Symbolism In A Christmas Carol

Peace, happiness, sharing, and an understanding among the brethren attribute to the sense of warmth during the Christmas holiday. It is a time where one can observe the generosity of the rich, and the poor making the best out of nothing. RRegardless of one's situation, it is expected that they be optimistic on this holiday and past it as well. They should make the best of whichever situation they are in. Hope is the very thing that makes this holiday such a success. It gives the people a chance to believe that everything will be all right, and that it will not last forever. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens has multiple elements that have symbolic significance in the story. One of utmost importance is fire; used to symbolize the image of hope and happiness. This is seen through out the novella, in each stave and helps conjure up images of one's own experience.
At the beginning of the novella, the readers encounter Scrooge. He is described as "A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner… (Page 2)" He is disturbed by no element whether it be cold, warm, windy, etc. People in the streets could be dying, yet he would think it is for the best to decrease the population. "Scrooge had a very small fire, but the clerk’s fire was so very much smaller that it looked like one coal… (Page 4)" Scrooge is shown to have little to no hope for anything. He believes he is quite happy with his current lifestyle, but that is further from the truth. The clerk is shown to have barely any happiness working for Mr. Scrooge. Mr. Scrooge is someone that one would only associate with, only if it was necessary or a life and death situation. The fire in this situation shows that Scrooge has no true happiness and his cle...

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...hey will not focus just on that because in life one cannot just focus on the negativity, they must balance it out with both good and bad. If one did not then many would be running through the motions of life, instead of experiencing them one at a time.
Scrooge’s change is finalized when he sees the tombstone of the man, which turns out to be his own. He promises change and realizes that wealth is worth sharing. As the novella finishes Scrooge tells Mr. Cratchit to “Make up the fires, and buy another coal-scuttle before you dot another i, Bob Cratchit! (Page 111)” The fire grows; Hope and happiness illuminate Scrooge as he has finally opened up. He has changed his lifestyle and knows the true meaning of Christmas. It is a time of sharing and peace, not one of loneliness. If this man is capable of change, then many things can be accomplished with hope and happiness.