A Christmas Carol: Characters (Edexcel GCSE English Literature)

Characters

It is vital that you understand that characters are often used symbolically to express ideas. Dickens uses all of his characters to symbolise various ideas prevalent in his society, and the differences between characters reflect contemporary debates. Therefore it is very useful not only to learn about each character individually but how they compare and contrast to other characters in the novel. 

It is important to consider the range of strategies Dickens uses to create and develop characters within A Christmas Carol. This includes: 

• how characters are established 

• how characters are presented: 

  • physical appearance or suggestions about this 

  • actions and motives for them

  • what they say and think

  • how they interact with others

  • what others say and think about them 

• how far do the characters conform to or subvert stereotypes 

• their relationships with other characters

Below you will find character profiles of:

• Ebenezer Scrooge

• Jacob Marley

• Bob Cratchit

• Ghost of Christmas Past

• Ghost of Christmas Present

• Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come

• Minor characters

Ebenezer Scrooge

• Scrooge is the protagonist of the novella and is first presented as a misanthropic businessman who is miserly, callous , materialistic and unsympathetic

• He is first described as: “Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out a generous fire”:

  • Dickens’s description conveys Scrooge’s mean and bitter demeanour and he is firmly established as a symbol of cruelty and selfishness

• Dickens uses the simile “as solitary as an oyster” to depict Scrooge as an isolated character and this could be interpreted in numerous ways by the reader:

  • It could suggest that, like an oyster, Scrooge also has a hard exterior though, within his interior, there is a more vulnerable entity, shielding itself from the outside world

  • In the same way that oysters must be prised open, so too must the spirits force Scrooge to reveal his inner humanity:

    • Further, as only some oysters produce pearls (which are viewed as very precious), Scrooge is also finally revealed to the reader as a precious and valuable individual within his society

• Scrooge’s attitude is typified by his continual expression “humbug”:

  • The word is used to signify Scrooge’s attitude towards Christmas, which he views as a sham  and a fraud

  • It demonstrates his strong aversion to Christmas and the society around him in general

• Scrooge’s cruel and condescending treatment and ignorance of the poor are depicted as typical of the attitude of many of the wealthy classes:

  • He makes Bob work in dreadful conditions and makes him live in constant fear of losing his job

  • In Stave I, he refuses to make a charitable donation to the poor and instead declares: “Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?”

• Despite Scrooge’s initial presentation, in Stave II the reader is presented with details about his younger self which create empathy for his character:

  • Dickens depicts Scrooge’s childhood as lonely and isolated and this invokes sympathy for him as a young boy: “A solitary child, neglected by his friends, is left there still”

    • Further, Scrooge’s sensitivity is revealed to the reader by his emotional reaction to this scene: “And he sobbed”

• Through Scrooge’s sister Fan, the reader learns that his father is less harsh than before, which could hint that his home life was once difficult and perhaps devoid of love

  • His engagement to Belle, a beautiful young woman, illustrates the contented life that Scrooge could have had and underscores the corrosive consequences of greed

• His past suggests his character is not completely depraved and Dickens uses this to hint at the possibility of his future  redemption:

  • It suggests that past events may have corrupted his once-good nature and this creates sympathy for him as well as provides an element of hope

• For Dickens, it is vital that Scrooge revisits his younger self and through the Ghost of Christmas Past, Scrooge’s memories become another catalyst for his transformation 

• Scrooge’s emotions develop quickly as the plot progresses and he demonstrates the ability to change very early on in the novella:

  • In Stave II, his first stage of remorse is revealed when he regrets not having given money to a carol singer: “There was a boy singing a Christmas Carol at my door last night. I should like to have given him something, that’s all”

  • Similarly, in this chapter, Dickens also hints that he regrets his behaviour towards Fred and Bob

• Through the character of Tiny Tim, Scrooge develops his ability to empathise with those who are less fortunate: 

  • Tiny Tim plays an important part in inspiring Scrooge’s transformation  , which is central to the narrative

• Dickens presents Scrooge’s transformation from avarice to benevolence:

