Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/3-1-1-inequality-ignorance-and-want [Revision notes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes.md) › [GCSE](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse.md) › [English Lit](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature.md) › [AQA](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa.md) › [English Lit: AQA GCSE A Christmas Carol](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol.md) › Inequality, Ignorance & Want # Inequality, Ignorance & Want English Lit: AQA GCSE A Christmas Carol, topic 3.1.1 ## Social Inequality and Justice Charles Dickens uses _A Christmas Carol_ to address how much Victorian England ignored the poverty of the lower class. He felt that the suffering experienced by the lower class was wrong, especially when compared to the luxurious lives of the upper class. ### Highlights inequality ![Highlights inequality](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-05/dab843bb-5afe-4450-84a8-911cb9746311/shutterstock_444159412.jpg) - Dickens highlights social inequality in a number of ways: - The wealthy man, Scrooge, is cruel and refuses to help the poor. - He also almost attempts to make Cratchit work on Christmas Day. He is shown as being unkind and selfish. - The poor man, Cratchit, works hard but suffers because he is lower class. He is a good, kind-hearted man, but is doomed to live in poverty and watch helplessly as his child dies – unless the upper-class man helps him! ### Mood of the classes ![Mood of the classes](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-05/29fbf09d-e2d7-4111-8cc6-6bc6ea665941/shutterstock_529944337.jpg) - However, Dickens shows the upper-class character (Scrooge) to be unhappy despite his station and wealth, whereas the lower-class family (the Cratchits) are nice, loving, kind people, despite having very little. ### Lesson to classes ![Lesson to classes](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-05/2b5eb196-0b19-4743-9a2e-d5fc15d557b4/shutterstock_749516689.jpg) - Dickens attempts to show Victorian England that everyone’s lives can be improved if they help one another – Scrooge’s life is much more well-rounded when he starts giving to other people, whilst the Cratchits are much happier with a bit of support from Scrooge because it means their son can be healthier. - Both classes gain from working together. ## Ignorance and Want Dickens used the characters of Ignorance and Want (hidden under the robes of the Ghost of Christmas Present) to highlight a lot of the problems in the world. ### Allegories ![Allegories](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-05/d2570aac-91cf-417c-bae7-f2c1e7aaedbc/shutterstock_624406277.jpg) - __“Two children; wretched, abject, frightful, hideous, miserable”__. - These children are allegories of two social problems (they represent these problems in human form – this is also why their names have capital letters). - __“They were a boy and a girl. Yellow, meagre, ragged, scowling, wolfish”.__ ### Ignorance ![Ignorance](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-05/56445de8-2974-4a8c-b04a-d6e1eb4cffa8/shutterstock_274693853.jpg) - Dickens uses Ignorance to chastise the Victorian reader, attempting to make them realise that they were ignoring the problems in their own society. - The readers then (and still somewhat now) were pretending to be ignorant about the problems faced by their fellow humans. - Scrooge is a good example of a man who ignores the huge social problems of the time. - Through the Ghost, Dickens tells the reader: __“They are Man’s”__, encouraging readers to take some responsibility for other people. ### Want ![Want](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-05/2ebad13b-fdd9-4464-a184-f7f5f0fe9611/shutterstock_560220916.jpg) - In Victorian England, a large proportion of the population was poor and, therefore, had to go without things (they ‘wanted for’ basic things like food and shelter). - Want, combined with Ignorance of the upper-classes, creates enormous social problems. ### Message for society ![Message for society](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-05/ce8bf912-8f6a-4bf7-9e1c-ca2da54e42b3/shutterstock_74496640.jpg) - Dickens wanted to show that, by ignoring these issues, society would produce children like this – they are shown to be dirty, with no hope of a good future. - This could then lead children like this into a life of crime, which would cause even bigger issues for society: __“Where angels might have sat enthroned, devils lurked, and glared out menacing”__. ## Test yourself on Inequality, Ignorance & Want - What are Ignorance and Want allegories of? - Which of these characters represents Victorians who ignored the huge social problems of the time? [Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/ddff7b40-4794-11e8-840f-39fdc9615de8/section/48a5a220-4c96-11e8-b481-f529820d2afa/session) - Previous topic: [2.3.2 Grade 9 - Extract Analysis](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/2-3-2-grade-9-extract-analysis.md) - Next topic: [3.1.2 Duality, Family & Love](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/3-1-2-duality-family-and-love.md) ## English Lit: AQA GCSE A Christmas Carol contents ### 1 Plot Summary - 1.1 Plot Summary - [1.1.1 Outline](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/1-1-1-outline.md) - [1.1.2 Introducing Scrooge & Marley](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/1-1-2-introducing-scrooge-and-marley.md) - [1.1.3 Stave 1](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/1-1-3-stave-1.md) - [1.1.4 Stave 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/1-1-4-stave-2.md) - [1.1.5 Stave 3](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/1-1-5-stave-3.md) - [1.1.6 End of Topic Test - Staves 1-3](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/1-1-6-end-of-topic-test-staves-1-3.md) - [1.1.7 