Social responsibility

• 'This boy is Ignorance. This girl is Want. Beware of them both' -social inequality, social responsibility


  (3) the children symbolize the dangers of the poverty and neglect in Victorian society. - 'Want' representing poverty and suffering among the working class and 'Ignorance' representing lack of awareness which leads to further social problems. - forces scrooge to acknowledge the true cost of greed.

  • the use of human figures to represent abstract ideas makes them more powerful and disturbing - 'beware' sound like a warning urging immediate action
• 'Mankind was my business'- social responsibility, redemption


  (1) reflects Dicken's message that the rich must take care of the poor as Marley realizes to late that his duty was to help other not hoard his money - 'Mankind' is a broad term emphasizing that we are all responsible for each other - highlights dicken's criticism of victorian greed and lack of compassion