Theme of materialism and wealth

• • Materialism is defined as the preference of material things and physical comfort over spiritual values'.
  • presented as wrong within the text.
  • explores the idea of wealth in greater depth and portrays it as having both positive and negative effects within novella.
  • Dickens ultimately shows the reader that wealth is not exclusively amoral as in some area of the novella it is presented in a positive light.
• Fezziwig:

  • uses money in a praiseworthy and exemplary way.
  • Dickens uses his character to act as an example to readers, presenting the idea that it is indeed possible to be both wealthy and moral.
  • • Scrooge recognises that Fezziwig uses his money to make people "happy"
  • He ensures that the working conditions in the warehouse instil a sense of "pleasure his employees.
  • Scrooge acknowledges that it is not the amount of money a person has which is important but the happiness that they can create because of it.
• • Dickens furthers this through the revelation that the other spirits in purgatory had a "misery within them"
  • because they wanted to "interfere, for good, in human matters" but had "lost the power forever. "
  • Here, Dickens highlights that material things and physical comfort are unimportant, challenging the concept of materialism.
  • Instead, he presents the idea that spiritual values, such as helping those around you, are more essential and beneficial from both a moral and religious standpoint.
• This viewpoint is reinforced in Stave Three:

  • when the Ghost of Christmas Present takes Scrooge to Fred's Christmas party.
  • Fred observes that Scrooge's materialistic pursuits of wealth are of "no use to him" as he doesn't "do any good with it (his money)".
  • Here Dickens outlines that as materialism doesn't benefit anyone, it is purposeless and should be abandoned, solidifying its portrayal as a worthless concept within the novella.
• final stave:

  • Scrooge also uses his money to benefit those around him. He makes a donation to the charity collector from Stave One and sends a turkey to Bob Cratchit's house f
  • alowing these altruistic actions, the narrator repeatedly the word "good" to describe his character.
  • This shows how Scrooge has been able to use his wealth to become a better person.
  • The Narrator reinforces this by revealing that his heart laughed" suggesting that he is content and happy.
  • This ultimately presents the hat wealth can be used to honour spiritual values in order to develop into a better perosn