The significance of the bell tolling in A Christmas Carol, prompted further research of the prominence of bells and bell towers during the time that Charles Dickens wrote this novel. In Stave One, the bell tower is described as an “ancient tower of a church, whose gruff old bell was always peeping slily down at Scrooge out of a Gothic window in the wall.” This description of the tower can be symbolic of Scrooge as it matches his personality in the beginning of the novel. He can be described as gruff and thinking he was above others in society due to financial status. Additionally in Stave One, when Cratchit is leaving for the night, it is noted that he “went down a slide on Cornhill.” This is indicative of Cornhill being the location of the setting; therefore, Saint Michael’s Church tower in Cornhill, was the closest in proximity. The bell rang before Marley’s ghost appeared and signified the appearance of each of the three spirits. According to William Tullett, “those outside the religious or political status quo, bells could instantiate forms of emotional suffering.” The bell chiming throughout the novel, can be perceived as an indicator of the emotional suffering that Scrooge endured. Additionally, pocket watches were becoming popular throughout England (When British). However, the general public still relied heavily on the bell towers to keep track of time.   

Works Cited

Dickens, Charles. A Christmas Carol. Chapman and Hall. 

Tullett, William. “Political Engines: The Emotional Politics of Bells in Eighteenth-Century England.” Journal of British Studies, vol. 59, no. 3, 2020, pp. 555–581., doi:10.1017/jbr.2020.41.

“When British Watches Ruled the World.” First Class Watches Blog, 31 Aug. 2015, https://www.firstclasswatches.co.uk/blog/2015/08/when-british-watches-ru....