  • By the end of the novella, Scrooge has been transformed into a charitable philanthropist : “I am light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I am as merry as a schoolboy, I am giddy as a drunken man” and “I am not the man I was” 

Jacob Marley

• Jacob Marley is first referenced in the opening lines of the novella : “Marley was dead, to begin with” and his character only appears in Stave I:

  • Dickens conveys a sense of finality by informing the reader that one of the characters is dead

  • By declaring Marley has been dead seven years before the narrative opens, it sets up the scene for the shock and anguish which Scrooge experiences when he appears to him

• Marley and Scrooge’s relationship is established from the very beginning: “Scrooge was his sole executor, his sole administrator, his sole assign, his sole residuary legatee, his sole friend, and sole mourner”:

  • Although both were partners for “many years” the relationship that Dickens presents is one merely associated with business, rather than an affectionate friendship

  • This is further highlighted when Dickens declares that Scrooge “was not so dreadfully cut up by the sad event”, which illustrates their shallow relationship and Scrooge’s lack of affection for anyone

• Marley is described as a terrifying figure and is condemned to wander in heavy chains “made of cash boxes, keys, padlocks, ledgers, deeds”:

  • These items are all symbols linked to his occupation and are used to signify the obsession he had with business and money while he was alive

• Marley is a haunted figure and similar to Scrooge, he was once materialistic and self-centered, however, he is remorseful for his actions:

  • He acknowledges that “charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence” should have been his business

• Dickens uses Marley’s ghost as an allegorical warning against greed and avarice:

  • Marley declares: “I wear the chain I forged in life” which indicates to the reader that Marley’s predicament is due to his own actions

  • His warning to Scrooge (and to the reader) is that everyone is responsible for their actions and will be held accountable for them

• Marley is the first spirit to appear to Scrooge and his character introduces a supernatural and religious element to the plot: 

  • Marley could be seen as symbolic of Christian beliefs in Heaven, Hell, and repentance, as he is presented in a purgatory state and is forced to remain there until he has repented for his deeds

• One of his purposes in the novella is to save Scrooge from a similar fate:

  • Marley is used only to warn Scrooge; he cannot force him to alter his ways as Scrooge must do this himself

  • While Marley could be viewed in an unsympathetic light (as he has caused his own suffering), he could appear to be quite selfless in his motive to help his former partner

• Marley acts as a catalyst for the transformation of Scrooge:

  • Dickens indicates that Scrooge had a “terrible sensation” after Marley’s visit and it is this fear which first prompts his desire to change

Bob Cratchit

• Bob Cratchit is first introduced in Stave I, though his character remains unnamed and silent in this chapter and he is simply referred to as “the clerk”:

  • By omitting Bob’s name and referring to him by his occupation, Dickens conveys Scrooge’s myopic perception of Bob in terms of labour, rather than as a human being

  • Bob’s silence also signifies his irrelevance and insignificance as a lower-class person in the eyes of the wealthier classes such as Scrooge 

• Further, by titling the character “Bob” (a Victorian colloquial term for a shilling ) Dickens may be suggesting how he and the lower classes are viewed merely in terms of capital

• Scrooge’s ruthlessness towards Bob is evident in Stave I and his character is used to underscore Scrooge’s cruel and exploitative behaviour:

  • Bob works in a “dismal little cell” suggesting a gloomy confinement from which he cannot escape, which could be viewed as a wider symbol of his poverty

  • He is too fearful to ask Scrooge for more coal to replenish his fire and instead tries “to warm himself at the candle”, which highlights the dreadful conditions that employers could make employees accept

• In Stave II, Dickens presents Bob as a devoted father and husband: 

  • His relationship with his children is shown as loving and affectionate, for example, when he carries “Tiny Tim upon his shoulder”; and when he shows concern for the whereabouts of his daughter “Why, where’s our Martha?”

