Society's responses to poverty - Impact on the novel

Why was Dickens concerned about the struggles of the working class?

He experienced poverty as a child, influencing his portrayal of social issues in A Christmas Carol.

How does Scrooge represent the upper class’s attitude toward poverty?

He dismisses poverty as “none of (his) business” and cruelly suggests the poor should die to reduce the “surplus population.”

What does Dickens criticize through Scrooge’s views on poverty?

He exposes the selfish and apathetic beliefs of the upper class toward the working class.

How does Dickens use setting to highlight poverty in A Christmas Carol?

He describes a “quarter reeked with crime, with filth and misery,” using the rule of three to emphasize the city’s suffering.

What do the characters ‘Ignorance’ and ‘Want’ symbolize?

They represent the effects of poverty on children and reinforce Dickens’ belief that education is the solution to ignorance.

How did Dickens’ view of poverty differ from that of the upper class?

He believed poverty was not the fault of the poor but that they were victims of an unjust society.