How is marxism explored in the novel 'A Christmas Carol' by Charles Dickens?

Answer 1

Dickens deals with the Marxist classes of Capitalists and the Proletariat in several of his books (see alsoOur Mutual Friend). In A Christmas Carol, he gives us Ebenezer Scrooge, a money lender, who does less work for the production of his 'goods' (i.e., money) and in stark juxtaposition, Bob Cratchit, his clerk, who works harder (he keeps the books under miserable conditions and runs the errands Scrooge doesn't want to do) for very much less money. They are, of course, representative of their social classes and the condition of most Western societies then in existence. Both men (they were only a year apart in age) were born into a world that was only beginning the Industrial Revolution, which altered much more than just industry: social classes, demographic trends, mobility, ways of looking at the world, etc., were also changed. This was a world that didn't have bathing as a hobby (few of the proletariat even had a hobby), didn't have trains, bicycles or elevators, or flush toilets or the concept of sanitation, and didn't even have doctors who washed their hands. It was a world virtually full of the Proletariat with a proportionately small class of Capitalists.

Answer 2

In "A Christmas Carol," Marxist themes are explored through the character of Ebenezer Scrooge, who symbolizes the ruthless exploitation of workers by capitalist society. The novel critiques the unequal distribution of wealth and calls for social change through empathy and compassion, as seen in Scrooge's transformation from a selfish miser to a benevolent benefactor. Dickens highlights the need for social responsibility and solidarity to create a more just and equitable world.