The theme of Christmas in A Christmas Carol
Christmas is a Christian celebration of the birth of Christ, though it also encompasses Greek, Roman and pagan traditions of giving gifts and feasting around the Winter Solstice. It is a time when families and friends come together to share food and exchange gifts.
Dickens wrote this novella before Christmas 1843. The story of Scrooge takes place on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and uses the ideas of generosity and compassion that we associate with Christmas to highlight the transformation of the main character. We see Scrooge change from a miserly man, contrasting with the spirit of Christmas, to someone who is full of joy.
How is the theme of Christmas shown in the novella?
In A Christmas Carol Dickens shows the theme of Christmas through:
- the title and structure
- Scrooge's nephew, Fred, as someone who embodies the spirit of Christmas
- Tiny Tim as someone who is generous and kind
| How does Dickens show this? | Evidence | Analysis | |
| The title and structure | The theme of the novella is clear from the title - A Christmas Carol - which refers to the traditional carols that are sung at Christmas time. | The novella has an unusual layout, using five staves rather than chapters. | The five staves reflect the structure of a carol and link the story to the joy of singing. |
| Scrooge's nephew, Fred | Fred is persistent in his cheerful approach to Christmas. We see him celebrating wholeheartedly with his friends. | After a while they played at forfeits; for it is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas, when its mighty Founder was a child himself. | Dickens shows Scrooge's nephew as the opposite of Scrooge. He is able to abandon himself to childish pleasures at Christmas and enjoys the company of his friends. |
| Tiny Tim | Through the character of Tiny Tim, Dickens shows the importance of family and love in the Christmas tradition. | back came Tiny Tim before another word was spoken, escorted by his brother and sister to his stool before the fire; | Tiny Tim is well-loved by his family as we see in the generosity that his siblings show him here. |
| The title and structure | |
|---|---|
| How does Dickens show this? | The theme of the novella is clear from the title - A Christmas Carol - which refers to the traditional carols that are sung at Christmas time. |
| Evidence | The novella has an unusual layout, using five staves rather than chapters. |
| Analysis | The five staves reflect the structure of a carol and link the story to the joy of singing. |
| Scrooge's nephew, Fred | |
|---|---|
| How does Dickens show this? | Fred is persistent in his cheerful approach to Christmas. We see him celebrating wholeheartedly with his friends. |
| Evidence | After a while they played at forfeits; for it is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas, when its mighty Founder was a child himself. |
| Analysis | Dickens shows Scrooge's nephew as the opposite of Scrooge. He is able to abandon himself to childish pleasures at Christmas and enjoys the company of his friends. |
| Tiny Tim | |
|---|---|
| How does Dickens show this? | Through the character of Tiny Tim, Dickens shows the importance of family and love in the Christmas tradition. |
| Evidence | back came Tiny Tim before another word was spoken, escorted by his brother and sister to his stool before the fire; |
| Analysis | Tiny Tim is well-loved by his family as we see in the generosity that his siblings show him here. |
Analysing the evidence
Question
How does Dickens use the theme of Christmas in this novella?
- To highlight Scrooge's transformation from miser to cheerful man.
- To show the importance of compassion and forgiveness, as represented by Scrooge's nephew.
- To explore the importance of love and family, as shown through the Cratchits.