Context

• Charles Dickens 


  Grew up in poverty and worked in a blacking factory

  Novella was written in response to the report of childrens employment commission which covered the dehumanising and exploitative conditions children were subject to in the Victorian era

  therefore the struggles of the crotchets were presented in a compassionate way

  tiny Tim’s death links to the exploitation of children during the era
• Religion 


  Foundation of morality in Victorian era - 7 deadly sins (greed, wrath and pride) to be avoided. Christians believe that God provides individuals with redemption (save from sin) when sin has been confessed.

  Scrooge embodies this
• Industrial revolution 


  Change from farming to factories marked as the progressive era

  Dickens scathing of Britaim being the pinnacle of excellence and progression when it neglects and exploits the lower classes

  Uses Scrooge to critique how progressive society is
• 1834 poor law


  Introduced the workhouse which were hubs of squalor exploiting the poor and 10 percent people admitted to them would die.

  Dickens shows ignorance of those who enforced laws like this one through Scrooge stage 1

  Cratchits and children of ignorance and want provide a small insight to how the poor were exploited and dehumanised into laws like this
• Thomas Malthus 


  British economomist believed poverty was inevitable

  Dickens uses scrooge to Emory Malthusian views

  ridiculed by ghost of Christmas present in stave 3 “decrease surplus Population“