Morality

• What type of novel is 'A Christmas Carol'?

  Didactic novel
• What platform does Dickens use in 'A Christmas Carol'?

  To voice his socialist ideas and show the immorality in Victorian society
• What was Dickens' view on the laws created about the poor?

  He was incredibly critical and had lost hope in democracy
• What was the Poor Law of 1834?

  A law that created union workhouses which were cruel and unforgiving
• How does Dickens view the union workhouses established by the Poor Law 1834?

  He believed they were completely unethical
• How were morality and philanthropy viewed in the Victorian era?

  They were linked, and many believed it was a moral duty to contribute to charity
• What contrasting belief about charity is mentioned in the study material?

  Some believed that charity actually made poverty worse
• What does Dickens illustrate through Scrooge's change regarding philanthropy?

  Philanthropy does not have to be grand displays of wealth; it's about a change in behavior
• What does Scrooge say to Bob Cratchit in Stave 5?


  “I am about to raise your salary”
• How is Scrooge's attitude described after his transformation?

  He is filled with the Christmas Spirit and becomes a “good friend, as good a master, and as good a man”
• What does Dickens show through Scrooge's transformation?

  The steps to being a morally good person
• What dual nature did many pieces of literature in the Victorian era have?

  To entertain and to inform readers or act as a tool for social conformity
• How were moral ideologies in the Victorian era influenced?

  Heavily influenced by the Bible and Christian doctrines
• How is Scrooge described in the novel?

  As a “covetous old sinner”
• What does Exodus 20:17 mention regarding covetousness?

  It is one of the ten commandments
• What belief did Dickens hold regarding Christianity and salvation?

  He believed change was possible through a person's own self-awareness
• What criticism does Dickens express about outward appearances in religion?

  He believed that being a good person was more about doing good deeds than attending church
• What does the Ghost of Christmas Present say about those who claim to know God?

  They may act in ways contradictory to their claims
• How does the listing of sins by the Ghost affect the reader?


  It creates an overwhelming effect on the reader
• What does Marley’s Ghost represent in the novel?

  The eternal consequences of living an immoral life
• Where is Marley’s Ghost trapped?

  In purgatory
• What does Marley’s Ghost explain about spirits who do not act morally in life?

  They are condemned to wander the earth after death
• How does Dickens use Marley’s Ghost as a deterrent?

  It confirms beliefs or fears about eternal damnation for immoral living
• What does the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come show Scrooge?

  The effects of his death, where people feel relief instead of mourning
• What cycle of immorality does Dickens illustrate through the three thieves?

  They profit off of Scrooge’s effects, mimicking his wicked behavior
• What does Mrs. Dilber argue about Scrooge's behavior?

  That every person has a right to take care of themselves because Scrooge always did
• What does the phrase “He always did” emphasize in Mrs. Dilber's argument?

  It depicts Scrooge as the focus and shows that all that is happening to him after death is on him
• What message does Dickens convey about the consequences of bad behavior?

  Immorality leads to further immorality, and it is everyone's duty to live a moral life
• What are the moral messages conveyed in 'A Christmas Carol'?

  • Importance of morality in daily life
  • Philanthropy linked to morality
  • Change in behavior is essential for being charitable
  • Consequences of living immorally
• How does Dickens critique Victorian society's view on morality and religion?

  • Criticism of outward appearances in religion
  • Belief that true morality comes from good deeds, not just church attendance
  • Influence of Christian doctrines on moral ideologies
• What are the consequences of living an immoral life as depicted in 'A Christmas Carol'?

  • Eternal damnation as shown by Marley’s Ghost
  • The impact of one's actions on others, as seen through the three thieves
  • The relief felt by others at Scrooge's death