Context
Dickens had a reasonably comfortable early life - which is to say that his family were wealthy enough to send him to school. As a result, he had a good start and understood what options were available to those who had an education.
Dickens had a reasonably comfortable early life - which is to say that his family were wealthy enough to send him to school. As a result, he had a good start and understood what options were available to those who had an education.
Then, his life was turned upside down when his father was unable to repay a debt, his entire family were put into prison and Dickens was sent to work in a factory.
Then, his life was turned upside down when his father was unable to repay a debt, his entire family were put into prison and Dickens was sent to work in a factory.
As a result of his upbringing, Dickens understood both the opportunities available to the wealthy and the struggles faced by the poor. A Christmas Carol is an expression of this experience.
As a result of his upbringing, Dickens understood both the opportunities available to the wealthy and the struggles faced by the poor. A Christmas Carol is an expression of this experience.
What's great about the book though, is that although Dickens would have probably hated loan sharks like Scrooge, because of what happened to his father, Dickens's book argues that the selfish-rich need to be redeemed rather than railed against. I'm sure Dickens would have been tempted to paint Scrooge as an evil villain, but he actually paints Scrooge as a victim of his society.
What's great about the book though, is that although Dickens would have probably hated loan sharks like Scrooge, because of what happened to his father, Dickens's book argues that the selfish-rich need to be redeemed rather than railed against. I'm sure Dickens would have been tempted to paint Scrooge as an evil villain, but he actually paints Scrooge as a victim of his society.
And it's an interesting question, that's still important today: Are the kinds of wealthy people who hoard their money while others starve in the streets villains or victims? Do selfish people become selfish because of the treatment they've received, or because they just can't be bothered to care? When dealing with society's villains should we show the kind of compassion we expect of them, or give them a taste of their own medicine? Should we call An Eye for an Eye, or should we Turn the Other Cheek?
And it's an interesting question, that's still important today: Are the kinds of wealthy people who hoard their money while others starve in the streets villains or victims? Do selfish people become selfish because of the treatment they've received, or because they just can't be bothered to care? When dealing with society's villains should we show the kind of compassion we expect of them, or give them a taste of their own medicine? Should we call An Eye for an Eye, or should we Turn the Other Cheek?
Poverty in Victorian Britain...
Poverty in Victorian Britain...
Throughout history there have always been people who had things and people who didn't. In Victorian Britain there was a shift because the British Empire began producing large amounts of excess - which means that, for the first time, lots of people had far more than they needed. However, the society clung onto a system that meant people only got what they earned. This meant that in Victorian society there were a few people with far more than they needed, while other people starved. This created quite a dilemma for the people.
Throughout history there have always been people who had things and people who didn't. In Victorian Britain there was a shift because the British Empire began producing large amounts of excess - which means that, for the first time, lots of people had far more than they needed. However, the society clung onto a system that meant people only got what they earned. This meant that in Victorian society there were a few people with far more than they needed, while other people starved. This created quite a dilemma for the people.
Should the rich leave the poor to starve and "decrease the surplus population" or should they all take to charity - like the Portly Gentlemen - and simply give away what they'd earned?
Should the rich leave the poor to starve and "decrease the surplus population" or should they all take to charity - like the Portly Gentlemen - and simply give away what they'd earned?
The solution was to create the Poor Law which offered some help to the poor, while making sure they worked for it. The idea was that if you were poverty stricken you could turn to the state for help and be put into a Workhouse, but the situation in a Workhouse should NEVER be better than the situation of the poorest workers. And since the poorest workers weren't exactly living in luxury, that meant that the situations in Workhouses were pretty awful.
The solution was to create the Poor Law which offered some help to the poor, while making sure they worked for it. The idea was that if you were poverty stricken you could turn to the state for help and be put into a Workhouse, but the situation in a Workhouse should NEVER be better than the situation of the poorest workers. And since the poorest workers weren't exactly living in luxury, that meant that the situations in Workhouses were pretty awful.
Families who lived there would have to work very hard, from dawn to dusk, and only be provided with a place to sleep and food for the day. Though it wasn't as bad as the slave trade, it wasn't too far off it.
Families who lived there would have to work very hard, from dawn to dusk, and only be provided with a place to sleep and food for the day. Though it wasn't as bad as the slave trade, it wasn't too far off it.
Alternatively, those who refused to go there often turned to crime would be faced with an aggressive penal system that was able to deport anyone to the colonies in the heat of Australia where death awaited many.
Alternatively, those who refused to go there often turned to crime would be faced with an aggressive penal system that was able to deport anyone to the colonies in the heat of Australia where death awaited many.
Life for the poor was not easy, though no-body really knew what to do about the problem of poverty: charity didn't work; punishment wasn't working; the Workhouses weren't working. What should we do?
