Examples Of Allegory In A Christmas Carol

Dickens’ Allegory

“God Bless Us, Every One.” This famous dialogue is spoken by a little son named Tiny Tim in the captivating play of A Christmas Carol where protagonist Ebenezer Scrooge embarks on a journey during Victorian times to change himself from a pinchpenny to a jovial man. Scrooge is told by his dead business partner’s ghost, Jacob Marley, to alter his miserly attitude for a happy afterlife. Marley informs Ebenezer that there will be visits from three specters who will show him the past, present and future. Towards the end of the play, the audience sees a gargantuan change of heart in Scrooge, and he commits himself to the jubilant spirit of Christmas. Throughout this novella, Dickens drops many large hints as to what

early Victorian times were like: there was a great divide between upper and peasant classes, and vast amounts of people were out on the cold streets begging for food or money; he informs his audience about conditions of life in England.

During the creation of A Christmas Carol, Dickens saw that many of the poor were being neglected and whisked off to the torturous workhouses and prisons. Workhouses existed because of the Poor Law, a law that provided relief for the people living in destitute; the authorization can be traced back to as early as 1536. This was a feeble attempt to stop England’s streets from being overcrowded with beggars, and it worked out in the most unpleasant of ways. People who couldn’t support themselves or their family had to turn to the government for help, and parishes forced the poor to live in workhouses; it was nowhere near the coziness of home. Women were separated from men and their husbands; youngsters could make no contact with their parents. Families were cut off from each other, and children weren't able to grow up with the gentle and affectionate guidance of parents. This would result in them never knowing their parents fully, and no

modern-day adolescent would volunteer to live like that. Hygiene was poor, and germs spread like wildfire. Rooms were extremely compact, and disease spread quickly due to many sickly people in a room full of detainees. Meals consisted of small portions of meat, cheese, bread, and potatoes; the minimum weekly ration was 137 ounces. Workhouses were similar to prisons, which were buildings that defaulters, people waiting for litigation, and subsidiary offenders came to. Two types of prisons came to be: one was run by the central regime of London, and the other presided by Justices of Peace. A type of transporting prison, known as prison hulks, housed prisoners on ship at sea for jails on land were too crowded. Lockups were just as grim and inapt as workhouses, and poor people people feared landing up up at either of them. Workhouses and prisons had a strong impact on Victorian society in Dickens’ times, and characteristics of the cruel nature of fate appear repeatedly in A Christmas Carol.
During the beginning of the novella, Scrooge receives a visit from Marley’s ghost.

This wraith carries a chain, which embodies the gargantuan mistake he made during his lifetime by thinking only about business with Scrooge and the profit made. Marley exclaims, “Mankind was my business!” In his afterlife, he is regretting building on this ponderous chain as it is a burden for him to carry. Afterwards, two men approach Scrooge and ask for a donation he can bestow upon the poor. One of the men says, “ We should make some slight provision for the poor and destitute, who suffer greatly at the present time. Many thousands are in want of common necessities; hundreds of thousands are in want of common comforts, sir.” Scrooge, of course, refuses and asks them if there are no establishments to house the poverty-stricken people on the streets of England, and dismisses them. This very quote informs Dickens’ audience of the tough times in London, and reminds many people that they should be thankful for shelter and common amenities the human population requires. He is a miser and pinchpenny; Scrooge represents greed in the beginning of the play, and he turns into merriment at the end. The apparition of Present also points out the fact that the Cratchits, a family that has nothing fancy or “tasteful to the times,” are happy and merry any time of the year. Present signifies the happiness and jubilant spirit of Christmas; his throne of food alludes opulence of fruitful items.

Bob Cratchit symbolizes poor working conditions, as he is the mistreated and underpaid bookkeeper of Scrooge. So, does Dickens successfully inform his audience about poverty in England?
While writing this famous fiction, Dickens blends the real problems of poverty and destitute with the queer and fantasy adventure of Scrooge turning from a miserable person to a jolly old fellow. Dickens’ purpose for writing this novel is extremely effective as it publicizes the struggle of the unfortunate and homeless. About six thousand copies were published in the first few day after printing! Also, this story was readjusted subsequently to theatrical conditions, and many plays are performed pertaining to the Christmas Carol plot line today. Many people enjoy the Christmas Carol as many different versions in drama, video, television and more have been created to please the crowds even more. One example of a reaction like this is when an English teacher, Mrs. Snow, showed a Muppet version and a Warner Bros Picture of the Christmas Carol on the screen; the whole class wanted more of those comical impressions! All in all, Charles Dickens managed to spin an interesting tale with many morals, problems and solutions; the result is an unforgettable story that will remain alive for the years to come.