Context

• Charles Dickens, who was born in Portsmouth on 7 February 1812 and died on 8 June 1870, is credited with being one of the greatest writers from the Victorian era
• Dickens wrote 'A Christmas Carol' in 1843, 6 years into his career as a novelist
• Dickens began his literary career as a journalist, then moved on to become a parliamentary journalist in 1833
• As part of his job Dickens was required to report factual events and so some have argued that the experiences he had during this time may have made him more socially aware-giving him the inspiration he needed to include numerous areas of social commentary within his work, such as his exploration of poverty within society through 'A Christmas Carol
• The novella can also be read as a piece of literature which is based on the experiences in Dickens' life as it is widely accepted that Dickens was socially conscious and sympathetic towards the lower-class, ideas which are synonymous with the conclusions drawn on in the novella
• Dickens was born into a middle-class family

  He had the good fortune of being sent to school
• Dickens' father came into some financial difficulties and was put in debtors' prison
• Dickens' father, John Dickens, was a clerk just like Bob Cratchit
• The Cratchit house is based on Dickens' own home growing up, which may perhaps explain why the narration is sympathetic towards the Cratchit family and idealises them to such an extent
• At twelve years old Dickens was split up from his family and was sent to Warren's Blacking Factory to live and work by himself
• Dickens endured the appalling working conditions that many of the poor faced in the Victorian times
• After three years at the factory, Dickens' father inherited some money and so Dickens was able to return to education
• Dickens' negative childhood experiences are mirrored through his character Scrooge
• Through the Ghost of 'Christmas Past' the reader is able to witness Scrooge's own childhood
• Scrooge is described to be "a lonely boy" who "read near a feeble fire" which portrays him as vulnerable to the reader and causes them to be empathetic to him
• The purpose of this was to show the reader how his childhood experience shaped him
• While education might have been a dark time for Scrooge it also enabled him to have a successful career, something that the working class could not get the opportunity to
• Journalism

  Dickens wrote 'A Christmas Carol not only because he was a victim to the troubles of poverty but also because as a journalist he had to inform people about what was going on in London
• Dickens had a sister named Fanny which also happens to be the name of Scrooge's sister
• In the novel Fanny is a symbol of goodness
• Dickens' sister Fanny had a son (Dickens' nephew) who was crippled similar to Tiny Tim
• In the novel Tiny Tim is used as a tool for Scrooge to discover empathy
• At the idea of Tiny Tim's death Scrooge felt an "interest he had never felt before" which is significant as this is one of the few times we see the vulnerability of Scrooge, signposting his character development
• Dickens' value of education is a clear recurring theme throughout the novel, illustrated through his linking of "Ignorance" and "doom"
• The reason 'A Christmas Carol' brings to light the dark side of the workhouses is because Dickens lived very close to them and so would have been familiar with the stories of people inside
• Though the two charity workers at the beginning of the novel explains that "many would rather die" than attend the workhouses, this is not hyperbole as it was the very scary truth for many
• The Industrial Revolution took place between the 18-19 century and was an event which characterised the Victorian era
• A large percentage of the rural population migrated from the countryside to the city to work in industry (e.g. factories) rather than agriculture
• Instead of farming being the biggest mode of production in the UK machines were worked which meant faster production of goods which meant higher profits
• The industrial revolution also impacted the textile industry as textile production moved from the home to large factories and became more commercial
• The need for energy to fuel the factories created a greater need for coal mining as coal was used to power the machines used in these industrial processes
• Dickens wrote 'A Christmas Carol in what was widely acknowledged as the end of the Industrial Revolution
• The mechanisation of industry meant less demand for workers as machines were able to do their jobs
• While this meant that Britain was going through an economic boom, it had a detrimental impact on the working class as it meant that they were no longer needed
• The end of the revolution exacerbated (meaning exaggerated) the inequalities within society
• This is because it became increasingly difficult for the working class to earn enough to support themselves and their families
• The Industrial Revolution caused overpopulation as people had to move away from the countryside and into the cities as this is where the industry and jobs were concentrated
• The cramped housing that the industrial revolution brought about is exemplified by the Cratchit household
• The close quarters increased the spread of disease as people had to live very close together which meant that diseases would have spread rapidly
• The Industrial Revolution also meant that many workers were needed to run the factories and the cheapest way to do so was through child labour