Almost everything in life can be seen to have a counterpart, an opposite. This tendency is universal, whether it be the stereotypical roles of good cop and bad cop or Sir Isaac Newton’s third law of motion. It also appears in literature, as many writers introduce topics or characters that contrast each other; they use juxtaposition. Charles Dickens is one of these many writers, as is seen in A Christmas Carol. The novella begins by introducing the protagonist, Ebenezer Scrooge. He is an extremely wealthy, but selfish and gauche old man. Due to past experiences, his outlook on mankind and the world at large is jaded, and this is especially true on Christmas. While the rest of the world is preparing to celebrate he is instead reminded of everything …show more content…
Throughout the journey. he is exposed to light and prosperity, but also darkness and despair. Seeing the root of his own despair influences him to spread joy while he still can. Scrooge not only ends up being his own foil in the end, but his journey to becoming that person is filled with juxtaposition. Dickens use of opposing ideas and symbols drive the plot of the story and also prove that positive changes only occur in the face of negativity.
If there is fire in this tale of Christmas, there is water nearby; everything exists with a polar opposite. The spirits, while all aiming to accomplish the same goal, literally and figuratively show Scrooge both the good and the bad; the light and the dark. The first spirit is described as a “clear jet of light” which made everything “visible” (30). The spirit who is there to show him his past joyous Christmases, is also literally lighting the way. The third spirit is contrary to the first, being a source of darkness and fear. When meeting the spirit Scrooge felt its mere presence and was taken aback as he “bent down upon