Humor and Tone in A CHRISTMAS CAROL

[ConnieAnnKirk]

How does Dickens use humor in the novel, A CHRISTMAS CAROL? Is it effective? What is it about the tone of the prose that helps the reader suspend disbelief and follow along with the stories of Scrooge's ghosts?

[earp30wyatt]

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ConnieK wrote:
How does Dickens use humor in the novel, A CHRISTMAS CAROL? Is it effective? What is it about the tone of the prose that helps the reader suspend disbelief and follow along with the stories of Scrooge's ghosts?

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The very first page cracks me up on how dead Marley, and so dead like a doornail.
Cracks me up everytime!! The tone is certainly one of bitterness,and unhappiness of Scrooge,and then you begin to see him brighten, even before the last ghost shows up.

Some of the comments made are amusing throughtout the story.

[BarbaraN]

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ConnieK wrote:
How does Dickens use humor in the novel, A CHRISTMAS CAROL? Is it effective? What is it about the tone of the prose that helps the reader suspend disbelief and follow along with the stories of Scrooge's ghosts?

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I like the idea that so much of the humor is delivered by old Scrooge himself and much of it when he is encountering the ghosts. I just love his conversation with Marley.

Scrooge to Marley: "Who are you?"
"Ask me who I was"
"Who were you then? said Scrooge, raising his voice. "You're particular for a shade."

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Marley to Scrooge: "Why do you doubt your senses?"
"Because," said Scrooge, "a little thing affects them. A slight disorder of the stomach makes them cheats. You may be an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of an underdone potato. There's more gravy than of grave about you, whatever you are."

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Marley is telling Scrooge about his long travels after death and the long journey that is ahead of him:

Scrooge: "You must have been very slow about it, Jacob"....
"Slow!" the Ghost repeated.
"Seven years dead," mused Scrooge. "And travelling all the time?"....
"You might have got over a great quantity of ground in seven years," said Scrooge.

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"You will be haunted ," resumed the Ghost, "by Three Spirits."....
"Is that the chance and hope you mentioned Jacob?" he demanded, in a faltering voice.
"It is."
"I-I think I'd rather not," said Scrooge.
"Couldn't I take 'em all at once, and have it over, Jacob?" hinted Scrooge.

[johns]

In the game of Yes and No at Fred's:

"What is it?" cried Fred.

"It's your Uncle Scrooge!"

Which it certainly was. Admiration was the universal sentiment, though some objected that the reply to "Is it a bear?" ought to have been "Yes," inasmuch as an answer in the negative was sufficient to have diverted their thoughts from Mr Scrooge, supposing they had ever had any tendency that way.