Study Questions
In what way is A Christmas Carol an allegory? What are the symbolic meanings of the main characters?
How does the time scheme of A Christmas Carol function? Why might Dickens have chosen to structure his book in this way?
What role does social criticism play in A Christmas Carol? To what extent is the story a social commentary?
How is the holiday of Christmas portrayed in the story? (Think of the moral, social, aesthetic, and religious aspects of the holiday.) In what way does A Christmas Carol help to define the modern idea of Christmas?
Compare and contrast the three spirits who visit Scrooge. What are their main similarities? What are their main differences? Do their differences have any thematic significance? (Why, for instance, do they look and dress so differently?)
Think about the story's narrator and about the way Dickens chooses to tell his tale. What role does humor play in the narration? How do the comic aspects of A Christmas Carol interact with and support the moral and ghost-story aspects? How does Dickens blend comedy and horror?
How is wealth treated in the story? Is it a sign of moral corruption and greed, or does Dickens offer a more complex assessment?
