Analyse how A Christmas Carol constructs meaning, conveys ideas and values, and is open to a range of interpretations.

Although Dickens story is entertaining, even enthralling, it is mainly intended to educate. Discuss.

The novella A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is a story of misanthropy, greed and servitude, juxtaposed by benevolence, selflessness and laughter. The tale is about a man named Scrooge, a man so misanthropic, detached and in ravenous repugnance with society that no warmth can warm, nor wintery weather chill him. Dickens constructs the character of Scrooge to appear as the metaphor for the epitome of selfishness, Scrooge, through damning acts and descriptions is made to appear (without exaggeration) as the antichrist. The novella A Christmas Carol is intended by Dickens to not only captivate the reader, enthral and entertain them but also to educate them. Educate them on the values Dickens holds in such high regard, educate them as to the plight of the masses, and in-so-doing rid the reader of all Ignorance (of Want). A Christmas Carol is open to a range of interpretations, the reader can be bought in and enthralled by the tale of this miserly character Scrooge, connect with the Cratchits and rejoice at the transformation of Scrooge, and view the novella as rich and educational. Or the reader can disregard all of Dickens lessons and view the novella as nothing more than fiction, and believe themselves above Dickens and his wisdom/lessons. No man is an island and this is why Dickens uses juxtaposition to create a sense of transformation and comparison (to/for Scrooge), without said juxtaposition, without said change and transformation, Scrooge would indeed be an island, a very lonely and greedy island. Scrooge is described as a misanthropic, covetous old sinner, a man without benevolence and filled with greed. Without juxtaposition to Scrooges antichrist like behaviour, the reader would be left with a hollow tale, a tale without chance for redemption, education and revitalisation. For this reason, Freds family, the Cratchit family, the lighthouse family, the mining family, the Fezziwigs and the portly gentlemen are presented in such a favourable light, whenever they are mentioned, they are mentioned in conjunction with ruddy faces, laughter and light. The use of contrast and juxtaposition by Dickens, works to enthral and entertain the reader, whilst bestowing on them the knowledge of Dickens and educating them as to the plights of poor, the plights of the greedy and to the successes and happiness of the poor, in contrast to the miserly, sinful and misanthropic nature of Scrooge. An almost impregnable barrier exists between Scrooge and the needy, this barrier though psychological, is reinforced by Scrooges greed and Ignorance of Want, reinforced until the houses he passes are mere phantoms and the fog so thick and engulfing that his Ignorance of Want cannot be dispelled without divine intervention (The Ghosts). Dickens, from Marleys reappearance to the fifth stave, provides lessons and seeks to educate Scrooge on why he must change, why he has a responsibility as an employer to his employee and the degree to which he can make happy or make sad those around him. Dickens primary goal in telling the tale of Scrooge and A Christmas Carol is to educate his readers as to the plight of the poor and to do this; Dickens presents Scrooge with divine intervention, in the shape of three Ghosts. These Ghosts being; The Ghost of Christmas Past, The Ghost of Christmas Present, and The

Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. All three Ghosts, along with Marley and his tales of a rapture like existence after death, come with the purpose of educating Scrooge, educating him as to the error of his ways and educating him as to the plights of the poor and the plights of mankind. If Scrooge and all others (meaning the reader/s) do not rid themselves of the fog which engulfs and deceives them, do not recognise and seek to fix the strife of the poor and dispel themselves of Ignorance of Want, Dickens warns them of the doom that will surely follow. The first Ghost to appear to Scrooge, is that of Marley, a man venomously described in the opening pages of the novella as a man as dead as a doornail, confirmed dead by such a degree so as to make this encounter all the stranger. In life Marley was Scrooges business partner and a man presumably as miserly, misanthropic and greedy as his partner. In death, Marley is a remorseful, educational, doomsayer, he bestows Scrooge to change and warns him of all that will follow if he does not. Next comes The Ghost of Christmas Past, a Ghost who illustrates to Scrooge, the plights he himself fought through, the happiness he once had, and the responsibility of employers to their employees. The Ghost avails and reveals to Scrooge the hardships he went through as a child, the benevolence and caring nature of his sister Fran and his first employer, Mr Fezziwig and the beginnings of his downfall, when his greed first started to rear its ugly head. The Ghost of Christmas Past takes Scrooge back to the break-up between him and his fianc, a time that marks the beginnings of his greed. When his fianc notes that the contract between Scrooge and she is an old one, one made when they were poor and content to be so, and how his eyes are now filled with avarice and greed, Scrooge begins to realise the error of his ways. The Ghost of Christmas Past reteaches to Scrooge lessons he has forgot, and helps him on his way to becoming whole again. Next The Ghost of Christmas Present seeks to educate Scrooge as to the plights of others, the plights of Tiny Tim, the Cratchits and the poor. Scrooge is introduced to the wolfish children Ignorance and Want, two children who personify all that his wrong with the world in Dickens eyes. Dickens is again making a comment on society and how if people are allowed to remain ignorant to the want and need of others, doom will surely follow. Finally The Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come concludes the lessons with the foreboding of Scrooges unlamented death, a lesson that does not go unheeded and depending on the readers interpretation, the most pivotal and powerful lesson, and the one that changes Scrooge. The lessons of Dickens are concluded with the dispelling of the fog, the redemption of Scrooge and the education of Scrooge as to the error of his ways. Once the last Ghost leaves and Scrooge is allowed to resume his life, he immediately emits a laugh, a laugh which is said to be the father of a great many laughs to come. This signals his transformation from a misanthropic, greedy man to that of a giving and generous one. This is ratified and strengthened with his giving of the largest turkey available to the Cratchit family, a family whom relies on Scrooges paychecks to Bob, to live and the promise of the raising of Bob Cratchits wages. Dickens tale, though enthralling and entertaining, is intended to educate. The story is a social commentary on the need for the wealthy to help the poor, for Ignorance to be dispelled and Want acknowledged and gotten rid of. A story told by Dickens that makes use of juxtaposition, metaphors and contrast, so as to enthral the reader and teach them the lessons that he (Dickens), holds in such high regard.