Life for the poor was not easy, though no-body really knew what to do about the problem of poverty: charity didn't work; punishment wasn't working; the Workhouses weren't working. What should we do?
Dickens doesn't offer a solution to the problem with A Christmas Carol, but he does create a positive and compassionate environment within which we are encouraged to remember the things that make us similar, and the things that make us loved. He reminds us of our humanity and reminds us that - as Fred says - we are all "fellow passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys."
Dickens doesn't offer a solution to the problem with A Christmas Carol, but he does create a positive and compassionate environment within which we are encouraged to remember the things that make us similar, and the things that make us loved. He reminds us of our humanity and reminds us that - as Fred says - we are all "fellow passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys."
Dickens's Life...
Dickens's Life...
Charles Dickens was born on February 7, 1812. His father, John, was a kind and likable man, but he was financially irresponsible, piling up tremendous debts throughout his life. When Dickens was twelve, his father was arrested and sent to debtors' prison. Dickens' mother moved seven of their children into prison with their father but arranged for Charles to live alone outside the prison, working with other child labourers at a hellish job pasting labels on bottles in a shoe polish warehouse.
Charles Dickens was born on February 7, 1812. His father, John, was a kind and likable man, but he was financially irresponsible, piling up tremendous debts throughout his life. When Dickens was twelve, his father was arrested and sent to debtors' prison. Dickens' mother moved seven of their children into prison with their father but arranged for Charles to live alone outside the prison, working with other child labourers at a hellish job pasting labels on bottles in a shoe polish warehouse.
The three months Charles spent apart from his family were severely traumatic. He viewed his job as a miserable trap--he considered himself too good for it, stirring the contempt of his worker-companions. After his father was released from prison, Dickens returned to school, eventually becoming a law clerk. He went on to serve as a court reporter before taking his place as one of the most popular English novelists of his time. At age 25, Dickens completed his first novel, The Pickwick Papers, which met with great success. In 1841 , however, he took a tour of the United States, where his books were also popular, and began writing Martin Chuzzlewit, a book which poked satirical fun at America. The book was a commercial failure and Dickens was dropped by his publishing house.
The three months Charles spent apart from his family were severely traumatic. He viewed his job as a miserable trap--he considered himself too good for it, stirring the contempt of his worker-companions. After his father was released from prison, Dickens returned to school, eventually becoming a law clerk. He went on to serve as a court reporter before taking his place as one of the most popular English novelists of his time. At age 25, Dickens completed his first novel, The Pickwick Papers, which met with great success. In 1841 , however, he took a tour of the United States, where his books were also popular, and began writing Martin Chuzzlewit, a book which poked satirical fun at America. The book was a commercial failure and Dickens was dropped by his publishing house.
As a result, he had to write a best seller and began working on A Christmas Carol, a book he completed in just six weeks, and went on to self-publish. The book would marry some of Dickens’ most personal themes with some of his most memorable characters. The story was an instant success, and, alongside raising awareness about the horrific gap between the rich and the poor in Victorian England, it practically re-invented Christmas, a celebration which hadn’t been considered particularly important ever since Oliver Cromwell banned it in 1644.
As a result, he had to write a best seller and began working on A Christmas Carol, a book he completed in just six weeks, and went on to self-publish. The book would marry some of Dickens’ most personal themes with some of his most memorable characters. The story was an instant success, and, alongside raising awareness about the horrific gap between the rich and the poor in Victorian England, it practically re-invented Christmas, a celebration which hadn’t been considered particularly important ever since Oliver Cromwell banned it in 1644.
But alongside reinventing Christmas, the novella was a stern criticism of one of the most serious issues in Victorian England: the enormous gap between the rich and poor. While rich people’s lives were luxurious and included servants, rich food, warmth and safety, poor people lived in squalor; medical care was unavailable, children died from curable illnesses and often the workhouse was the only escape available.
But alongside reinventing Christmas, the novella was a stern criticism of one of the most serious issues in Victorian England: the enormous gap between the rich and poor. While rich people’s lives were luxurious and included servants, rich food, warmth and safety, poor people lived in squalor; medical care was unavailable, children died from curable illnesses and often the workhouse was the only escape available.
Much of what we now consider to be symbolic of a “traditional Christmas” finds its roots in A Christmas Carol: the Father Christmas figure – who was a variant on the old Pagan god The Green Man – the images of snowy Victorian streets, the Carols that we sing, the food we eat, and even the core values of forgiveness and charity were immortalised in this very Christian tale of goodness, ghosts and one man’s greed.
Much of what we now consider to be symbolic of a “traditional Christmas” finds its roots in A Christmas Carol: the Father Christmas figure – who was a variant on the old Pagan god The Green Man – the images of snowy Victorian streets, the Carols that we sing, the food we eat, and even the core values of forgiveness and charity were immortalised in this very Christian tale of goodness, ghosts and one man’s greed.
