Explore how Dickens presents the suffering of the poor in A Christmas Carol, starting with
Ignorance and Want.
Introduction:
Dickens presents the plight of the poor as unjust and immoral as well as emotionally and
physically damaging to the individual. He uses ‘A Christmas Carol’ to highlight the harsh and
brutal reality of the poor in Victorian society through various symbols and methods to encourage
the wealthy to help the poor and advocate for change.
PARA 1
Stave 1:
– “Are there no prisons? The union workhouses?” → imagery of wrongdoing, language scrooge
is using = criminality, crime, wrongdoing: suggests that scrooge believes the poor are criminals
= popular belief at the time, alternatively can suggest that the poor are trapped in cells just like
prisoners, there is no way out of poverty, anti poor laws → forced labour, akin to a prisoner
– (peppered in) “If they had rather die … decrease the surplus population.” → thomas malthus:
economist, dickens = satirises to critique his theory
LINK TO PARA 2: This lack of compassion is challenged in Stave 3 as Dickens shines a light on
the direct impact of avarice on the poor.
PARA 2
Stave 3:
– “This boy is Ignorance. The girl is Want.” → SYMBOL of the lack of necessities the poor have
(want) and ignorance → lack of care and empathy from the middle class, as well as the lack of
education for the poor leading them into an endless cycle of poverty “doom” on ignorance’s
forehead dickens can be suggesting that middle class must take action to help the poor to avoid
the vicious cycle
– “boy..girl” → everyone is affected
– (peppered in) “yellow, meagre, scowling, ragged, wolfish” LIST: animalistic nature, showing
how they’ve been stripped of their innocence and purity but left with survival instincts and
inhumane conditions. “Yellow” → imagery, lack of basic healthcare, showing malnutrition,
jaundice, deficiencies, grotesque image
– ignoring them shall lead to disaster
LINK TO PARA 3: Dickens continues to highlight the consequence of poverty on children by
using Tiny Tim to evoke pathos in the reader.
PARA 3
Stave 3:
– Tiny Tim’s “withered little hand” showing the consequences of avarice and the impact it has on
the poor, emotional suffering as well as physical suffering, power imbalance, vulnerability,
dickens showing how innocent children are also affected
Ignorance and Want.
Introduction:
Dickens presents the plight of the poor as unjust and immoral as well as emotionally and
physically damaging to the individual. He uses ‘A Christmas Carol’ to highlight the harsh and
brutal reality of the poor in Victorian society through various symbols and methods to encourage
the wealthy to help the poor and advocate for change.
PARA 1
Stave 1:
– “Are there no prisons? The union workhouses?” → imagery of wrongdoing, language scrooge
is using = criminality, crime, wrongdoing: suggests that scrooge believes the poor are criminals
= popular belief at the time, alternatively can suggest that the poor are trapped in cells just like
prisoners, there is no way out of poverty, anti poor laws → forced labour, akin to a prisoner
– (peppered in) “If they had rather die … decrease the surplus population.” → thomas malthus:
economist, dickens = satirises to critique his theory
LINK TO PARA 2: This lack of compassion is challenged in Stave 3 as Dickens shines a light on
the direct impact of avarice on the poor.
PARA 2
Stave 3:
– “This boy is Ignorance. The girl is Want.” → SYMBOL of the lack of necessities the poor have
(want) and ignorance → lack of care and empathy from the middle class, as well as the lack of
education for the poor leading them into an endless cycle of poverty “doom” on ignorance’s
forehead dickens can be suggesting that middle class must take action to help the poor to avoid
the vicious cycle
– “boy..girl” → everyone is affected
– (peppered in) “yellow, meagre, scowling, ragged, wolfish” LIST: animalistic nature, showing
how they’ve been stripped of their innocence and purity but left with survival instincts and
inhumane conditions. “Yellow” → imagery, lack of basic healthcare, showing malnutrition,
jaundice, deficiencies, grotesque image
– ignoring them shall lead to disaster
LINK TO PARA 3: Dickens continues to highlight the consequence of poverty on children by
using Tiny Tim to evoke pathos in the reader.
PARA 3
Stave 3:
– Tiny Tim’s “withered little hand” showing the consequences of avarice and the impact it has on
the poor, emotional suffering as well as physical suffering, power imbalance, vulnerability,
dickens showing how innocent children are also affected
