Charles DickensFeb 7, 1812 – June 9, 1870

Christmas CarolFirst published on Dec 19, 1843 Published during a time when Britain's were

experiencing a nostalgic interest in forgotten Christmas traditions and when new customs are becoming popularChristmas TreesGreeting cards

Never been out of print

Why was Dickens motivated to write?Dickens felt a strong need to comment on the

enormous gap of the rich and poor in Victorian BritainEconomic situation in 19th Century England

More than 25% of the population was living at or below subsistence level.

10% were very poor and could not afford even basic necessities such as enough nourishing food.

Between 15%-20% had just enough money to live on (provided they did not lose their job or take time off from illness)

The book focuses highly on the dichotomy (contrast) of the rich and the poorCharacters with wealth and characters begging on the

streets are both portrayed

Motivation Continued

Dickens was inspired to write a Christmas story highlighting the plight of the poor as an appeal for charity from those better-off . Such charity was desperately needed during the severe economic depression of the 1840s.

Having suffered considerable hardship and poverty during his upbringing, the passionate feelings evoked in Dickens' writings by social inequalities were based on bitter experience.

Gender IssuesMajority of the characters in A Christmas

Carol are male Any female characters that appear in the story

are minor characters at best. Each of the female characters is rather stereotypical and one-dimensional.

Example-Housewife, “delicate creature,” “exceedingly pretty” with “the sunniest pair of eyes you ever saw.”

PlotSet in England in the 1800sBegins on Christmas Eve after the death of

Scrooge’s business partner, Jacob MarleyMarley appears as a tormented soul in chains

and warns Scrooge about his present lifestyle. Scrooge is visited by 3 ghosts who

accompany him to various scenes with the hope of achieving his transformation

OrganizationBroken up into five “staves”

Staves can refer to either a musical staff, verse, or stanzas

This adds additional meaning to the title, A Christmas Carol, as a carol is a festive, often religious song

Forthright structureFirst stave is the exposition of the novel, setting the

stageThe next three staves correspond with the three

spirits that visit ScroogeThe final stave is the conclusion or resolution

Ebenezer ScroogeGreedy & stingy businessman; selfish,

miserable, merciless

Does money buy happiness?

Ghost of Christmas PastTakes Scrooge to scenes of his boyhood and

youth.Stirs is gentle and tender side by reminding

him of an innocent time

Ghost of Christmas PresentTries to show Scrooge a sense of

responsibility for his fellow manSpirit takes him around town Christmas day

to Bob Crachit’s home and his nephew’s home.

Ghost of Christmas Yet to ComeTakes Scrooge to his future if he doesn’t

learn to act upon what he has witnessed.Takes him to back alleys of London, revisits

the Crachit’s home, and then takes him to the churchyard cemetery, where he shows Scrooge his grave

ThemeActions and ConsequencesThe Power of OneRebirth

Point of View Majority of the novel is told in third person limited

with Ebenezer Scrooge as the character through whose eyes the reader views eventsWe follow Scrooge the entire time, listen to his

thoughts, and see what he seesThere is also an amount of first person narrative to

the storyThe reader is aware that the story is being told by a

narrator, for her randomly interjects or jokes throughout the story.

Narrator is never explicitly revealed, although we can assume it is Dickens himself