A Christmas Carol: Themes

Poverty

Isolation

Responsibility/Society

Greed & Money

Poverty is commonly seen in A Christmas Carol

The Cratchits, the families seen in the ghost of Christmas future and present's visits

Common for the time period

It is a key theme and referenced to frequently

Scrooge refuses to help a poverty charity at the start of the novella

Christmas

The whole novella is a metaphor of the generosity and compassion of Christmas

This theme is shown in various parts of the novella

The title and structure (take place over Christmas)

Scrooge's nephew, Fred, as someone who embodies the Christmas spirit

Tiny Tim as someone who is generous and kind

Responsibilty

Society

Society is seen differently to a regular Victorian image

Society is seen as one which could be a link to the togetherness of Christmas #

Society is usually seen as separate in Victorian times because of the divide between poor and rich

Responsibility is seen in two ways in this novella

Take care of yourself the most

Take care of others the most

Scrooge, Marley

Fred, Bob Cratchit, The Porterly gentlemen

Isolation is seen in Scrooge

Scrooge chooses to isolate himself on Christmas instead of going to his nephew's

He sits in a lone office, separate from the rest of the building

Greed and Money is arguably the most important theme of the novella

Scrooge is driven by his wealth and greed for it

He loses his love interest due to it

He loses his friends due toit

He becomes unpopular because of it