themes and context

• Which characters are recommended to discuss in relation to the theme of redemption?


  Marley's ghost, the three Spirits, Fezziwig, the Cratchit family, Fred, Belle, and Schoolboy Scrooge
• What does Dickens highlight about the power of love and gratitude in "A Christmas Carol"?

  • More important than wealth
  • Relevant for all social classes
• Which characters represent the theme of family in "A Christmas Carol"?

  The Cratchit family, Fred, Belle, and Schoolboy Scrooge
• Which characters are associated with the theme of charity, generosity, and greed?

  Marley's ghost, Ignorance and Want, the Cratchit family, and Belle
• What does Dickens illustrate about wealth and poverty in "A Christmas Carol"?

  • Excessive wealth leads to poverty for others
  • Wealthier classes should treat the less fortunate with compassion
• What is Scrooge's role in "A Christmas Carol"?

  He is a caricature illustrating the moral message of redemption
• Redemption

  To illustrate Dickens’s main message, and demonstrate that society’s problems are redeemable and all readers have the power to change it for the better.
• How does the juxtaposition of Scrooge's isolation and hope symbolize his transformation?


  • Isolation at the beginning: 'solitary as an oyster'
  • Hope at the end: 'I am as light as a feather'
  • Emphasizes Scrooge’s redemption
• Family 


  To highlight how the power of loving each other and being grateful for what you have is more important than wealth for all social classes.
• Charity, Generosity and Greed

  To illustrate how excessive wealth for some people will result in poverty for others, and that this could be balanced if wealthier social classes treated the less fortunate with compassion.
• social injustice

  To highlight how imbalances of power in society could be altered if those with wealth paid careful attention to the suffering of the poor.
• Christmas Carol is set in Victorian England, a time when society was divided into different classes based on wealth and status. Dickens uses the characters in the novella to explore these class divisions and to comment on the harsh realities of life for those living in poverty.
• Scrooge is initially portrayed as a miserly old man who has no regard for anyone except himself. He is selfish, greedy and mean-spirited. However, through the course of the story, we see a gradual transformation in his personality. By the end of the novel, he has become a kinder, gentler and more generous person.
• christmas

  To emphasise Christian messages of generosity and goodwill to all people, and their significance at Christmas time and all year round.