Stave 3

• • The Ghost of Christmas Present is often seen as the personification of Christmas spirit
  • “kind, generous, hearty nature”. Here, Dickens explores the values that are central to the idea of Christmas spirit, emphasising the moral and positive aspects in addition to religious themes.
•  " jolly Giant " , " green robe " , " holly wreath "

  • traditional ideas of Father Christmas .
  • furthers the idea that the Ghost is meant to represent the Christmas spirit .
  • Dickens develops this concept of Christmas by using a semantic field of generosity
  • These adjectives directly contrast the list Dickens uses in the opening stave where he describes Scrooge as a " squeezing , wrenching , grasping , scraping , clutching , covetous old sinner " .
  • highlights how generosity is a key part of Christmas spirit , implying that Scrooge needs to develop this trait in order to fully reform .
• • The Ghost of Christmas Present is used as a mouthpiece for Dickens ' views on social reform as this is a theme which is heavily explored during the stave
  • while its purpose with regards to the plot is to guide Scrooge towards his redemption , it transcends this role in order to present a social commentary to readers .
  • The Spirit is introduced as sitting on a " kind of throne " made of an excessive amount of food .
  • immediately acts as a challenge to the Malthusian view that there are not enough resources available to go around , instead highlighting that there is an abundance of supplies .
• • The Spirit is therefore presented as aware of social issues .
  • seen when Scrooge questions the Spirit about the fate of Tiny Tim , to which the Ghost replies by mocking Scrooge's words about the " surplus population " .
  • continues with a lengthy and somewhat vexed discourse about social injustice , challenging Scrooge on why he believed he had the authority to " decide what men shall live " and " what men shall die " .
  • could be argued that Dickens ' own frustration towards this attitude is revealed through the Spirit's speech
• • large families like the cratchits were prevalent in the nineteenth century ,so Dickens constructs the Cratchits to be a relatable presentation of the lower class
  • he idealises there family by focussing on the unity ,happiness and strength despite their financial struggles ; conveying poverty is not a barrier to happiness
• 'A small pudding for a large family but nobody said or thought it was at all a small pudding'
•  ​“knocked loudly…to be let out”​,

  • details to describe the potatoes
  • the Cratchits eagerness to celebrate Christmas is evident through this lively demeanour portraying them as a united family eagerly looking forward to spending time together
  • despite facing financial struggles ,the Cratchits find simple pleasure of life
  • emphasises their anticipation and excitement for the holiday, showcasing their resilience and ability to find happiness admist their adversity
• "brave in ribbons"

  • despite their meagre and difficult circumstances , Mrs Cratchit adores herself with ribbon , presenting a cheerful and festive image
  • she is making the best out of her situation by embracing the spirit of the holiday and finding small pleasures
  • "brave" implies courage and strength in the face of challenges
  • can be interpreted as a symbolic gesture of defiance against poverty and hardship
  • demonstrates resilience and determination to create a sense of normalcy and happiness for her family even in the face of adversity
• • Tiny Tim is a representation of the less fortunate, one who maintains a positive attitude and commitment to Christian ideals in spite of his dwindling health.
  • It’s made clear that Tiny Tim is suffering because of Scrooge’s greed, illustrating a clear link between the dismissive cruelty of the upper classes embodied by Scrooge and the pitiable state of the poor, as exemplified by Tiny Tim.
  • The two are blatant opposites; Tiny Tim appears to possess the grace and wisdom of a much older soul and finds a silver lining to his condition. Scrooge, in contrast, never thinks of anyone but himself.
• "God bless us ,everyone"

  • The religious focus of Tiny Tim’s statement presents him as an exemplary child who embodies the spirit of Christmas.
  • This is heightened by the phrase “every one” which highlights that he is compassionate and caring, both of these are traits which further the endearing nature of his character.
  • Dickens quotes this line for the final words of the novella, attributing a sense of importance to his character and leaving the reader with the image of Tiny Tim as a symbol of hope and the positive outcomes which can be achieved through both personal and social reform
• “‘My little, little child’ cried Bob. ‘My Little child!’”

  • Dickens uses epimone in order to further the frail and weak characterisation of Tiny Tim.
  • This causes the reader to sympathise more with the situation as they realise the tragic nature of the death of a child.
  • The reader understands the strong emotions Bob must be feeling, as he is at a loss for words and can describe Tim as nothing but “little”. The term connotes ideas of innocence and helplessness, furthering the injustice of the situation.
• Dickens was a strong advocate for the poor in London and so it could be argued that he intended to create a sympathetic embodiment of the suffering of children through the character of Tiny Tim.

  His character allows Dickens’ to engage with the reader’s emotions and so catalyse social change
• Tiny Tim’s role as a moral compass within the text. He acts as a Dickens’ mouthpiece of goodness, similar to how Jesus acted as God’s messenger to impart the importance of morality to humanity. This phrase also emphasises the Christmas message of tolerance and hope.
• "Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?"

  Ghost of Christmas Present mocking Scrooge's former attitudes, by repeating his words from stave 1, so that he can see that he needs to change.
• "Who made the lame beggars walk and blind men see."
• 'I am sorry for him; I couldn't be angry with him if I tried. '

  • "I couldn't be angry with him if I tried" implies that Fred harbors no resentment or bitterness towards Scrooge, despite the way he has been treated.
  • Instead of responding with anger or frustration, Fred chooses to respond with understanding and forgiveness, further emphasizing his compassionate nature.
• 'I am sorry for him; I couldn't be angry with him if I tried. '

  • "I am sorry for him" indicates Fred's empathy towards his uncle.
  • Despite Scrooge's unkindness and refusal to embrace the spirit of Christmas, Fred recognizes that there is a deeper sadness or loneliness underlying his uncle's actions.
  • suggests that Fred sees beyond Scrooge's outward demeanor to the pain or suffering that he may be experiencing internally
• "His wealth is of no use to him. He doesn't do any good with it."

  • defined by his miserliness and lack of generosity, it reflects the perception of Scrooge within the community as someone who hoards his wealth and refuses to use it for the betterment of others or for any meaningful purpose.
  • highlights Scrooge's selfishness and indifference towards the well-being of others.
  • Despite his considerable wealth, Scrooge is portrayed as someone who fails to recognize the value of generosity and charity. Instead of using his resources to help those in need or to contribute positively to society
• "wrenched , abject ,frightful, hideous ,miserable"

  • uses asyndetic listing
  • uses vague adjectives - the reader is aware that they're "hideous" but does not know exactly how they look like ; the reader is left to imagine what these "frightful children look like -heightening the fear they bring
  • the children's allegorical purpose is emphasised through they're supernatural features
• "wrenched , abject ,frightful, hideous ,miserable"

  • heightens the dramatic impact by introducing the children after the happy Christmas celebrations, their appearance is more abrupt and disturbing which adds to the tension they bring
  • a way of snapping back to reality ;although the children may come through a supernatural medium, they are grounded in reality making them more terrifying
• Ignorant and Want

  • Ignorant and want are literal manifestation of the disease of poverty
  • they represent two factors which contribute towards the issue
  • Ignorance that the upper class have towards the flight of the poor ;
  • The want and greed they posses
  • Scrooge was a victim of ignorance as he willingly ignored the plight of the working class ,and also a victim of want as he somewhat idolized it
  • philanthropy was becoming more popular, and so its significant Dickens picked these two factors up as he may be pushing towards a more philanthropic society