Duality, Family & Love

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Duality

Both Fred and Cratchit are used to show what Scrooge’s life could be like if he stopped being so selfish and greedy.

Scrooge and Fred

Charles Dickens uses Scrooge and Fred to initially highlight the different sides of humans – and to point out the consequences of each one.
Throughout the novella, Scrooge is shown to be the negative, selfish, anti-social, self-centred side of mankind.
In contrast, Fred (Scrooge’s nephew) is cheerful, sociable, and kind-hearted.
Scrooge appears to be lonely and unhappy, whereas Fred appears to enjoy life.

Scrooge and Cratchit - happiness

Dickens also uses Scrooge and Cratchit to highlight different social classes and the impact of wealth on happiness.
- Throughout the novella, Cratchit is shown to be happy and full of life and love (as long as he has his family).
- In contrast, Scrooge is shown to be miserable and alone, with no love.

Scrooge and Cratchit - happiness and wealth

Although Cratchit’s family is poor, he is still happy because he appreciates his family and their love. He uses what little money he has to make their lives as good as he can.
Scrooge, however, has a lot of money but doesn’t want to use it; instead, he hoards his money, refuses to use it to help anyone else, and allows his greed to come between him and the woman he loved (Belle).

Family and Love

In A Christmas Carol, those characters with loving families are shown to be happy, while those characters who do not have close families are miserable.

Importance of Fred

In the story it is clear that, despite wanting to live a life of solitude, Scrooge is not alone: he has a nephew, Fred.
Throughout Stave 1, Fred shows that he is constantly asking his uncle to have dinner with him and his wife, to spend Christmas with them and to be part of their lives (“I want nothing from you; I ask nothing of you; why cannot we be friends?”), but Scrooge chooses to be alone and refuses.

Significance of the Cratchits

In contrast, the Cratchit family love being together and love each other very much, but through Scrooge’s selfishness, they risk losing someone they love: Tiny Tim.

Importance of family

Characters with loving families are shown to be happy: Fred, the Cratchits, Belle. Characters who do not have close families are miserable: Scrooge and Marley.
- Families metaphorically provide warmth – when Fred enters the office, it seems to warm up: “He had so heated himself with rapid walking in the fog and frost, this nephew of Scrooge’s, that he was all in a glow”.
- Scrooge is constantly described as being cold: “No warmth could warm, no wintry weather chill him”. He is cold-hearted until he accepts love.

1Plot Summary

1.1Plot Summary

1.1.1Outline

1.1.2Introducing Scrooge & Marley

1.1.3Stave 1

1.1.4Stave 2

1.1.5Stave 3

1.1.6End of Topic Test - Staves 1-3

1.1.7Stave 4

1.1.8Stave 5

1.1.9End of Topic Test - Staves 4-5

2Key Characters & Quotes

2.1Ebenezer Scrooge

2.1.1Outline & Stave 1

2.1.2Stave 2

2.1.3Stave 3

2.1.4Stave 4

2.1.5Stave 5 & Key Quotes

2.1.6End of Topic Test - Ebeneezer Scrooge

2.2Other Characters

2.2.1Bob Cratchit

2.2.2Tiny Tim

2.2.3Fred

2.2.4The Ghosts Pt 1

2.2.5The Ghosts Pt 2

2.2.6End of Topic Test - Other Characters

2.3Grade 9 - Key Characters

2.3.1Grade 9 - Key Characters

2.3.2Grade 9 - Extract Analysis

3Key Ideas

3.1Key Ideas

3.1.1Inequality, Ignorance & Want

3.1.2Duality, Family & Love

3.1.3Christianity & Redemption

3.1.4End of Topic Test - Key Ideas

3.1.5Grade 9 - Key Themes

4Context

4.1Context

4.1.1Dickens & Victorian England

4.1.2Poverty & Victorian Christmas

4.1.3Exam-Style Questions - Poverty

4.1.4Gothic Fiction

4.1.5Gothic Fiction & Victorian England

4.1.6End of Topic Test - Context

5Authorial Method

5.1Structure & Techniques

5.1.1Structure & Time

5.1.2Time Frame & Pace

5.1.3Narrative Voice & Tone

5.1.4Settings, Similes & Metaphors

5.1.5End of Topic Test - Authorial Method

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