Reform In A Christmas Carol

1376 Words6 Pages
It has been suggested that, in writing A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens was being a social reformer as well as being a novelist, Explain how Dickens tried to reform Victorian society through writing and publishing this novel In the story of A Christmas Carol Dickens describes Ebenezer Scrooge as living in London, a rich lonely and very mean man. His partner Marley had been dead for seven years. Dickens describes how Scrooge hated Christmas was unkind and refused to celebrate Christmas; he would not give to charity and would not join in with the Christmas spirit. London was a very dreary place with smog and a lot of poor people; it was Christmas eve and very cold with people trying to keep warm. Only rich children went to school, poor…show more content…
It was Christmas Eve. Hearing his clerk wish his nephew a merry Christmas Scrooge said “my clerk, with fifteen shillings a week, and a wife and family, talking about a merry Christmas”. Dickens is trying to express how Scrooge could not see what all the fuss was about; his clerk was paid very badly and even though he did not have much was willing to spend money on one day. Also how Cratchit was looking forward to spending time with his family. Dickens also writes how Scrooge treated his Nephew Fred, badly, his nephew and only living relative is a very cheerful man who loves Christmas. He wishes his Uncle a Merry Christmas Scrooge replies ‘bah humbug’. "Why did you get married?" said Scrooge. "Because I fell in love." "Because you fell in love!" Scrooge thought Christmas was a waste of money and family was just another unneeded expense. He could not believe that love was worth the expense that having a wife and family would cost. Dickens describes Scrooge’s attitude to the poor when later in the evening two gentlemen call round collecting for the poor and destitute. When asked to make a donation Scrooge replied “Are there no prisons?" he cannot see why he should help the poor if there are prisons and work houses, he does not spend a lot of money on himself with luxury food, fine decoration or good heating in his house so why should he give to the
Open Document