English essay: Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol'?

Question

I don't understand the question: How does 'A Christmas Carol' present a critique of Victorian values?

Help would be much appreciated.
Thank you

Answer 1

The dominant values of Victorian society were summed up by the words, "the survival of the fittest." Back then, being poor was actually a crime; and if you couldn't feed yourself or your family, you were left to die.

Market forces reigned supreme; and labour was there to be exploited. The values of success at any cost, and get as much out of people as possible dominated the Victorian business world. It was a very bleak time for workers.

In many ways, then, Scrooge represents the dominant values of his age. While many back then might not have been as vocal as Scrooge about it, the values he represents in the book were very common place.

Dickens' critique of that value system is evident throughout the book. His spirits of Christmas remind Scrooge that we are all in this world together. And that by helping others, we are actually helping ourselves.

Hope this answer helps. Cheers, mate.

Answer 2

It's asking if you noticed the sexual tension between Scrooge and the ghosts, because in Victorian times you couldn't write freely about sex. It's all about Scrooge wanting to have sex, wishing he'd had more in the past and hoping for some in the future - preferably with Tiny Tim...

Nah, just kidding - that would have been a better story, though.

The question is asking you what the novel tells you about life and society in Victorian times - Scrooge's attitude to those less fortunate than himself, and is basically a debate between socialism and capitalism in dealing with issues like poverty, unemployment etc. Do the well off have a moral responsibility to help the poor, or shoulkd the poor get off their ar5es and find work...? That sort of thing.

Watch Blackadder's version - it's far more entertaining...

Answer 3

It has to do with money and how people with money are valued and how getting jobs is so very important. If someone does not have a "Situation" They are considered lazy. Also the idea of a class system that those with money run in very different circles than those without money. For example Freddy is very helpful to and nice to Mr. Cratchet but yet would never invite him to his house. It just isnt done. Remember Freddy arranges for his elder son to be an apprentice. So Freddy feels for Bob and helps him but would never socialize with him.

Answer 4

a Christmas carol held a lot of information about the different class people and how they lived and were perceived, example would be that the lower class people were more family orientated and the upper class were more money orientated, the upper class people treated the lower class as if they where beneath them and used them to help themselves get richer, looking back into scrooges life and what he could have done differently to help the lower class people and himself, I hope this helps a bit.

Answer 5

Adding to what Jack said about exploiting labor: Bob Cratchett's children worked because they were expected too.

I had read (many years ago) that Dickens was a vocal opponent of the child labor movement of the time and that many of his other works went on to detail abuses (of course, I could be thinking of another author - I was in High School many years ago).

Answer 6

Focus on Scrooge saying, "Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?" I think they mean the attitude towards the poor, that they shouldn't get handouts but they should just work harder or get sent to the poorhouse as they deserve.

Answer 7

most of the stories were written for a weekly paper in instalments and it turned out to xmas time