London’s population grew from 1 million in 1800 to over 2 million by the time A Christmas Carol was published, and to 6.5 million by the end of the 19th century.
What was happening at the time A Christmas Carol was set?
During this period a small number of people became very wealthy and they lived in luxury with large houses, plenty of money, food and clothes. Their children didn’t work and were educated. Being seen to be civilised and adhering to a strict set of morals was important to high society in the Victorian age.
What was London like during A Christmas Carol?
Dickens uses his locations to underpin the events in the novella. The London we are shown at the start includes Scrooge’s office and home and is cold [and] bleak with so much fog that the houses opposite were mere phantoms (p. 3).
What did Scrooge say about decreasing the population?
“Many can’t go there; and many would rather die.” “If they would rather die,” said Scrooge, “they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.”
What is the setting time and place of A Christmas Carol?
‘A Christmas Carol’ is set in London, England in the Victorian Era. The events of the story take place in Ebenezer Scrooge’s home on Christmas Eve as he is shown different events by three visiting ghosts. Charles Dickens wrote ‘A Christmas Carol’ at a time when was very critical of his writing and the world around him.
Why is setting important in A Christmas Carol?
The setting of A Christmas Carol contrasts the difference between the warm life of those who fill themselves with love during the Christmas season, like Bob Cratchit and his family; and Ebenezer Scrooge, who views it as a waste of time and effort.
What was society like in A Christmas Carol?
Dickens felt strongly that Victorian society ignored the poverty of its underclass. On the one hand were the rich who enjoyed comfort and feasting at Christmas, and on the other were children forced to live in dreadful conditions in workhouses.
Why was there a surplus population in London at the time of A Christmas Carol?
London’s population grew partly due to urbanization, as people fled the countryside to work in factories. While the factory conditions were often harsh, millions of Britons found them preferable to the backbreaking agricultural labor and monotony of rural life.
What effect did A Christmas Carol have on England?
Instead of a being a communal feast or party, the celebrations became smaller, more intimate, and focused on families and children. Amid their changing world, A Christmas Carol showed the Victorians wonderful images of warm family celebrations and of people sharing their good fortune.”
What was happening in London in the 1800s?
During this period, London became a global political, financial, and trading capital. While the city grew wealthy as Britain’s holdings expanded, 19th century London was also a city of poverty, where millions lived in overcrowded and unsanitary slums.
What are two things that decrease a population?
Factors that cause a population to decrease in size include mortality and emigration. Mortality is the ratio of the number of deaths to the size of a population and includes the death rate, or number of individuals that die per 1,000 individuals in a population.
What is it called when population goes down?
A population decline (also sometimes called underpopulation, depopulation, or population collapse) in humans is a reduction in a human population size.
Who is Scrooge talking to when he says decrease the surplus population?
The Ghost warns Scrooge that Tim will die unless his life alters, repeating Scrooge’s callous remarks back to him If he be like to die, he had better do it, and decrease the surplus population. Dickens’s attack on social injustice is most graphically shown by the two figures of an emaciated boy and girl.
What year is it supposed to be in A Christmas Carol?
1843
The movie is set in the year 1843, the year that Charles Dickens wrote and published “A Christmas Carol.” At the beginning of the film, when Scrooge signs Marley’s death certificate, it is dated “1836.” A caption tells that Scrooge’s encounter with the spirits takes place, “Seven Christmas Eves Later,” making it 1843.
What was A Christmas Carol trying to teach us?
The first moral of this story is that no matter how harsh or cold-hearted someone might seem on the outside, everyone has burdens that they carry with them and that affect them deeply.
Why is the setting so important to the story?
The setting of a story is important because it provides the reader with context on the time, place, and environment that the story takes place in. It is also important because it improves the reader’s experience and adds to the story’s development with plot, mood, and characters.
What are three lessons that can be learned from A Christmas Carol?
7 treasured lessons from A Christmas Carole
- Learning begins with listening.
- Humility enhances vision.
- Regret leads to renewal.
- There’s joy in starting over.
- We must be present to win.
- Seeking forgiveness is a strength, not a weakness.
- It’s never too late to change.
What was the public’s reaction to A Christmas Carol?
The Impact of ‘A Christmas Carol’
The book was immediately popular with the public, becoming perhaps the most famous literary work associated with Christmas. It elevated the popularity of Christmas, which wasn’t the major holiday we know, and established the idea of Christmas charity toward those less fortunate.
How did Charles Dickens view society?
Dickens believed in the ethical and political potential of literature, and the novel in particular, and he treated his fiction as a springboard for debates about moral and social reform. In his novels of social analysis Dickens became an outspoken critic of unjust economic and social conditions.
What does A Christmas Carol teach us about life and humanity?
“From Scrooge we learn about spiritual transformation and life-changing experiences; from Fred and Cratchit, we learn about forgiveness to those who wrong us; from Tiny Tim, we learn to remain positive and hopeful even when life’s circumstances look bleak; from the ghosts, we learn about reflecting on our past, present
Why did the population of London increase in the early 1800s?
It grew to well over three million by 1860, and six and a half million by 1900. In part, this was down to improved mortality rates. Because of improvements in sanitation, building standards and food supplies, London ceased to be a sink of mortality for rural immigrants.