Can someone mark my Essay about redemption in ACC and give some feedback?

The political diatribe of “A Christmas Carol” is utilized to suggest the necessity of change withing society, and its rigid social structure, especially by those who enforce it such as the rich upper class. Dickens highlights the importance of change and especially redemption to alter the ways in which the upper class interact with their mistreated workers to improve the morality within society to minimize the suffering of the poor. This change is clearly represented through the character of Ebenezer Scrooge, who is used to convey the ideas of who the upper class currently are, what they will need to experience in order to redeem themselves, and also the moral and physical benefits not only to the working class, but also those who redeem themselves and continue to live honest and good lives. 

Initially, Scrooge's character is an emblem of what the upper class are in Victorian society and modern society. Scrooge’s abhorrent description is used as a physical manifestation of the ways in which the upper class are detrimental to society, and highlights the necessity of change and redemption required for the moral betterment of society to reduce the suffering of the unfortunate working class. In stave 1, the weather is immediately described as “cold, bleak, biting weather: foggy wind.” The cold semantic field immediately creates a callous and hard atmosphere for the reader, and so can understand the “hard and sharp” heart of Scrooge, and by extension, the upper class. This may suggest why the upper class require change, as their vision is currently “foggy” like the weather to the plight of the poor, and they choose to maintain that ignorance as it was cheaper to keep the poor in these atrocious conditions. Similar to how Scrooge liked “darkness” because it was “cheap”, the upper class choose to be blind and remain unfamiliar to the pain and suffering of the poor in which they have inflicted onto them. Furthermore, The pathetic fallacy may reflect the poor working conditions of many working class citizens like Bob Cratchit, being forced to work in cold and biting conditions. Also, the adjective “bleak” may represent the future of the working class if there is no change and redemption in the upper class, being stagnant and unhopeful unless something is done. This evokes a sense of sympathy in the mainly upper/middle class readers, and as a result, places responsibility on them to personally change their corrupt ways and choose a philanthropic path of redemption, adopting views similar to Dickens himself. 

Dickens also represents how the bourgeoisie must change through Scrooge, suggesting that the upper class must actively seek and embrace redemption rather than remaining “idle” and enabling the suffering of the working class to perpetuate. During Scrooge’s interaction with the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come, he announces that he “will live in the past, the present and the future.” the declarative sentence made by Scrooge highlights his eagerness to change his own ways and acts as an example for the upper class of the way they must choose to live with certainty and strength to protect those in need and utilize their power and influence to help many poor people such as the Cratchits. Furthermore, the verb “live” suggests that they must not only know of what they must do to change the ways that society has oppressed the working class but change to the core of their values and redeem themselves so that they are also able to spread the philanthropic philosophy of Dickens and prevent the suffering of the poor. Likewise, Scrooge’s use of the “past", "present” and “future” is representative of how the upper class must reflect on their “past” mistakes of oppression, change their “present” way of thinking of the working class, and work to the “future” to change the rigid structure of society that enables the working class to suffer at the hands of many of the upper class in order for the bourgouise to truly redeem themselves. 

Finally, Dickens also represents the overwhelming benefits of redemption through the final character arc of Scrooge at the end of the novella. Dickens not only suggests the positives that redemption has on others such as the Cratchits receiving a raise, but also the self-benefits that redemption of character comes with. In the last stave, Scrooge exclaims that “I am as light as a feather”. This simile suggests that his redemption has enabled him rejuvination, even if metaphorically, as he is refilled with energy juxtaposed with his past self in which “external heat and cold” had little effect on him. Furthermore, the imagery of a “feather” suggests Scrooge’s freedom as he is compared to a bird with extreme freedom as he is freed from the shackled of sin and avarice which previously withheld his character. Alternatively, the imagery of “birds” may be a biblical allusion to the dove, which may suggest Scrooge’s now improved Christian values as he has redeemed himself from his previously sinful self. This is significant as Dickens pushes the benefits of redemption and its effects that not only effect their current life by minimizing the suffering of the poor, but also their after life as they are accepted by God once again. 

In conclusion, the character of Scrooge is used as a vehicle to convey many of Dickens' philanthropic ideals to his middle/upper class audience in hope of societal change for the moral betterment of society. Scrooge’s initial description and atmosphere in stave 1 is greatly contrasted with Scrooge’s personality and atmosphere within stave 5, mirroring the drastic change in which the upper class must undergo for a possiblity of change in the rigid hierarchal system in the Victorian era.