This essay focuses on Loneliness and Isolation in A Christmas Carol, including context and a variety of quotes with detailed analysis. It explores how loneliness in childhood can result in isolation in the future, and the interelation and effect on character of the two.
Introduction:
In his novel...
Write about how Dickens presents loneliness and isolation in his novella.
In your response you should:
• Refer to the extract and the novel as a whole
• Show your understanding of characters and events in the novel
• Refer to the contexts of the novel (40 marks)
In his novella, A Christmas Carol, Dickens presents loneliness and isolation as
major theme, Scrooge choosing to isolate himself from society and preferring his
own company. However, as the Ghosts take him through the past, present and
future it becomes apparent that his loneliness in childhood is the cause of his
desire for isolation in the present. Dickens presents the impact of these two on
the character of a person, advising the reader to stay compassionate and close
to their society, in an Era where people favoured to keep to themselves.
At the beginning of the novella, Dickens successfully presents the isolation
of Scrooge and his dead business partner Marley. He states: ‘sole executor, sole
administrator…his sole friend and sole mourner.’ The repetition of the adjective
‘sole’ emphasises how completely isolated Scrooge and his business partner are
from society, the emphasis on this possibly to highlight to the reader this
isolation is the reason for his ill-mannered character. Scrooge is described with
the phrase: ‘secret, self-contained and solitary as an oyster.’ The use of sibilance
could allude to Scrooge’s secrecy and concealment, the adjective ‘self-contained’
portraying how Scrooge’s isolation is his own choice, proven through the prefix
‘self’. Dickens here implies the difference between isolation and loneliness –
isolation self- inflicted, and loneliness less of a choice. In the Era that Dickens
wrote, many people desired to keep themselves separate from society and chose
to isolate themselves – he advises against this. Later in the play he condemns
society for their neglect to children through Scrooge’s childhood. This is proven
through the adjective ‘solitary’ a referral back to his childhood, and implying how
Scrooge’s desire for isolation now is a result of the loneliness he faced as a child.
The imagery of an ‘oyster’ and its hard exterior could presents for due to the
loneliness of his childhood, Scrooge has built up this harsh exterior to isolate
himself to ensure his being alone is his own choice rather than being left alone
like he was as a child. It is further said: ‘warning all human sympathy to keep his
distance.’ The inclusive pronoun ‘all’ conveys Scrooge’s complete isolation,
choosing to keep himself isolated and despising the rest of humanity. Dickens’
use of the noun phrase ‘human sympathy’ almost alienates Scrooge’s and paints
him as inhuman without sympathy. Due to his isolation, Scrooge’s is unable to
feel compassion, particularly to those less fortunate than him, presenting how
Scrooge’s isolation has caused his own misanthropy, but his strong desire to be
isolated originating from his loneliness as a child.
As Stave One progresses, Dickens effectively presents Scrooge’s isolation
further through his interactions with Fred and the charity workers, promoting the
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