Starting with extract, how does Dickens present the important of family?
In ‘A Christmas Carol’ Dickens illustrates the significance of family. From Scrooge’s own family ,a dysfuncational family that possible moulded Scrooge to become the man we see at the beginning of the play, to the Cratchits ,a paragon for the ideal Victorian family despite their poverty. Scrooge’s own spite towards the festivites may have derived from his lack of a satisfactory family unit and this inevitably led him to become a “crumudgeous old sinner.”
Whilst Scrooge does suffer from an imperfect family he does still have relatives; his nephew Fred. Although Fred is only seen frequently in the play he does have an impact on Scrooge, Fred is driven solely by a cheery and festive spirit and he most definetly is not afraid to question his Uncle.
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Fred acknowledges Scrooge’s hatred towards christmas yet every year Fred invites Scrooge to a christmas dinner -despite Scrooge refusing on every occasion. Fred’s relentlessness in trying to connect with his bitter Uncle suggests he understands the value of family, he anticipates the answer he will recieve from his Uncle every year ,yet , he still doesn’t fail to invite him. Fred shows the reader the importance of family and how we shouldn’t give up on our relatives even if they are an “odious, stingy, unfeeling, hard” Uncle. Fred’s understanding of family is furthered when Scrooge is taken by the Ghost of Christmas Present as he visits the home of his nephew.
Whilst he sees Fred at the dinner party it becomes evident that even whilst Scrooge isn’t present Fred never fails to defend his uncle as he rises to his defense “I couldn’t be angry with him if I tried- who suffers by his ill whims? Himself, always?” Fred’s realization that his Uncle does nothing but anger himself always rather than others shows a reader that Fred cares enough for Scrooge to see the troubles Scrooge encounters – internal or physical and he becomes somewhat sympathetic towards Scrooge.
However, whilst posed with the question whether Bob would be permitted to take a day of leave to celebrate the holiday festivites alongside his family it becomes clear Scrooge has no understanding of the value of family but rather when he is asked by Bob for a day off he is somewhat angered , as to Scrooge, Bob asking for a day off was seen as rather offensive, Scrooge pays for Bob’s wages yet he has the courtesy to ask for a day to celebrate with his family. This miserly attitude from Scrooge coincides with Scrooge’s inability to understand the siginifance of family. Regardless, Scrooge gives Bob a day of leave and with it Bob “ran home to Camden Toward as hard as he could pelt.” The verb “pelt” suggests Bob simply wants to be with his family as “pelt” arouses ideas of running at high speeds thus hightening his excitement to see his family as Bob, unlike Scrooge, understands the importance of family.
Moreover, the Cratchits aren’t a very wealthy family so they do not have the luxuries to afford large meals or even new clothing as their “clothes were scanty.” The adjective “scanty” evokes a sense of being very plain and simple, nothing very extravagant and yet they fail to fall victim to materialism The Cratchits, yes they suffer from poverty, but they do not care for the greatest thing they require to function isn’t an item but rather family. Family to the Cratchits transcends any worldly or tangible item, family is the greatest thing to them, this is reinforced when they’ve begun to have dinner where it states “there never was such a goose cooked.”
The hyperbolic language used by Dickens to emphasise the quality of the goose explores this idea of being to its highest standard. Furthermore, in the Victorian epoch it was tradition to have turkey at christmas (as it still is in modern day) but the Cratchits , being a poor family, can only afford a “goose”. But, this does not stop them from enjoying the goose for tradition matters not to the Cratchits and this shows how family stops people falling prey to societal norms. The Cratchits aren’t ashamed they can’t afford a turkey for they do not care, being able to dine with their family at christmas is more than enough of a gift for them.
Although, we see the Cratchits as this paradigm of what a family should act like it could be argued that Scrooge isn’t necessarily at fault for his choice of isolating himself from society and his ignorance towards the value of family. During Scrooge’s experience with the Ghost of Christmas Past we are shown young Scrooge who is “A Solitary child”. Scrooge’s isolation at a young age – particularly from his friends and family illustrates the way it will inevitably affect people as they age.
When his sister (Fan) comes to visit Scrooge we are told “father is so much kinder than he used to be.” Perhaps this subtly hints at neglect Scrooge suffered from his father and so this shaped him to become as “solitary as an oyster” and Scrooge’s lack of a functional family implies he is now paying the price as an adult, although he isn’t to blame as he was simply a child, if children do not have a family that can support them through all tribulations they may encounter the children will inevitably suffer from social isolation as they didn’t have that support they should have had at an early age.
Through the character Scrooge we see how Dickens is trying to comment upon the importance of family: family shifts the way people view aspects of life and family will always be there to support one another as shown by Bob, but, Scrooge being neglected by his father shows how family isn’t always people you are bound with by blood but rather family is the relationships you make along the way as Scrooge never really had anymore relatives other than Fred yet he finds a family in the Cratchits as he practically becomes a “second father to Tiny Tim.” Dickens tries to show how family is everything, family is far more important than any wordly objects and it will always be a core factor in the people we become later in life.