Stave 4](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/1-1-7-stave-4.md) - [1.1.8 Stave 5](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/1-1-8-stave-5.md) - [1.1.9 End of Topic Test - Staves 4-5](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/1-1-9-end-of-topic-test-staves-4-5.md) - [1.1.10 Diagnostic Misconceptions - Belle](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/1-1-10-diagnostic-misconceptions-belle.md) ### 2 Key Characters & Quotes - 2.1 Ebenezer Scrooge - [2.1.1 Outline & Stave 1](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/2-1-1-outline-and-stave-1.md) - [2.1.2 Stave 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/2-1-2-stave-2.md) - [2.1.3 Stave 3](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/2-1-3-stave-3.md) - [2.1.4 Stave 4](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/2-1-4-stave-4.md) - [2.1.5 Stave 5 & Key Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/2-1-5-stave-5-and-key-quotes.md) - [2.1.6 End of Topic Test - Ebeneezer Scrooge](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/2-1-6-end-of-topic-test-ebeneezer-scrooge.md) - [2.1.7 Diagnostic Misconceptions - Scrooge](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/2-1-7-diagnostic-misconceptions-scrooge.md) - 2.2 Other Characters - [2.2.1 Bob Cratchit](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/2-2-1-bob-cratchit.md) - [2.2.2 Tiny Tim](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/2-2-2-tiny-tim.md) - [2.2.3 Fred](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/2-2-3-fred.md) - [2.2.4 The Ghosts Pt 1](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/2-2-4-the-ghosts-pt-1.md) - [2.2.5 The Ghosts Pt 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/2-2-5-the-ghosts-pt-2.md) - [2.2.6 End of Topic Test - Other Characters](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/2-2-6-end-of-topic-test-other-characters.md) - [2.2.7 Diagnostic Misconceptions - Bob Marley](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/2-2-7-diagnostic-misconceptions-bob-marley.md) - [2.2.8 Diagnostic Misconceptions - Two Ghosts](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/2-2-8-diagnostic-misconceptions-two-ghosts.md) - [2.2.9 Diagnostic Misconceptions - Ghost of Christmas](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/2-2-9-diagnostic-misconceptions-ghost-of-christmas.md) - [2.2.10 Diagnostic Misconceptions - The Cratchits](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/2-2-10-diagnostic-misconceptions-the-cratchits.md) - 2.3 Grade 9 - Key Characters - [2.3.1 Grade 9 - Key Characters](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/2-3-1-grade-9-key-characters.md) - [2.3.2 Grade 9 - Extract Analysis](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/2-3-2-grade-9-extract-analysis.md) ### 3 Key Ideas - 3.1 Key Ideas - [3.1.1 Inequality, Ignorance & Want](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/3-1-1-inequality-ignorance-and-want.md) - [3.1.2 Duality, Family & Love](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/3-1-2-duality-family-and-love.md) - [3.1.3 Christianity & Redemption](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/3-1-3-christianity-and-redemption.md) - [3.1.4 End of Topic Test - Key Ideas](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/3-1-4-end-of-topic-test-key-ideas.md) - [3.1.5 Grade 9 - Key Themes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/3-1-5-grade-9-key-themes.md) ### 4 Context - 4.1 Context - [4.1.1 Dickens & Victorian England](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/4-1-1-dickens-and-victorian-england.md) - [4.1.2 Poverty & Victorian Christmas](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/4-1-2-poverty-and-victorian-christmas.md) - [4.1.3 Exam-Style Questions - Poverty](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/4-1-3-exam-style-questions-poverty.md) - [4.1.4 Gothic Fiction](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/4-1-4-gothic-fiction.md) - [4.1.5 Gothic Fiction & Victorian England](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/4-1-5-gothic-fiction-and-victorian-england.md) - [4.1.6 End of Topic Test - Context](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/4-1-6-end-of-topic-test-context.md) - [4.1.7 Diagnostic Misconceptions - Dickens & Socialism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/4-1-7-diagnostic-misconceptions-dickens-and-socialism.md) - [4.1.8 Diagnostic Misconceptions - Misanthropy](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/4-1-8-diagnostic-misconceptions-misanthropy.md) ### 5 Authorial Method - 5.1 Structure & Techniques - [5.1.1 Structure & Time](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/5-1-1-structure-and-time.md) - [5.1.2 Time Frame & Pace](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/5-1-2-time-frame-and-pace.md) - [5.1.3 Narrative Voice & Tone](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/5-1-3-narrative-voice-and-tone.md) - [5.1.4 Settings, Similes & Metaphors](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/5-1-4-settings-similes-and-metaphors.md) - [5.1.5 End of Topic Test - Authorial Method](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/5-1-5-end-of-topic-test-authorial-method.md) ### 6 Recap: Main Quotes - 6.1 Recap: Main Quotes - [6.1.1 Scrooge Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/6-1-1-scrooge-quotes.md) - [6.1.2 Bob & Tiny Tim Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/6-1-2-bob-and-tiny-tim-quotes.md) - [6.1.3 Fred & Ghosts Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/6-1-3-fred-and-ghosts-quotes.md) - [6.1.4 Ignorance & Want Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/6-1-4-ignorance-and-want-quotes.md) - [6.1.5 Other Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/a-christmas-carol/6-1-5-other-quotes.md)