Charles Dickens

• The character of Ebenezer Scrooge is presented as an out-and-out villain at the beginning of the text
• Dickens gives Scrooge some of the funniest and most sarcastic dialogue in the text
• Reason for giving Scrooge funny dialogue

  To make the reader like Scrooge and be invested in his transformation, otherwise the message of the text would be lost
• A Christmas Carol is a criticism of Malthusian economic theory, which believed that helping the poor would only encourage laziness
• The message of A Christmas Carol is not just for the rich to help the poor, but for everyone to learn the importance of social responsibility and generosity
• The Cratchit family is very poor


  But they are happy, grateful, and content despite their lack of material wealth