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Scrooge uses economic language to refer to the poor. This shows the negative attitude of the middle classes towards the poor.

“Decrease the surplus population”
“His wealth is of no use to him. He don’t do any good with it”

Fred is the opposite of Scrooge: he is charitable. He is Dicken’s version of the ideal middle-class man (like Fezziwig). Fred believes that the middle class should support the poor, working class.

“To any kindly given. To a poor one most”

the ghost of christmas present says it's most important to look after those who are less well-off than yourself

" Mrs Cratchit made the gravy (ready beforehand in a little saucepan) hissing hot; Master Peter mashed the potatoes with incredible vigour; Miss Belinda sweetened up the apple-sauce; Martha dusted the hot plates; Bob took Tiny Tim beside him in a tiny corner at the table; the two young Cratchits set chairs for everybody, not forgetting themselves, and mounting guard upon their posts, crammed spoons into their mouths, lest they should shriek for goose before their turn came to be helped."
"At last the dinner was all done, the cloth was cleared, the hearth swept, and the fire made up. The compound in the jug being tasted, and considered perfect, apples and oranges were put upon the table, and a shovel-full of chestnuts on the fire."

the cratchits are used to how to the victorian readers that the poor aren't as lazy as they thought they were

"if man you be in heart, not adamant, forbear that wicked cant until you have discovered What the surplus is, and Where it is. Will you decide what men shall live, what men shall die? It may be, that in the sight of Heaven, you are more worthless and less fit to live than millions like this poor man's child."

it is not the job of man to decide whether someone is more important than the other, presenting the idea that the upper class aren't superior to the poor.

	Created by Nuha Irdina over 6 years ago

GCSE English Note on A Christmas Carol - themes , created by Nuha Irdina on 02/04/2018.

A Christmas Carol - themes