How does Dickens present the importance/joy of Christmas?
Within Dickens’ festive, allegorical novella, Christmas is presented as the
driving force behind an altruistic and benevolent society. Dickens may be doing
this to draw his audience back to the moral foundations of religion and
festivity, in order to facilitate a sense of collectivism.
Firstly, Christmas is presented as being tainted by Malthusian views. This is
evident when Scrooge questions “what reason do you have to be merry?
You’re poor enough”. The business-centric capitalist ideas of Industrial Britain
have polluted the virtues associated with Christmas. Scrooge sees it as a
distraction from his profit making. Dickens is emphasising that the focus of
Christmas has strayed too far away from the core foundations it was built on:
empathy, joy and community. Scrooge, as a caricature of greed, serves to
represent the prevalent view of Christmas as a profit-making opportunity. The
fact that Scrooge believes money correlated to happiness is ironic as despite
being fortunate, “the cold within him froze his old features”. Scrooge is
portrayed as the complete antithesis to the happiness imbued in Christmas.
Dickens is attempting to educate his audience in the futility of the pursuit of
greed. At a time where poverty is most visible, the Cratchits are significantly
more joyful than the miserly Scrooge.
However, Christmas is also portrayed as being a universal source of joy which
when embraces brings fulfilment and a warming sense of community. This is
evident when “such a bustle ensued” in the Cratchits home for the “feathered
phenomenon”. The use of the noun “bustle” connotes atmosphere and
community. Dickens is highlighting that Christmas has the power to unite and
is reinforcing the ubiquitous joy that the Cratchits hold for it. However, theirs is
a subtle juxtaposition between nods to their joy and nods to their ever-present
poverty. The fact that it is a “phenomenon” emphasises rarity and significance.
Although this could be portrayed as emphasising their overwhelming gratitude,
it could also be see as a clear show of their lack. However, no matter how little
they have, they have the capability to embrace Christmas and its happiness.
Dickens is emphasising that the dual power of Christmas and family is
indomitable. This is further reinforced, when despite their possessions being
“threadbare” they are still “as good as gold”. They place value on family and
love, not material gain. They see Christmas as a time for festivity, not as a show
of material wealth. Dickens may be doing this to reinforce the value of
Christmas as religious. “A Christmas Carol” is a Christian morality tale. The
Cratchits embrace the true value and disregard anything that could dampen
their spirit. Furthermore, Christmas is presented as catalysing the transformation of a
seemingly intransigent Scrooge. By the close of the novella, Scrooge has gone
to “church” and is “happy as an angel”. The use of the positive simile here is in
direct antithesis to the “sharp as flint” simile utilised in Stave 1. Dickens may
be doing this to parallel the misanthropic Scrooge with the moral and
reformed Scrooge. This emphasises how Christmas and therefore Christianity
has the power to provide salvation for anyone who embraces its values.
Furthermore, the repeated use of the religious noun “angel” suggests a sense
of purity, as if Scrooge has been reborn. The Christmas Spirit has been
revitalised within Scrooge and his childish innocence has been restored where
he can enjoy Christmas untainted, Dickens may be doing this to highlight to his
audience that wider change starts with simple foundations such as embracing
the Christmas spirit. Christmas acts as an outlet for Scrooge to express the
repressed emotion from his childhood. This is further reinforced when Scrooge
was “as merry as a schoolboy”. Again, the reference to this innocence
reinforces the power of Christmas as a relief from the horror of the world.
However, subtly, Christmas is used to expose the depth of change that is
required. Scrooge is an archetypal miser of Industrial Britain and although
thinks “I’ll send it to Bob Cratchits” this does not remedy the resounding
remained of suffering still rife throughout Britain, just because Scrooge has
made an outstanding transformation, this does not account for the rest of
society. Christmas allows Scrooge to try and remedy his behaviour, but does
not guarantee universal change.
In conclusion, the Christmas spirit epitomises what it means to be both
altruistic and moral in a world of overwhelming ignorance and provides a
ubiquitous joy which all can embrace.
With many thanks to CRC year 11 2023-2024
Miss Huttlestone's GCSE English 