Isolation

• In "A Christmas Carol," Scrooge is portrayed as an outsider in society and is a victim of his self-inflicted loneliness
• Scrooge ostracized himself from society, leading to his isolation
• The narrator describes Scrooge as "secret and self-contained and solitary as an oyster" at the beginning of the novel
• The sibilance used in the description of Scrooge suggests something sinister, akin to a snake, with a Biblical allusion to the snake in the Garden of Eden
• Scrooge's isolation is also evident through the lack of social interactions in the novel, where people no longer greet him
• Fred, Scrooge's nephew, persists in trying to include Scrooge in social activities, eventually leading to Scrooge's change and participation in a dinner party
• Dickens illustrates that it is never too late to come back from isolation and promotes inclusion and equality in society
• In Stave 2 of "A Christmas Carol," Dickens shows how Scrooge's isolation is influenced by his past experiences, such as being neglected as a child
• Scrooge's isolation is also caused by his greed, as shown through his prioritization of money over relationships
• Dickens uses Scrooge's story to demonstrate how choosing greed can lead to isolation
• Dickens also critiques capitalism through Scrooge's character, showing how capitalist ideologies can lead to isolation and a lack of empathy towards others