless us every One"