Top Set Analysis

• A Christmas Carol is a GCSE text, rarely studied beyond GCSE, A level, or degree level
• Ebenezer Scrooge is presented as an out-and-out villain at the beginning of the text
• Structurally, Dickens portrays Scrooge as overwhelmingly negative early on to emphasize his bad character
• Dickens uses overwhelming sentence structure and color imagery to create a negative impression of Scrooge
• Scrooge is given sarcastic and hilarious dialogue, making him somewhat likeable at the beginning
• The humor related to Scrooge ensures that readers are drawn to him, allowing for investment in his transformation
• Context: Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol at the end of the Industrial Revolution
• Dickens criticizes Malthusian economic theory through Scrooge's character and dialogue
• The text is a direct criticism of Malthusian economic theory and societal inequality
• Dickens highlights the darker effects of the Industrial Revolution, such as social and economic inequality
• The Cratchit family is portrayed as happy despite their poverty
• The Cratchits have a modest Christmas celebration with barely enough food
• Despite their poverty, the Cratchits are happy, grateful, and contented with each other
• Scrooge's transformation involves enriching the lives of others through giving and generosity
• The contrast between the Cratchits' happiness and Scrooge's wealth raises questions about the meaning of happiness and the role of money