illustration of Ebenezer Scrooge in silhouette walking toward a Christmas tree and followed by the three ghosts

A Christmas Carol

by Charles Dickens

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Christian Themes

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“A Christmas Carol” is deeply rooted in the important nineteenth-century question of how Christian morality would survive in the face of an increasingly utilitarian and capitalistic world brought on by the Industrial Revolution. The financial success that Scrooge enjoyed is precisely the goal of capitalism, but a fixation on the accumulation of wealth seduced Scrooge into seeing every aspect of life in such terms. Not only Christmas, but his fiancé, his dying friend and business partner, his reputation, his office staff, and his only living family member are all weighed against their financial cost and found unworthy. The costs of such selfishness and bitterness are not borne by Scrooge alone, however. Dickens’s portrayal of the social costs—prisons, workhouses, increased mortality, the creation of ghettos and slums, the miserable state of both wealthy and poor alike—clearly makes a case for morality and social justice on a larger scale.

On the other hand, the solution to social injustice in “A Christmas Carol” is not a social movement but individual redemption. The world becomes a better place almost immediately following Scrooge’s conversion. In fact, the story implies that a renewed connection to humanity is, in fact, the very essence of redemption. Though the Christmas setting invites a traditional Christian interpretation of Scrooge’s redemption, his change is rooted not in a commitment to deeper spirituality or orthodoxy but in an authentic connection to and investment in the lives of other human beings. This “conversion” is not introspective and personal; it is outward-looking and social. While the results seem to change nothing about the social structure itself, the compassion shown by individual people changes the social relationships they share.

Historical Context

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Victorian Christmas

During Dickens' era, Christmas was not as significant as it is today. The tradition of celebrating Christmas began in the fourth century, incorporating symbols like holly and wreaths from pagan holidays such as the Roman Saturnalia and the Saxon Yule. The date, December 25th, was adopted from these pagan customs, marking the Winter Solstice, the year's shortest day.

Over the centuries, Christmas gradually gained importance, but its celebration was often viewed with suspicion due to its pagan roots and because it turned a solemn Christian event, the birth of Jesus, into a festive occasion. During the sixteenth-century Protestant Reformation, which aimed to steer the church away from materialism, Christmas celebrations were briefly banned. However, the holiday's symbolic and festive elements soon resurfaced as people continued to practice the traditions they had learned.

Under Queen Victoria's reign in England, Christmas traditions became more popular. This rise in popularity was partly due to the monarchy's support; Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's husband, introduced the German custom of decorating Christmas trees to England. Additionally, the Industrial Revolution caused a population shift from rural areas to urban centers, where new manufacturing techniques required a workforce. This growing urban population found solace in Christmas traditions. As cities became increasingly crowded and polluted, citizens eagerly anticipated celebrations, particularly Christmas.

Urban Life

In the mid-nineteenth century, London was overcrowded and filthy, a reality that Dickens himself highlighted extensively. Industries were unregulated, leading to widespread pollution and worker exploitation. Laborers, including many children, worked fourteen-hour days to help their families make ends meet. If a family couldn't pay their bills, they might end up in Debtor's Prison, as Dickens' family did when he was twelve.

Dickens vividly depicted the grim, dirty conditions of London. However, some historians believe that the actual conditions of Victorian London might not have been as dire as described. Given that Queen Victoria's reign was a period of heightened social awareness in England, there may be some exaggeration in the accounts of extreme poverty.

Compare and Contrast

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  • 1843: Henry Cole, a director at a London museum, sends out the world's first Christmas cards.

    Today: Each year, millions of Christmas cards are distributed by families and businesses, though many are now opting for animated e-cards instead of traditional paper ones.

  • 1843: The rundown area known as "Porridge Island" in London, filled with cheap food shops and squalid courts, is cleared to make way for Trafalgar Square, commemorating Lord Nelson's victory at the Battle of Trafalgar.

    Today: Trafalgar Square is a major tourist destination in London, but it is also notorious for its large pigeon population.

  • 1843: Samuel B. Morse starts building a telegraph line between Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, funded by Congress.

    Today: Telephone communication is instantaneous, and millions of miles of wires are being replaced with fiber-optic cables to enable faster Internet speeds.

  • 1843: Documents are copied by hand, and the first typewriter prototype is invented, though it is not very practical.

    Today: Computers can convert printed or spoken words into typed documents accurately and offer numerous formatting options before printing.

  • 1843: A new child labor law in Britain bans the employment of children under ten in coal mines, while in Massachusetts, a law restricts children under twelve to working no more than ten hours a day.

    Today: Developed nations urge third-world countries to enforce child labor laws, yet continue to benefit from their low production costs.

  • 1843: Cologne authorities shut down a newspaper published by socialist Karl Marx, which criticizes the exploitation of the working class. The next year, Marx meets Friedrich Engels, and together they write The Communist Manifesto in 1847.

    Today: Many Marxist governments from the twentieth century, inspired by the ideas of Marx and Engels, have softened their stances and adopted some capitalist practices.

Social Sensitivity

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Like many of his works, A Christmas Carol showcases Dickens's outrage at the plight of the poor during Victorian England. His satirical depiction of the miserly Scrooge embodies his disdain for utilitarian thinkers like Jeremy Bentham, who believed that business was the most crucial institution in modern society and that all aspects of life should serve commerce. Instead of promoting a particular political solution for social reform, Dickens uses Scrooge's transformation and his newfound generosity toward the Cratchit family to demonstrate how individuals can help alleviate the suffering of the poor.

Just as he avoids endorsing a specific political ideology, Dickens also refrains from promoting particular religious beliefs. A Christmas Carol includes some Christian symbolism associated with the Christmas holiday, but its themes are fundamentally secular. Scrooge's change of heart is driven by humanitarian, not religious, motives.

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Style, Form, and Literary Elements

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Connections and Further Reading