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A Christmas Carol - Term Papers

A Christmas Carol

To what extent do the minor characters aid in Scrooge's transformation?

During the 1800s, the Industrial Revolution was a time of upheaval and societal change, as the advent of machines capable of mass production of goods quickly replaced manual labour, widening the societal gap between the rich and the poor. Charles Dickens' gothic novella ``A Christmas Carol'' is an exploration of such a time period, as he details the moral corruption and greed that existed amongst the affluent and powerful members of his society. Whilst Dickens' protagonist Ebenezer Scrooge is initially presented as an avaricious and greedy man, several supporting characters greatly aid in his metamorphosis into a ...

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Scrooge's wisdom is one purely of the head, exemplified through his obsession with monetary gain. Indeed, he has a healthy contempt for the poor, claiming that ``I can't afford to make idle people merry'' and that if they were to die of starvation, then ``they had better do it and decrease the surplus population''. In direct contrast, Scrooge's nephew Fred, has none of his uncle's misanthropic mindsets, extending a dinner invitation to Scrooge despite being insulted by him, and later consoling Bob Cratchit after the death of Tiny Tim in Scrooge's visions. Thus, Fred's kindness and compassion for the poor are devices used by Dickens to emphasise Scrooge's lack of these qualities, in order to highlight Scrooge's transition to generosity and kindheartedness by the end of the play. Fred's role within ``A Christmas Carol'' is an important one, as without it, the moral lesson taught by Scrooge's journey is greatly lessened.

But while Fred's purpose within the novella is more to ...

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A Christmas Carol. (2014, October 16). Retrieved May 6, 2025, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/A-Christmas-Carol/104441

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"A Christmas Carol." Essayworld.com. October 16, 2014. Accessed May 6, 2025. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/A-Christmas-Carol/104441.

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PAPER DETAILS

Added: 10/16/2014 06:50:20 PM
Submitted By: khalid234
Category: Book Reports
Type: Premium Paper
Words: 1137
Pages: 5

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