In 2024 I think the question will be about the effects of poverty (possibly including the Cratchits)
This essay is from my guide to essay writing on A Christmas Carol.
You can read it for free here: click.
19 marks
The extract focuses on the suffering of the poor. Scrooge meets the wretched and miserable children with the Ghost of Christmas Present, who introduces them: “This boy is Ignorance”, “this girl is Want”. Scrooge’s reaction is revealing, he “tried to say they were fine children, but the words choked themselves, rather than be parties to a lie of such enormous magnitude”. Scrooge believes that the children represent greed, which is why he “choked”. He cannot support them, so “Scrooge could say no more”. Dickens, through the Ghost, wants to show Scrooge that the children are totally self-interested and obsessed with money, and so are just like him.
This reminds him of how he angrily refused to allow Bob Cratchit even one more lump of coal in Stave 1. We also remember his refusal to donate to the charity men, asking “Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?” This reveals injustice and greed in society. Instead, Scrooge had counted his wealth, coin by coin. This revealed the consequences of his refusal, where he stubbornly holds on to his wealth so that the poor continue to suffer.
In this extract Scrooge asks if the poor can be helped, “have they no refuge or resource?”. Consequently, the spirit mocks him by using Scrooge’s own words to ask “are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?” Scrooge therefore regrets his sinful thoughts and actions.
Dickens also uses the “wolfish” children to represent Scrooge’s actions. Calling them “Ignorance” and “Want” shows Scrooge how his actions appear to others, as full of greed and misery. This causes Scrooge to regret his damaging behaviour.
The suffering of the poor is also presented elsewhere in the novel. In Stave 1, Scrooge walks his neighbourhood full of the poor and vulnerable who are happily celebrating Christmas. However, he rushes by angrily, ignoring their attempts at friendly conversation. Next, he denies his poor, loyal employee, Bob Cratchit, a day off for Christmas. Moreover, although he is wealthy, he pays Bob very little. This reveals his coldness and causes Bob’s life to be less full of happiness.
In addition, his nephew Fred interrupts Scrooge counting his money. He joyfully wishes Scrooge “Merry Christmas”, and invites his uncle to join him for a family Christmas. Despite Scrooge’s arrogant refusal, Fred keeps trying, asking “are you sure?” Scrooge reply is a harsh “Bah! Humbug!”, shouted as loudly as a storm. Then he repeats this. Although Fred responds fearfully with “I’m sure you don’t mean that”, Scrooge forces him to leave. Scrooge now realises that his anger and negativity have been damaging.
The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is a mysterious figure, a “silent shape” who has a black hand “painted on its head”. It makes Scrooge obey and follow it into a future filled with death. He discovers Tiny Tim will die from illness and sees the Cratchits crying mourning tears for him. In CONTRAST, no one grieves at Scrooge’s graveside. His lack of pity for the poor mean they return his lack of empathy and steal his clothes from his abandoned corpse.
The dominant THEMES of the novel are family and desire for power.
Original 612 words
524 words
Thesis Statement No
Explanations 20
Quotes 15
1-3 word quotes 6
NAMED METHODS 2
Society/era/patriarchal/Victorian/contemporary/ Malthusian/ Poor Laws etc 1
Dickens 2
Exploratory Could*, Might*, May*, Perhaps*, Probably* 0
Conclusion No
Paragraphs 8
Words per paragraph 77
My Comments
This student is earning marks through sheer effort.
The interpretation of ‘choked’ is hilarious. It is based on the student thinking that ‘want’ means greed, rather than poverty. So, the interpretation is completely and utterly wrong.
The examiner is generous about this – they don’t just ignore it, they pretend that it is actually a plausible interpretation because of the later interpretation of Ignorance and Want in paragraph 4. The idea that they are symbols of Scrooge’s own ignorance and desires is plausible – even though I think it is totally wrong – we still have to give it credit.
This shows you the advantage of linking symbolism to Dickens’ purpose.