• Dickens also uses different settings to contrast Bob and Scrooge: Scrooge’s character is first depicted in his place of work; whereas Bob’s character is depicted in the intimate setting of his home:

  • This symbolises what each character views as most important to them: Scrooge values money, while Bob values family

• Despite being treated cruelly by his employer, Bob proposes a toast to Scrooge and encourages his reluctant family to do so as well:

  • This demonstrates Bob’s kind-spirited and forgiving nature and he is presented as a virtuous and righteous character

  • Dickens's depiction of Bob invokes sympathy from the reader:

    • He is deferential , patient, courteous and civil to Scrooge, despite Scrooge’s poor treatment

• Bob is symbolic of the lower classes and their dependence on their employer:

  • Bob’s situation depends on businessmen like Scrooge and so subsequently does the fate of his family:

    • This symbolises the power of the higher classes over the poor

• As a character, Bob remains unchanged throughout the novella :

  • He remains compassionate, generous and forgiving

Ghost of Christmas Past

• The Ghost of Christmas Past is introduced in Stave II and declares it has come for Scrooge’s welfare and reclamation:

  • In part, its role is to begin Scrooge’s transformation

• The spirit is presented as: wise, gentle, forceful and enigmatic 

• It is described in great depth and through a range of dualities and paradoxes:

  • It is described: “like a child: yet not so like a child as like an old man”

  • “Its hair… was white as if with age; and yet the face had not a wrinkle in it” 

  • “It held a branch of fresh green holly in its hand… of that wintry emblem, had its dress trimmed with summer flowers” 

    • These dualities and paradoxes could be used to illustrate Scrooge’s contradictory qualities, as the spirit shows a younger Scrooge who was once capable of having feelings for others

• Dickens further describes the spirit as having “a bright clear jet of light” springing from its head:

  • The light could be seen as symbolic of illumination, memory, and guidance:

    • The light could be viewed to highlight and expose Scrooge’s past and present behaviour

    • At first, Scrooge is defiant and challenges the authority of the spirit though he begins to accept its guidance

    • Light is also symbolic of goodness and it is in contrast to Scrooge’s dreary existence

• The spirit confronts Scrooge with a series of visions from his past and Scrooge’s response conveys how distressing they are for him: 

  • Vision 1: Scrooge sees himself as a young boy at school and when the other children abandon him, Scrooge weeps for his former self left alone:

    • This vision forces Scrooge to display emotion and it begins to create empathy for his character

  • Vision 2: Scrooge sees his sister Fan, who comes to bring him home from school, having been given their father’s permission to do so:

    • This vision forces Scrooge to consider his behaviour towards Fan’s son, Fred, who is affectionate to Scrooge in the same way Fan once was 

  • Vision 3: Scrooge sees the Christmas ball held by his former employer, Mr Fezziwig, where he had acquired his work apprenticeship:

    • In this vision, Scrooge is forced to see how Mr Fezziwig is a much kinder employer than he is, which makes him reflect on his conduct towards Bob

  • Vision 4: Scrooge sees himself with his fiancée, Belle, who abandoned him due to his obsession with wealth

    • In this vision, Scrooge is confronted with a lost love

  • Vision 5: Scrooge sees Belle as a happy, older married woman with children:

    • This vision makes Scrooge reflect on how his life could have been much different with a wife and family

• Scrooge attempts to extinguish the spirit’s light but fails to do so as he “could not hide the light”:

  • His inability to extinguish the light depicts the power of reflection and self-discovery

  • Although Scrooge is reluctant to confront his past as it exposes him to pain and regret, it is necessary for his redemption

Ghost of Christmas Present

• The Ghost of Christmas Present is introduced in Stave III and is referred to as a “jolly Giant”

• The spirit is described in positive terms: “its genial face, its sparkling eye, its open hand, its cheery voice, its unconstrained demeanor, and its joyful air”:

  • The spirit could be viewed as the personification of the Christmas spirit in that it represents everything that is positive about Christmas: cheerful, giving and jovial

  • The spirit’s description is in sharp contrast to how Scrooge has first described at the beginning of the novella: “a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner!”

