a christmas carol AO3

How did dickens use Thomas Malthus ideas?

-argued against Malthusian theory of overpopulation

-tries to restore balance in in-equal society

When was the novella published

1843

Malthusian theory

-by reducing the population, everyone’s standard of living will get better

-pif you improve the living conditions of the poor they will reproduce more and create worse conditions

“Decrease the surplus population”-uses Scrooge to educate and shock wealthy audience with their own ignorance and economical choices.

What period was Christmas carol in?

Victorian period

Class hierarchy in Victorian era

-enormous divide between rich and poor

-in this era, the rich cared little for the plight of the poor

-wealth equated to happiness and made u a better person

-many suffered in workhouses and factories in country

-owners of workhouses focused on personal wealth instead of humanity like Scrooge in act 1

What did dickens think about the selfish wealthy people

-they had a bigger impact on society than they realised

-generations of children lost their childhood innocence as a result of child labour and destitution

What did dickens want to bring about via this novella

-social reform and alert readers that actions have consequences so they should choose them wisely

When and what was the poor law amendment act by parliament

1834

Designed to reduce cost of looking after the poor

If poor wanted help, they had to go to workhouses to get it

Males and females lived separately

Bad diet of watery soup and bread

What was the utilitarian philosophy

The idea that people were happier when they were together

As shown with Scrooge at end with crotchet family when he is “as merry as a schoolboy”

Importance of church and charity in Victorian era

-church were seen as high up in society

-over half the population attended church regularly

-church discouraged financial assistance to the poor, said that their situation was a result of sin

-church believes that being too philanthropic would lead to a lazy poor

Dickens experiences

-his father didn’t manage money well, was sent to debtors prison when he was 12

-dickens family was sent to warrens blacking warehouse where he worked long hours with only 6 shillings a week

-dickens was known to be called upon to support his family financially as his father could not

Deserving vs undeserving poor

Deserving = poor through no fault of their own I.e illness, age

Undeserving poor=poor due to laziness or personal problems I.e drunkenness or criminal

What impact did dickens have on Christmas

through the book, dickens made Christmas the biggest cultural holiday as before the novella, the celebration was not very largely celebrated.

Christmas carol revived the custom of taking the day off work, gathering for big family feasts and getting generous with gifts