Another skill the student has is to immediately jump from the extract to several other parts of the novel. They link these together well, which definitely shows a clear understanding.
You should also look at how the word ‘society’ forces the student to write about Dickens’ purpose, and this forces the examiner to give it good marks.
However, we get the sense that this student has no idea that this is what is earning the marks – the rest of the essay is just quote analysis and retelling the plot. There is no sense that Scrooge or any of the other characters are constructs, there to illustrate Dickens’ ideas.
So, this student has got the grade through sheer effort – writing loads, referring to different parts of the novel, one analysis of symbol, and one of society and Dickens’ social message.
Everyone can do that. Everyone should therefore be able to get at least grade 6.
Examiner Comments
The first 4 paragraphs show a clear grasp of Dickens’ ideas.
The student uses a range of references from the extract.
They relate all of these to Dickens’ purpose and ideas.
The answer focuses on a clear understanding of Dickens’ purpose in creating the children Ignorance and Want.
The answer deals with several moments from the novel, so it is a clear and purposeful response to the full task.
To improve, the student should avoid simply retelling the story or plot.
Instead, they should link everything to Dickens’ ideas and purpose.
You can read all my guides free for 30 days here.
This is what Tilf.io said:
The extract focuses on the suffering of the poor. Scrooge meets the wretched and miserable children with the Ghost of Christmas Present, who introduces them: “This boy is Ignorance”, “this girl is Want”. Scrooge’s reaction is revealing, he “tried to say they were fine children, but the words choked themselves, rather than be parties to a lie of such enormous magnitude”. Scrooge believes that the children represent greed, which is why he “choked”. He cannot support them, so “Scrooge could say no more”. Dickens, through the Ghost, wants to show Scrooge that the children are totally self-interested and obsessed with money, and so are just like him.
(This paragraph shows some understanding of the text, but there is a misinterpretation. The children 'Ignorance' and 'Want' are not meant to represent greed or self-interest; they symbolize the consequences of society's neglect of the poor. It's important to accurately reflect the symbolism Dickens uses to convey his attitudes towards the poor.)
This reminds him of how he angrily refused to allow Bob Cratchit even one more lump of coal in Stave 1. We also remember his refusal to donate to the charity men, asking “Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?” This reveals injustice and greed in society. Instead, Scrooge had counted his wealth, coin by coin. This revealed the consequences of his refusal, where he stubbornly holds on to his wealth so that the poor continue to suffer.
(You've made a good connection between Scrooge's actions and the broader societal attitudes towards the poor.
However, try to delve deeper into how Dickens uses these instances to critique the lack of compassion in society and the harsh realities of poverty.)
In this extract Scrooge asks if the poor can be helped, “have they no refuge or resource?”. Consequently, the spirit mocks him by using Scrooge’s own words to ask “are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?” Scrooge therefore regrets his sinful thoughts and actions.
(You've correctly identified the irony in the Ghost's response to Scrooge's question.
To strengthen your analysis, consider discussing how Dickens uses this moment to highlight the inadequacy of societal institutions like prisons and workhouses in addressing the needs of the poor.)
Dickens also uses the “wolfish” children to represent Scrooge’s actions. Calling them “Ignorance” and “Want” shows Scrooge how his actions appear to others, as full of greed and misery. This causes Scrooge to regret his damaging behaviour.
(Again, there is a misunderstanding here. The 'wolfish' children are not a representation of Scrooge's actions but rather the dire consequences of societal neglect and the potential future if ignorance and want are not addressed. It's crucial to interpret these characters in the context of Dickens's social commentary.)
The suffering of the poor is also presented elsewhere in the novel. In Stave 1, Scrooge walks his neighbourhood full of the poor and vulnerable who are happily celebrating Christmas. However, he rushes by angrily, ignoring their attempts at friendly conversation. Next, he denies his poor, loyal employee, Bob Cratchit, a day off for Christmas. Moreover, although he is wealthy, he pays Bob very little. This reveals his coldness and causes Bob’s life to be less full of happiness.