• The spirit “bore a glowing torch” which is in the shape of the Horn of Plenty  and as it sprinkles the torch over the people in these scenes, they are filled with kindness and cheer associated with Christmas:

  • Taken from Greek and Roman mythology, the Horn of Plenty is associated with harvest time and an abundance of food

  • The motif of light is used to represent the joy surrounding Christmas

• The spirit carries an “antique scabbard, but no sword was in it”:

  • Dickens depicts how Christmas is a time associated with peace and goodwill, where conflict and differences are put aside.

• The spirit does not refer to Scrooge by his name, but instead by the word “man”:

  • This suggests that the spirit’s message is not just directed toward Scrooge but to all of mankind 

• The spirit is authoritative and commanding, evident through its repeated use of imperative and exclamatory statements: “Look upon me!”

• Scrooge begins to “obey” the spirit and his submissiveness illustrates his ongoing transformation:

  • Dickens further illustrates this by stating: “He was not the dogged Scrooge he had been”

• The spirit highlights the importance of Christmas spirit by taking Scrooge to numerous places where people are revelling in the festive season:

  • The ghost builds on the concept of change by showing Scrooge the Cratchit household

• The spirit delivers scathing moral discourses about social reform:

  • The spirit is a mouthpiece for Dickens’s views on poverty and social injustice which was evident in Victorian England 

  • Through the spirit, Dickens highlights the selfishness of the rich and their heartlessness towards the plight of the poor

• Two starving children emerge from under the spirit’s cloak called Ignorance and Want:

  • Dickens uses Ignorance and Want as a symbol of society’s cruelty as they  are subjected to torment and distress

Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come

• The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is introduced in Stave IV and is a harrowing and sinister character

• The spirit is described as “shrouded in a deep black garment, which concealed its head, its face, its form... save one outstretched hand”:

  • While the previous two spirits were associated with light, this spirit is linked with darkness, death and concealment

• While the previous two spirits have helped to guide Scrooge through their discourses with him, Dickens purposely does not enable this spirit to speak:

  • This suggests Scrooge must finally come to a realisation all by himself and without any help from the spirit

• The spirit is an ominous and sombre figure and is in contrast to the youthful Ghost of Christmas Past and the jolly Ghost of Christmas Present:

  • Scrooge declares: “I fear you more than any spectre I have seen” and the spirit depicts Scrooge’s future as one of misery and despair if he does not change

Minor characters

Fred

• Fred is introduced in Stave I and is presented as a jovial , spirited and benevolent character:

  • He is described as “kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant” and he embodies Dickens’s belief that people should show compassion and kindness to each other

• As the nephew of Scrooge, he is a complete contrast to him in both spirit and appearance:

  • Fred represents the Christmas ideal as he is warm-hearted, cheerful, generous and empathetic though Scrooge possesses all of these qualities by the end of the novella

Tiny Tim

• Tiny Tim is presented as frail, ill, vulnerable, joyful and hopeful:

  • Dickens uses the character to highlight the misfortunes of children and to elicit sympathy from the reader

  • The character is also used to illustrate the affectionate qualities of Bob’s character

• Tiny Tim is a minor but very significant character and he is used to highlighting Scrooge’s developing empathy:

  • He plays an important part in inspiring Scrooge’s transformation  which is central to the narrative

Fan 

• Fan is presented as a loving and caring sister and she is also a catalyst for Scrooge’s change:

  • She is an important memory for Scrooge and is a reminder of the importance of family

Fezziwig

• Fezziwig is represented as a jovial and high-spirited character:

  • His character is used to convey the celebratory nature of Christmas

• Dickens juxtaposes Fezziwig’s heartfelt treatment of his employees with Scrooge’s callous conduct towards Fred

Belle

• Belle is presented as a virtuous and earnest character and is contrasted to Scrooge:

  • She represents the contented life that Scrooge could have had and underscores the corrosive consequences of greed

Ignorance and Want

• Ignorance and Want are used as symbols of society’s cruelty:

  • Dickens uses these two characters to expose the consequences of society’s greed and avarice