A Thesis On From Miser To Giver

This thesis aims at analyzing archetypal characters and archetypal themes in A Christmas Carol pursuant to Northrop Frye’s archetypal critical theory.By reading literature and comparative analysis,the author demonstrates the condition and solution between brutal capitalism and warm humanism in the Victorian era.As the main character,the change of Scrooge reveals his transformation which is from a miser to a giver.He achieves resurrection and salvation in his lie.Dickens believes that the archetypal themes in the Bible should be learned—Salvation and Resurrection as the way to solve this condition with charitable and saved attitudes,it will coordinate the problem of social difference.The author manages to enrich the thoughts and explanations of biblical archetypes for Dickens’ works and provide a more comprehensive viewpoint for the novel’s research.Overall,this paper attempts to analyze the novel from two perspectives.Firstly,it is the perspective of archetypal characters.It mainly uses Frye’s displacement of archetypes to analyze Scrooge,Marley and three spirits by comparing them with Job,Jesus and Trinity in the Bible.It reveals the social images in the society and the relationship of production in the Victorian era.Secondly,it is through perspective of archetypal themes.This thesis summarizes three archetypal themes:salvation,resurrection,and mercy.This part adopts Frye’s theory with Girard’s views on scapegoat and salvation.It represents the cruel exploitation under capitalism and the hopes of salvation for human beings.In the novel,Scrooge’s change from a miser to a giver,prove that love and mercy are ways to salvation.