A Christmas Carol
Topic:
Charles Dickens famous Novella A Christmas Carol, although occurring at a different time period than today, still holds values and lessons that are important in society today. The main character, Ebeneezer Scrooge, starts off having no feelings for others or any Christmas spirit, but changes from his gloomy, dark appearance to a carefree, child-like persona at the end. Dickens shows in A Christmas Carol that personal greed will get you nowhere while kindness and generosity lead to personal happiness.
One of Dickens social concerns was the lack of sympathy or feelings that people have toward other people. In the story, Scrooge had no feelings toward his family or friends and held a strictly professional relationship with them, creating an aggressive link between them. For example, Bob Cratchit's wife does not like the idea have toasting to Scrooge because of the way he treats his long time employee. Also, Scrooge is looked down upon by the charity collectors because he states that they should die to accommodate the others who need it. Secondly, society has a negative view on Scrooge because of his attitudes and shows no feelings or compassion for Scrooge in the future. For example, the thieves are able to steal Scrooge's possessions because nobody cares about Scrooge or his things. Also, the businessmen that Scrooge does business with regularly show no feelings about his death and go to his funeral simply for food. Dickens shows a way to resolve the problem by simply treating others how you want them to treat you. At the end Scrooge's attitude changes and changes for the better.
Another social concern is the priority of family over money and personal gains. Scrooge, as a young child did not have the opportunity to spend Christmas with his family as he had to spend it at the Boarding school his parents had sent him to. The school is not quite as deserted, said the ghost A solitary child neglected by his friends, is left there still. Scrooge being neglected by his family and friends may have been the reason he chose money over everything that really matter. For example, Scrooge gives up a chance at having a loving family when he chooses money over his girlfriend Belle, who turns out to have a happy family with another loving husband. Money proves to be the golden idol that is worshipped by the people in the Christmas Carol, but also proves to destroy lives. An example of this is Marley, Scrooges business partner who puts his life to waste by putting money as his first priority over everything else that really matters. This action caused Marley to suffer in the afterlife which he could of easily avoided by helping and caring for others. Dickens shows ways to solve the problems in society on the 1840s. He does this by showing that treating others how you would want to be treated can make a big difference in society. At the end of the novel, scrooge changes his attitude towards the society.
The novella A Christmas Carol shows themes that society should learn to live by in everyday life. Scrooge learns these lessons by the three spirits that take him on a journey of his past life and also of the future. This lets Scrooge change his life and gives him an opportunity to redeem his sins and Scrooge experiences a rebirth in stave five.
Dickens shows two main themes in the novella, social reform and redemption. Although redemption is scrooges main hurdle, social reform is also expressed by dickens, this novel changed the way the privileged people in society acted towards those who were less privileged. Redemption is a very strong theme in A Christmas Carol. It shows that everybody can have a second chance if they are willing to turn their life around for the better but you must be willing and accept that the life you are living now will have consequences in the future.
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