Discussion Topic
Charles Dickens' manipulation of time in "A Christmas Carol."
Summary:
In "A Christmas Carol," Charles Dickens manipulates time by using the visits of the three spirits to condense years of Scrooge's past, present, and future into a single night. This technique highlights the urgency of Scrooge's transformation and allows readers to witness the full impact of his life's choices and the potential for redemption within a limited timeframe.
How does Dickens use time in A Christmas Carol, specifically in relation to the ghosts visiting Scrooge in one night instead of three?
There are a few reasons that Dickens has the ghosts all visit Scrooge in the same night. The main reason is a practical one. For practical purposes, the story has to begin on Christmas Eve and end on Christmas Day. Otherwise, Scrooge would have to wait an entire year to show he has changed.
The second reason that the ghosts all visit in one night is that Scrooge is unsure if it is a dream or not. This possible dream scenario was important to Dickens. He wanted people who did not accept the ghost story option to fall for the story, and he wanted there to be some question whether it was a dream and Scrooge redeemed himself, or if there was actual supernatural intervention.
Finally, to your premise. Dickens does want to point out that the past affects the present and future. Scrooge comments that the spirits can do...
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anything they want:
“It's Christmas Day!” said Scrooge to himself. “I haven't missed it. The Spirits have done it all in one night. They can do anything they like. Of course they can. Of course they can.” (enotes etext p. 53)
He is thrilled when he learns that it is Christmas Day, and he has a chance to make right all of his previous wrongs. It is very important to Scrooge that there is a future.
Spirit!” he cried, tight clutching at its robe, “hear me! I am not the man I was. I will not be the man I must have been but for this intercourse. Why show me this if I am past all hope?” (p. 50)
It is important to Scrooge that he was shown the future because he has a chance to change it.
How does Charles Dickens manipulate time in "A Christmas Carol"?
Dickens manipulates time in several ways in A Christmas Carol. When the Ghost of Christmas Past visits Ebenezer, rather than talk about past events in memory only, the ghost is able to visit the events in real-time, as if they were happening at the present moment.
When the Ghost of Christmas Present visits, there are still a few flashbacks, this time to the not-so-distant past. Ebenezer is able to see things (again in real time) that happened earlier that evening.
Finally, when the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come visits, Scrooge and the ghost flash-forward (as opposed to flashing back) and visit scenes that are yet to come with the same real-time vividness. Dickens manipulates time in this way so that Scrooge sees these scenes as they happened, as opposed to seeing them through the filter of his own memory. He is a third person, as opposed to a 1st person, in witnessing the events.