(This paragraph effectively highlights Scrooge's indifference to the poor and his employee's plight.
To enhance your response, consider how Dickens uses these examples to criticize the lack of empathy and the social divide between the wealthy and the poor.)
In addition, his nephew Fred interrupts Scrooge counting his money. He joyfully wishes Scrooge “Merry Christmas”, and invites his uncle to join him for a family Christmas. Despite Scrooge’s arrogant refusal, Fred keeps trying, asking “are you sure?” Scrooge reply is a harsh “Bah! Humbug!”, shouted as loudly as a storm. Then he repeats this. Although Fred responds fearfully with “I’m sure you don’t mean that”, Scrooge forces him to leave. Scrooge now realises that his anger and negativity have been damaging.
(You've captured the contrast between Fred's warmth and Scrooge's coldness well.
To link this back to the question, discuss how Dickens uses the character of Fred to represent a more compassionate and inclusive attitude towards others, which is the antithesis of Scrooge's initial views.)
The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is a mysterious figure, a “silent shape” who has a black hand “painted on its head”. It makes Scrooge obey and follow it into a future filled with death. He discovers Tiny Tim will die from illness and sees the Cratchits crying mourning tears for him. In CONTRAST, no one grieves at Scrooge’s graveside. His lack of pity for the poor mean they return his lack of empathy and steal his clothes from his abandoned corpse.
(This paragraph effectively contrasts the different reactions to death in the novel.
To further address the question, consider how Dickens uses these contrasting reactions to critique the social isolation that comes from a lack of compassion and charity towards the less fortunate.)
The dominant THEMES of the novel are family and desire for power.
(While family and the desire for power are indeed themes in the novel, for the purpose of this question, it's important to focus on how Dickens conveys attitudes to the poor.
Discuss how these themes relate to the treatment of the poor and the social responsibility of the wealthy.)
Overall feedback: Your response shows some understanding of the novel and its portrayal of the poor. However, there are several misinterpretations of key symbols and characters that need to be addressed. Ensure that your analysis aligns with Dickens's intentions and the social commentary he is making about the poor. Focus on how he uses characters and events to convey his attitudes towards poverty and societal responsibility.
What went well: You have identified key moments in the novel that relate to the suffering of the poor and have made some connections between Scrooge's actions and broader societal attitudes.
Even better if: To improve, ensure that your interpretations of the text are accurate and reflect the author's intended symbolism. Expand on how Dickens uses these instances to critique societal attitudes and the treatment of the poor. Additionally, make sure to consistently link your analysis back to the question, focusing on how Dickens conveys attitudes to the poor through the narrative and character interactions.
If you found Tilf.io helpful, why not try it for free. Get your exam practice essays marked.
This is from my Ultimate Guide to A Christmas Carol
You can read it for free here: click.
How Does Dickens Want Us to Think About the Poor?
Although Dickens writes the novel as an entertainment, he wants the story of Scrooge’s moral awakening to “haunt” the reader, and so lead to a change in how his readers think about the poor.
Dickens shows his opposition to The Poor Laws, which created “workhouses”, by making Scrooge support them: “Are they still in operation?”. Scrooge also supports the criminalisation of the poor, “Are there no prisons?” and believes these are necessary to “decrease the surplus population”. Then Dickens creates Tiny Tim to show us what “the surplus population” looks like, and he uses Tiny Tim’s impending death to transform Scrooge’s view.
Scrooge’s words refer to Thomas Malthus’s economic theory and the cruelty of social policy. Because only male property holders could vote, Dickens targets his book at them, pricing it at an expensive five shillings, a third of the “fifteen shillings” a worker like Bob Cratchit earns. Dickens invites these readers, who would employ domestic servants, into the warmth of the Cratchits’ family Christmas, so that they too can understand the social effects of low wages.
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