Materialism and Wealth:

Materialism and Wealth:

Materialism is defined as ‘the preference of

material things and physical comfort over

spiritual values’. It is a concept which Dickens

presents as wrong within the text. He explores

the idea of wealth in greater depth and portrays

it as having both positive and negative

effects within the novella.

Stave Two is central to Dickens’ message as

Scrooge points out the paradoxical nature of

wealth. He describes it as “the even-handed

dealing of the world”. He continues by

asserting that there is nothing on earth as

“hard as poverty” but the “pursuit of wealth”

is one of the things people “condemn” the most. This

belief is used by Scrooge to justify his actions;

however, Dickens may have included this perceptive observation to comment on the

attitudes towards wealth in Victorian society.

Dickens ultimately shows the reader that wealth is not exclusively amoral as in some areas

of the novella it is presented in a positive light.

Materialism as Wrong:

When Marley’s Ghost appears before Scrooge in the opening stave he insults him by calling

him a “man of the worldly mind”. This could be interpreted as alluding to Scrooge’s

materialistic attitude, a significant reference as it occurs in the first stave. This is interesting

as it highlights that Dickens wanted to establish materialism as wrong from the very offset of

the novella.

Dickens furthers this through the revelation that the other spirits in purgatory had a “misery

within them” because they wanted to “interfere, for good, in human matters” but had

“lost the power forever.'' Here, Dickens highlights that material things and physical

comfort are unimportant, challenging the concept of materialism. Instead, he presents the

idea that spiritual values, such as helping those around you, are more essential and

beneficial from both a moral and religious standpoint.

This viewpoint is reinforced in Stave Three when the Ghost of Christmas Present takes

Scrooge to Fred’s Christmas party. Fred observes that Scrooge’s materialistic pursuits of

wealth are of “no use to him” as he doesn’t “do any good with it (his money)”. Here

Dickens outlines that as materialism doesn’t benefit anyone, it is purposeless and should

be abandoned, solidifying its portrayal as a worthless concept within the novella.

Negative Presentation of Wealth

In addition to his negative portrayal of materialism, Dickens uses Marley’s character to

highlight the unfavourable effects of wealth. When Marley’s Ghost appears, Dickens

writes that he was tied in chains. He details that they were made of “cash-boxes, keys,

padlocks, ledgers (a book of financial accounts), deeds (a legal document for property),

and heavy purses”. This semantic field (a group of words with similar meanings) of money

highlights how it is Marley’s misuse of wealth which has caused him to become trapped in

purgatory. Through this Dickens presents a didactic (moral) lesson for readers, perhaps

causing them to understand that wealth can cause the downfall of a person if it is not used

properly.

This idea is furthered by the breakdown of the relationship between Scrooge and Belle. Belle

tells Scrooge that she is leaving him due to his “eager” and “greedy” attitude towards

money. She recognises that he no longer has any noble “aspirations” as “gain” is what

“engrosses” him. This highlights that the deterioration of their relationship is a direct

consequence of Scrooge’s fixation with wealth.

Positive Presentation of Wealth

Fezziwig, Scrooge’s employer when he was young, is present

Positive Presentation of Wealth:

Fezziwig, Scrooge’s employer when he was young, is presented as a character who used

money in a praiseworthy and exemplary way. Therefore, it could be argued that Dickens

uses his character to act as an example to readers, presenting the idea that it is indeed

possible to be both wealthy and moral.

● Scrooge recognises that Fezziwig uses his money to make people “happy”. He

ensures that the working conditions in the warehouse instil a sense of “pleasure” in

his employees. Consequently, Scrooge acknowledges that it is not the amount of

money a person has which is important but the happiness that they can create

because of it.

In the final stave, Scrooge also uses his money to benefit those around him. He makes a

donation to the charity collector from Stave One and sends a turkey to Bob Cratchit's house

for Christmas dinner. Following these altruistic (selfless) actions, the narrator repeatedly

uses the word “good” to describe his character. This shows how Scrooge has been able to

use his wealth to become a better person. The Narrator reinforces this by revealing that his

“own heart laughed” suggesting that he is content and happy. This ultimately presents the

idea that wealth can be used to honour spiritual values in order to develop into a better

person.