Fred as a Foil to Scrooge in A Christmas Carol :: Christmas Carol Essays

Fred as a Foil to crosspatch in A Christmas Carol   In Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol, Scrooges selfish, cold, melancholy nature is contrasted with Fred, Scrooges light-hearted nephew. At the beginning of the novel, Fred and Scrooge are complete opposites, but, as the novel progresses, they become more and more alike. Throughout the novel, Dickens uses Fred to show Scrooges transformation from a cold, unfeeling man to a man of warmth and compassion.   The first time Fred is seen is on page 5 when he greets Scrooge with, A merry Christmas, Uncle God save you Scrooges reply is Bah bosh The statement Fred makes shows that he cares about even the coldest beings. Scrooges reply shows that he is closed to joyous things and it also hints that he is non saved. From their first meeting in the book, their reference point differences are obvious.   During their conversation, Fred and Scrooge reveal their definitions of the word good. Fred tells Scrooge, There ar e many things from which I might have derived good by which I have not profited This shows that Scrooges definition of Good is money. Later on, Fred states that he has always thought of Christmastime as a good time a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time. This defines Freds good as kind, forgiving, charitable, and pleasant.   afterwards Fred leaves, two gentlemen come to Scrooge and ask for money for the poor. His response is, Are there no prisons? And the union workhouses? Are they still in operation? 1 of the gentlemen replies, They are. Still, I wish I could say they were not. Scrooges remark shows that he doesnt care about poor people. He does not care if they live or die, merely as long as he is comfortable. The two gentlemen are shocked by this.   At the beginning of Stave II, Scrooge lies awake considering that he could, no more go to sleep than go to heaven. This shows that he probably isnt going to heaven.   On page 43, Dickens gives a glim pse of Scrooges warm personality that has been muted by the cold, horrible events that have happened to him. When he says, Why, its old Fezziwig Bless his heart its Fezziwig alive again Scrooge uses the word bless to show that he cared for Fezziwig.