‘Ebenezer Scrooge: Man of the people.’ Show how Dickens uses the character of scrooge to influence his reader’s attitudes to the poor of Victorian England. Charles Dickens was a superb and skilful storyteller; he was one of the most successful and famous Victorian novelist. He wanted to change the conditions that young worked in, he worked hard to try and change it. He was a great social campaigner. Dickens was generally concerned with poor people and particularly the young children after he had visited the Ragged Schools in 1843. He was appalled and extremely shocked by the conditions that these young poor children live in. One of his main aims in life was to try and influence the people who read his books through the power of fiction. He wants his readers to care about these people who live in these conditions, he wanted them to act charitable.
In Scrooge, Dickens creates an ugly character. A miser, hard-hearted man. A character that’s stands for money and greed. He creates the character, firstly through description and imagery. ‘Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out a fire.’ This quotation shows that Scrooge is hard in business and very focused but does not give anything away. No one can make him spark. His appearance is affected by his cold nature. ‘No warmth could warm him, nor wintry weather chill him.’ The quotation means that nothing affects him, no matter how good or bad things are. He unchangeable.
Dickens introduces 3 characters to show scrooges shortcomings as an employer, relation and citizen. He is shown as a bad employer ‘for scrooge kept the coal-box in his own room.’ Scrooge didn’t give anything-away not even coal to keep his workers warm. The working conditions were terrible ‘the clerks fire was so very much smaller that it looked like one coal.’ Scrooge wouldn’t give his workers Christmas day off, he says ‘its not convenient, and its not fair.
If I was to stop half a crown, you’d think yourself ill-used, ill be bound.’ This shows that scrooge is a bad employer and cold at heart, but as there would be no other people to do business with and the fact that he didn’t want to waste money on useless coal. Scrooge infrequently showed some kindness and he gave them the day off but told they had better ‘be there all the earlier next morning.’ Scrooge lacks family values and the Christmas spirit, to emphasize his meanness he is placed in contrast with his nephew. Scrooge is extremely different to his nephew, Fred is jolly and is enlightened with the joys of Christmas, ‘a good time: a kind time, a forgiving, charitable and pleasant time.’ This is the only time of the year were his nephew may
