Fred

• "A merry Christmas, uncle! God save you!"

  • Exclamation: Opens the novella with energy and cheer — Fred is enthusiastic and warm-hearted
  • Juxtaposition with Scrooge: His joy clashes immediately with Scrooge’s “Bah! Humbug!” — Dickens sets up a clear moral contrast
  • Religious tone “God save you!”: Reflects Fred’s goodwill and sincerity — he wants Scrooge to be spiritually saved, not just cheered up
  • Effect: Fred’s language is emotionally generous and kind, establishing him as a symbol of true Christmas spirit
• “His face was ruddy and handsome; his eyes sparkled.”

  • Adjectives “ruddy” and “handsome”: Suggest warmth, health, and vitality — Fred is the physical opposite of Scrooge’s coldness and thinness
  • Verb “sparkled”: Implies joy and life — Dickens gives Fred a glowing, cheerful aura
  • Positive physical imagery: Reflects his inner goodness. Dickens often uses appearance to mirror moral character
  • Effect: Fred is not just kind in words but visibly radiant — Dickens uses vibrant imagery to show his warmth and life
• “He said that Christmas was a humbug, as I live! He believed it too!”

  • Exclamations: Show Fred’s shock and disbelief at Scrooge’s coldness — his tone is animated and passionate
  • Repetition of disbelief “He said... He believed”: Emphasises how wrong and ridiculous Scrooge’s attitude seems to Fred
  • Conversational tone: Dickens uses Fred’s dialogue to keep the mood light and humorous — even when criticising, Fred isn’t cruel
  • Effect: Fred’s speech is full of energy and warmth — Dickens makes him likeable and sincere, a joyful foil to Scrooge
• “Let him in! It is a mercy he didn’t shake his arm off.”

  • Hyperbole: “Shake his arm off” — exaggerates Fred’s excitement when Scrooge comes to dinner, showing total forgiveness and joy
  • Exclamation and informal language: Reflects Fred’s natural cheerfulness and spontaneous affection
  • Noun “mercy”: Suggests kindness and relief — Fred is genuinely overjoyed, not bitter
  • Effect: Dickens uses Fred to show that love and forgiveness are at the heart of Christmas — Fred welcomes Scrooge without hesitation