Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol

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Discuss the ways in which Charles Dickens presents the character of

Ebenezer Scrooge as being central to the moral message of A Christmas

Carol.

In the text ‘A Christmas Carol’, the author Charles Dickens presents

the character of Ebenezer Scrooge as central to the moral message in a

number of different ways. To identify this, a number of different

aspects within the text shall be looked at. These include the morals

of the story and the affects of this. The way Ebenezer Scrooge is

portrayed as well as what the character he represents. All of these

aspects are important in order to deliver the moral messages contained

in the text.

Some people’s perspective is that looking at the message of the story

is key in being able to look at the effect Ebenezer Scrooge has on it.

The moral message of the book conveys that everyman should be treated

as an equal, and it is the duty of every person to help those who are

less fortunate. This is mentioned in the first stave of the book where

the Ghost of Jacob Marley says:

‘ It is required of everyman, that the spirit within him should walk

abroad among his fellowmen, and travel far and wide; and if that

spirit goes not forth in life, it is condemned to do so after death.’

Dickens uses each Ghost’s tale to function as a parable; as such ‘A

Christmas Carol’ illustrates the central Christian moral ideas,

particularly associated with Christmas. The book also offers

relatively modern ideas of how to celebrate Christmas for the

Victorian age, which is less concerned with solemn religious

traditions and more concerned with the utilising of the Christian

traditions of sharing gifts, festive celebrations and displays of

prosperity. This moral message has a big effect on ...

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... Father” (Stave 5).

Having identified and discussed the moral message contained in the

text ‘A Christmas Carol’, and that the way Charles Dickens presents

the character of Ebenezer Scrooge, as central to this moral message;

Scrooge is clearly shown to be ultimately the key to the story and its

pivotal focus. Through the points discussed, it has been sufficiently

explained the pivotal role that the character of Scrooge plays,

through his representation and the way in which Dickens has portrayed

him. As both ends of the spectrum in terms of this moral message,

illustrating the consequences of not following this code and that

change is indeed possible as well as important. Scrooge is proven to

be the central character through whom many important social and

political points in historical context of the text; but, through those

which are also relevant today.

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