The Industrial Revolution - Impact on the novel

How can the Industrial Revolution be seen as a "character" in A Christmas Carol?

It has the power to dictate people's lives, especially the working class, much like a dominant force within the novel.

How does the Industrial Revolution impact the Cratchit family in A Christmas Carol?

Their pitiful situation represents the struggles of the working class, and Tiny Tim would have died without Scrooge’s intervention.

How does Dickens criticize the Industrial Revolution in A Christmas Carol?

He highlights its darker consequences through Scrooge’s treatment of his workers, showing how greed and lack of compassion harm society.

What literary device does Dickens use in Scrooge’s speech to criticize ignorance?

Hyperbole—Scrooge says those who celebrate Christmas should be “boiled with his own pudding,” exaggerating his cruelty and ignorance.

Why might Dickens be addressing his wealthy readers in A Christmas Carol?

Many contemporary readers were rich and may have shared Scrooge’s views, so Dickens confronts them with their own ignorance to encourage change.

What is the purpose of making Scrooge’s views so extreme in A Christmas Carol?

To make his ignorance clear and force readers to reflect on their own attitudes toward poverty and social responsibility.