A Christmas Carol: Writer's Methods & Techniques

• Form and Structure

  • A Christmas Carol is written the form of a novella
  • It is an allegorical tale of redemption with the message that everyone is capable of change and highlights the importance of charity and kindness in society
  • It follows the conventions of a typical ghost story which was traditionally designed to bring about a crisis in which a character is confronted by spirits from the dead
  • The narrative is divided into five ‘staves’ or chapters:
  • The use of ‘staves’ and the title help to link the theme of Christmas by reflecting the traditional form of a carol and that its message is meant to be listened to
  • Dickens may also have used it to indicate that the novella will be a joyful and uplifting affair
• • The narrative also reflects a classic five-act structure and each section has a clear and separate purpose
  • Dickens employs a cyclical structure within the novella to illustrate the transformation in Scrooge’s character:
  • Scrooge is first presented as a misanthropic businessman who is miserly, callous  and unsympathetic
  • By the end of the novella, Scrooge has been transformed into a charitable philanthropist : “I am not the man I was”
  • This is further evidenced when Scrooge instructs Bob to “make up the fires again” which contrasts with Bob’s nervousness to get more coals in Stave I
• Time

  • Dickens introduces the element of time through several  motifs
  • The novella does not follow a chronological structure:
  • Although it is set in Scrooge’s present, the visions are set in different periods of time: the past, the present and the future
  • Similarly, Dickens plays around with the concept of time which adds to the element of confusion that Scrooge experiences:
  • Scrooge is continually falling asleep and awakening at different periods which do not follow conventional periods of time:
  • Scrooge falls asleep in Stave 1 after 2 a.m. though he is awakened by the Ghost of Christmas Past at 1 a.m. that same night
• • Dickens further heightens this confusion by continually describing the tolling of a bell:
  • The bells indicate the passage of time, yet the three spirits all appear on the same night
  • Further, dramatic tension is also created through the use of time as Scrooge and the reader are repeatedly reminded that the spirits have a limited time to convey their message to Scrooge:
  • Ghost of Christmas Past: "My time grows short... Quick!"
  • Ghost of Christmas Present: "My life upon this globe, is very brief"
  • Scrooge to the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come: “The night is waning fast, and it is precious time to me, I know”:
  • Dickens’s continual references to time allude to Scrooge’s limited time in which to redeem himself
  • They may also be used to denote the endless state of purgatory which awaits Scrooge if he does not change
• Narrative

  • Dickens uses different types of narrative within A Christmas Carol: first-person narrative  and third-person narrative  
  • By using a first-person narrative at certain points, Dickens is able to create a strong, authorial voice to influence the reader and create an intimacy with them:
  • Dickens directly addresses the reader at different points
  • Most of the novella is written using a third-person point of view:
  •  Dickens is able to present the inner thoughts and feelings of Scrooge which makes the reader feel sympathy for him
• • The tone of the narrator is conversational and humorous which puts the reader at ease and creates an element of trust  
  • The narrator addresses the reader directly and also makes judgements about the characters in order to influence the reader’s opinions of them:
  • He describes Scrooge in very negative terms ("covetous old sinner") which makes the reader despise his character
  • Dickens uses a significant amount of dialogue in order to add an element of realism to the characters and settings:
  • This enables the reader to be fully immersed in the character's feelings and thoughts