Essay on A Christmas Carol as Allegory - 4131 Words

A Christmas Carol as Allegory The novel A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens can be represented in different ways. It can be represented as a simple story with a moral, where a man named Scrooge is visited by four ghosts who give him a chance to mend his ways. However Dickens also gives the novel a more profound meaning by using symblosim and so it can be represented as an allegory. The four ghosts are repeated symbols that give structure to the novel. The book is divided into chapters that end after each ghost has left Scrooge. This is due to each ghost giving a different atmosphere in the novel. The four ghosts that come to visit Scrooge are: Marley, the ghost of Christmas past, the ghost of Christmas present and the†¦show more content†¦This ghost is a cross between a child and a small old man. It is partly the form of a child to emphesise Scrooge as a child; innocent, but also it symbolises hope for Scrooge to change. It also has features of an old man to show that time has gone by but also to show how the past experiences make us wiser. The ghost wore a white tunic to represent purity and innocence. It held a green holly and its dress was trimmed with summery flowers to show the past exists in all the seasons. From the crown of its head there sprung a bright clear jet of light, this light represents the ghosts knowledge and symbolises how it tries to enlighten Scrooge. However the ghost is carrying an extinguisher under its arm which it wears for a cap. As Scrooge never thinks about hi s past as he wishes to forget it, for many years the ghost was forced to wear the cap and remain hidden. The cap also represents Scrooges stubborness to not allow people to help him, as the light represents enlightenment and he does not wish to have it. The ghost of Christmas past gives an atmosphere of peace, innocence and wisdom. The ghost that follows the next night is the ghost of Christmas present. This ghost represents the Christmas spirit. Similar to Santa Claus he is in the form of a giant man. It wears a simple baggy green robe/mantle, bordered with white fur and on its head a holly wreath with shiningShow MoreRelatedScrooges Journey of Growth and Redemption in a Christmas Carol810 Words   |  4 PagesIn A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens represents Scrooge as an unsympathetic man who is offered the opportunity to redeem himself. Through use of language, the reader is positioned to view him adversely, but during the journey of morality lessons shown by three spirits, Scrooge recovers his sense of joy by undergoing a significant transformation. Scrooge seeks redemption through the many lessons taught by the Spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. 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