Dickens' Use of Symbolism in A Christmas Carol
Charles Dickens wrote a large number of novels but this particular
novella was very popular as it told the story of a typical Christmas
in Victorian times. The word 'Scrooge' derives from the character
Scrooge in this novella, which proves that Dickens' story really did
make an impact on the reading public. In 'A Christmas Carol' there are
three main themes that would have been influenced by the times when
Dickens was writing, the themes are: Poverty, ignorance and happiness
(Christmas spirit). In the following paragraphs I am going to study
the themes and see what symbolism is used.
I am going to write about the symbols as I go through the novella. The
counting house is an example as it symbolises slave labour with its
dreadful conditions. Also this is where we first learn how mean
Scrooge is when two charity workers come into the counting house
asking for money, but Scrooge refuses to give the gentlemen anything,
saying that he helps the poor already through supporting prisons and
workhouses. This symbolises ignorance, as Scrooge does not even want
to listen to what the men have to say. We also learn that one of
Scrooges' friends' Jacob Marley had died seven years ago on Christmas
Day, but when reading it this doesn't sound too important. In this
chapter Scrooge's nephew Fred comes to visit him and invites him to
eat at his house for Christmas, which we later find out, is an
important part of the novel. Bob Cratchit (a poor clerk working for
Scrooge) asks for Christmas Day off, which Scrooge allows but tells
Bob that he has to be in early on Boxing day. This is another symbol
of...
... middle of paper ...
...ensely. When Bob Cratchit turned up for work on
Boxing Day Scrooge tells him that he will "not stand for this any
longer" and tells him that he needs a pay rise. This is obviously a
joke as Scrooge is overwhelmed with happiness and can't help, but give
Bob a pay rise but makes it look like he is extremely angry with him.
In conclusion I have to say that each stave has its own particular
symbol and this helps to contribute to the themes. This book would
reflect on Dickens own life as he spent a lot of his time surrounded
by poor people and shows that Dickens thought that poor people should
be treated a lot better. In my opinion the main theme of this novella
is that you should not take for granted what you have, because there
are people like the Cratchits living in poor conditions who are much
worse off then yourself.
Throughout the novel, the reader is presented with many different symbols. The symbols are clearly seen by Holden's constant repetition of their importance. The symbols are so important and their symbolism is directly related to the major themes of the novel.
A symbol is a person, object, or event that suggests more than its literal meaning. Symbols can be very useful in shedding light on a story, clarifying meaning that can’t be expressed with words. It may be hard to notice symbols at first, but while reflecting on the story or reading it a second time, the symbol is like a key that fits perfectly into a lock. The reason that symbols work so well is that we can associate something with a particular object. For example, a red rose symbolizes love and passion, and if there were red roses in a story we may associate that part of the story with love. Although many symbols can have simple meanings, such as a red rose, many have more complex meanings and require a careful reading to figure out its meaning. The first symbol that I noticed in Ethan Frome is the setting. It plays an important role in this story. The author spends much of the first few chapters describing the scene in a New England town Starkfield. When I think of a town called Starkfield, a gloomy, barren place with nothing that can grow comes to mind. As the author continues to describe this town, it just reinforces what I had originally thought.
Explore how Dickens makes his readers aware of poverty in A Christmas Carol One of the major themes in "A Christmas Carol" was Dickens' observations of the plight of the children of London's poor and the poverty that the poor had to endure. Dickens causes the reader to be aware of poverty by the use and type of language he uses. He uses similes and metaphors to establish clear and vivid images of the characters who are used to portray his message. Dickens describes his characters like caricatures. Dickens exaggerates characters characteristics in order to make his point and provide the reader with a long living memory.
A Christmas Carol is presumably the most famous cost of fiction that Charles Dickens at any point composed.
Attitude Toward the Poor in Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol Dickens encourages readers to change their views by showing what scrooge is like before, during and after the ghosts have visited him. " A Christmas Carol" is about a horrid old accountant and how people react around him on Christmas Eve. He is visited by 3 ghosts and they try and change his wicked ways. Dickens knows what it is like to work in factories because, as a child. he used to work in one, putting labels on shoe polish bottles.
The symbols that are used in literature can have a large impact on the story and what the reader pulls out from the story. If there was no symbol used in To Kill a Mockingbird, people would miss a lot of the story going on and they may not see the more innocent side of the story. Although symbols are used in many different forms, the one used in To Kill a Mockingbird made the story what it was. The mockingbird gave the story a whole different approach. By using a symbol in the story, the author was able to make th...
Throughout the novel, the reader is presented with various symbols. The symbols are clearly made evident by Holden’s constant repetition of their importance. The symbols are so important and their symbolism is directly related to the major themes of the novel.
of this boy, for on his brow I see written which is Doom, unless the
Dickens' A Christmas Carol and the Industrial Revolution Besides being the secular story of Christmas time in an urban setting, A Christmas Carol, tells the sacred story of Christmas as well. With A Christmas Carol, Dickens initiated an ongoing creative process in the Anglo-American imagination. As a result of the Industrial Revolution and the growth and development of cities people's lives changed drastically as they moved from the life and traditions of the country into those of the city. As industrialization continued, for many people in the city living and working conditions worsened. As reports of horrible working conditions increased so did the literature of social concern for reform..
be truly said of us, and all of us! And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God
was no then they had to change for the better as no one wants to be
Some of the main symbols of the novel are The Hanging Wall, the colours of the clothing of the different women and the Eyes. All these symbols add different features to the story which are important. Some add fear, suspense, and overall they all add an important understanding of the story line. Margaret Atwood, was able to successfully create symbols which added depth and helped with the understanding of the novel. With these symbols she used in the novel she proved the importance and the positive effects strong symbolism can have with plot and character
All through the novel there are symbols of
Symbolism is commonly used by authors that make short stories. Guin is a prime example of how much symbolism is used in short stories such as “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” and “Sur.” In both of these stories Guin uses symbolism to show hidden meanings and ideas. In “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” there is a perfect Utopian city, yet in this perfect city there is a child locked in a broom closet and it is never let out. A few people leave the city when they find out about the child, but most people stay. Furthermore, in “Sur” there is a group of girls that travel to the South Pole and reach it before anyone else, yet they leave no sign or marker at the South Pole. Guin’s stories are very farfetched and use many symbols. Both “Sur” and “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” have many symbols such as colors, characters, objects, and weather. The four types of symbols that Guin uses help the readers understand the themes in her short stories. Although her stories are farfetched, they need symbolism in them or the reader would not understand the theme; therefore the symbols make Guin’s stories much more enjoyable.
A symbol is an object, action, or event that represents something or that creates a range of associations beyond itself. In literary works a symbol can express an idea, clarify meaning, or enlarge literal meaning. Select a novel or play and, focusing on one symbol, write an essay analyzing how that symbol functions in the work and what it reveals about the characters or themes of the work as a whole. Do not merely summarize the plot. (2009 Open-Ended Question for AP English Literature and Composition).