A Christmas Carol Key Theme: Death and Loss (AQA GCSE English Literature)
Revision Note
Death and loss mind map
The theme of death and loss in each stave of A Christmas Carol:
Stave | Quote | Summary |
|---|---|---|
1 | “Marley was dead: to begin with.” | The novella begins with Marley’s death and ends with Scrooge’s metaphorical re-birth |
2 | “She [Scrooge’s sister, Fanny] died a woman…and had, as I think, children.” | Death has featured throughout Scrooge’s life, but Scrooge feels regret for his treatment of his sister’s son after her death |
3 | “If these shadows remain unaltered by the Future, the child will die.” | The ghost warns Scrooge that without change, Tiny Tim will die, highlighting the consequences of an unfair social system |
4 | “I fear you more than any spectre I have seen.” | The ghost is symbolic of death which can bring punishment or reward in the afterlife — Scrooge therefore fears his potential fate |
5 | “... and to Tiny Tim, who did NOT die, he was a second father.” | Scrooge’s transformation and redemption are completed as he adopts the role of Tiny Tim’s saviour |
How are death and loss presented in A Christmas Carol?
Death and loss are recurring ideas within the novella:
Marley’s ghost (Stave 1): The novella begins with establishing Marley’s death through his ghost, bound by the chains, money boxes and padlocks he so coveted in life:
This is the first catalyst for Scrooge’s transformation and serves as both a warning to Scrooge and a reminder to Dickens’ readers that our actions in life have consequences beyond the grave
The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come (Stave 4): This terrifying ghost personifies death, heightened by Dickens’ descriptions of darkness and use of solemn language:
Scrooge’s marked fear of this phantom suggests his potential fate is something to be afraid of
Scrooge’s death (Stave 4): The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come shows Scrooge the treatment of an unknown corpse, unloved and uncared for:
The characters dealing with the corpse are concerned only by how they might profit from it, mirroring Scrooge’s own attitudes towards money
In a moment of dramatic irony, the spirit reveals Scrooge’s own name is on the gravestone; despite his wealth he will die alone, uncared for and this leads ultimately to his repentance
Tiny Tim (Stave 4): In a possible future shown to Scrooge, Tiny Tim’s imagined death is contrasted with Scrooge’s, and the child is mourned while Scrooge is not:
Scrooge understands that Tiny Tim’s death was avoidable and accepts his responsibility towards the Cratchit family
Through Tiny Tim, Dickens also highlights the poor health, living conditions and malnourishment experienced by many poor children in Victorian Britain
Why is death and loss a key theme in A Christmas Carol?
Dickens uses death and loss to highlight the permanency of death and to indicate that it is never too late to change.
1. Personal and social change
Scrooge’s encounters with death serve as a catalyst for his character’s transformation and redemption, emphasising both the value of and ephemerality of life
The presentation of death serves to remind Scrooge — and the reader — that we have a social responsibility to others or we will share fate the fate of Marley and Scrooge (as presented in Stave 4)
2. A critique of social and class systems
Dickens uses A Christmas Carol to criticise the unjust social systems and institutions of Victorian Britain which negatively affected the most vulnerable in society
He wanted to highlight the high mortality rate of poorer children and the need for the poor working class to have the means to help themselves
Exam-style questions on the theme of death and loss in A Christmas Carol
Try planning a response to the following essay questions as part of your revision of the theme of death and loss:
Explore how Dickens presents loss and a fear of mortality in A Christmas Carol.
Explore how Dickens presents death in A Christmas Carol.
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