The nineteenth century was a time of profound industrial growth.  Items that were previously made by hand were now able to be manufactured by new machinery.  While the First Industrial Revolution in Britain began in the 1780’s, it reached its height around 1830 (HISTORY), just over a decade prior to the publication of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol.  Dickens, known for using his writing as an outlet for social critique, wrote A Christmas Carol in response to his own experiences growing up in an age of growing industrialization (Beete).  To many, the moral of A Christmas Carol is one of kindness, generosity, or selflessness, but Dickens also intended for the story to highlight the problems in society that emerged as a result of industrialism, specifically, poverty, the disparities between classes, and the neglect of the lower classes. 

This industrialization resulted in many advancements, most notably urbanization of cities and the increased availability of products at lower prices.  However, the use of machinery to expedite production processes meant that people also lost their jobs, contributing to the disparities between classes (Encyclopedia Britannica). 

Scrooge, the main character within the story, is representative of the society in which he lives; he is selfishly obsessed with money and his own affairs as he ignores anyone who does not directly benefit his own circumstances.  When he is asked to donate to the poor during the Christmas season, he responds by citing the fact that there are still prisons and workhouses and the Poor Law, which should serve the poor (Dickens).  This statement is one that comes back to haunt him when he is visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come.  In using Scrooge’s character to illustrate society, Dickens is criticizing the idea that the government and Victorian society would rather put people into prisons and workhouses than to create solutions to help them, which is a problem that can still be seen in today’s society. 

Works Cited 

Beete, Paulette. "Ten Things to Know about Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol." National Endowment for the Arts, 4 Dec. 2020, www.arts.gov/stories/blog/2020/ten-things-know-about-charles-dickens-chr.... Accessed 30 Jan. 2023.

Dickens, Charles. A Christmas Carol. 1843.

"Industrial Revolution." Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Oct. 2022, https://www.britannica.com/event/Industrial-Revolution. Accessed 30 January 2023.

"Industrial Revolution." HISTORY, A&E Television Networks, 14 Nov. 2022, www.history.com/topics/industrial-revolution/industrial-revolution. Accessed 30 Jan. 2023.