How Does Dickens Use the Character of Scrooge to Send a Message of Hope

and Redemption at Christmas?

The book A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens was written in the nineteenth century
(Victorian England) and published by Chapman and Hall in London. The story was
meant to spread Christmas spirit in England, divided entirely by the different classes
during the time. Ebenezer Scrooge is arguably one of the most well-known protagonists
of Christmas novellas and is so for certain reasons, mainly being how the considerable
change he undertakes throughout the book affect his character and showcase a
message of redemption and positivism. Dickens wanted to show the reader the
consequences of being like Scrooge (at the start of the book). This statement proves the
story is didactic.
Through Stave One of the story the reader is given a profusion of description of
Scrooges personality, appearance and attitudes. I will now elaborate each individual
point.
When Dickens calls Scrooge as hard and sharp as a flint he clarifies onwards that this
is a flint that has never struck a generous fire which make us understand that Scrooge is
simply always bitter. We associate fires with warmth and warmth with happiness so
therefore we can determine that when Scrooge has never created happiness (as flint
and steel do) so is very bitter to others and his surroundings.
Dickens states that the cold within him (Scrooge) froze his old features. What he is
implying is that Scrooge, his unfriendliness, cruelty and pitilessness were so strong as to
showcase them on his own features and would not be likely to prove a positive first
impression.
Nipped his (Scrooges) pointed nose, stiffened his gait, made his eyes red, his thin lips
blue
In this above example we see my most recently mentioned point being further used.
Along with this, I will mention that the nipping your nose, stiffening your gait, making your
eyes red and lips blue are all effects of being out in the cold.
Furthermore, Dickens states that Scrooge is solitary as an oyster; a clever simile as this
foreshadows the development of Scrooges character. Imagining an oyster, you will see
a dirty brown shell, rough and bumpy with a seemingly dissatisfying and worthless
appearance. However, if we were to open the shell, we would have the chance of finding
a beautiful pearl, which compensates for the outside shell. Putting this into the terms of
Scrooge, as much as Dickens tries to show us the detestable man Scrooge is on the
outside, he lets slip that there is a chance of finding someone beautiful and kind within
him.
Pathetic fallacy is much used throughout the book with a particular example in Stave
One when it was a cold, bleak, biting weather: foggy withal. This is a particularly
unpleasant description of weather and compliments Scrooges mood and personality.
Finally, I will focus on Scrooges attitude towards Christmas. When Scrooges nephew,
Fred, offers for Scrooge to come for his Christmas dinner, Scrooge refuses with a
various form of insults. For example, I quote, every idiot who goes about with Merry
Christmas on his lips, should be boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of

holly through his heart. This shows us Scrooges obvious dislike for Christmas. It also
gives us the idea that the ideal punishment Scrooge would like to take for their merriness
is something that ties in with the traditional Christmas customs. Also Scrooge asks Fred
what right have you to be merry? What reason have you to be merry? Youre poor
enough. Through this we see how important money is to Scrooge and how much of his
life it takes up because through this statement we say that money means happiness to
Scrooge and expects all to share his view.
During this time he has an incredibly popular phrase Bah! Humbug. This is repeated
continuously.
Throughout the book changes occur to alter his character and by Stave Five, Scrooge is
a jolly and warm-hearted man.
Pathetic fallacy is used once more with Scrooge the complete opposite of his previous
self; the weather mimics is feelings. Clear, bright, jovial, stirring, cold; cold, piping for the
blood to dance to; Golden sunlight; Heavenly sky; sweet fresh air; Like the previous
descriptions of weather were cold, miserable and negative, they are now warm, jovial
and positive. Bah! Humbug is replaced with Hallo! Whoop!.
There are three acts of kindness and philanthropy Scrooge does to recompense his
previous acts are to buy a turkey for the poor Cratchit family (His secretarys family),
accept his nephews dinner invitation with zeal and enthusiasm and donate to the charity
workers, with back-payments, who he had previously refused. He remedies his last three
acts of true ungratefulness and changes the way he was to become a better man.
In conclusion, I feel that this story would have appealed greatly to the English society as
not only would the rich gain hope and happiness during Christmas with their fine foods
and grand feasts, but also, the poor could have the Cratchit family as their role model to
have fun despite everything during Christmas time. Scrooge affects the societies who
find that they can find even the smallest comparison to Scrooge and that your actions
will affect you. If you are unkind then that is all you can expect from others. On the other
hand, it is never to late to change this. We can see by Scrooges further actions after the
visits of the ghosts.
This is how Charles Dickens character Scrooge sends a strong message of hope and
redemption during Christmas.