The Theme Of Poverty In A Christmas Carol

A timeless theme is a generalisation which comments on life or the human condition which survives changes in time and place. Timeless themes are amaranthine in which they apply to human nature in old and modern context. A timeless theme which underlies many works for many years is the theme of poverty. Regardless of the societal context, people throughout eternity can relate to the prominent gap between rich and poor and the efforts to bridge the divide. The timeless theme of poverty is explored in the play, A Christmas Carol, the film, A Diva’s Christmas Carol, and is still relevant today when looking at the issue of homelessness.

The play, A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, explores the theme of poverty through its portrayal of the heterogeneity

The focus on the gap is first shown between the vast amount of Ebony’s wealth and her middle-class crew. This is expressed through the difference in New York hotel, where Ebony stays in a lavish 5-star hotel’s princess suite, while her crew stays in a poor-condition 2-star hotel. Schenkman also expresses the rift between their wealth during the scene where it is revealed that Ebony is flying first class with an extra seat while her crew is in coach (economy). During the time which the movie was created, flights and hotels were expensive compared to current times. In showing that Ebony is able to afford 1st class air travel and extravagant hotels, Schenkman asks his audience to reflect upon how rich the “1%” of society is compared to the average person, who will purchase a basic hotel and air fare. Schenkman also illustrates the disparity between the wealth of the “1%” character Ebony and the middle class by showing her interactions with her middle-class niece. In the scene during which Ebony’s niece invites her for Christmas dinner, Ebony responds to the invitation in a manner of arrogance and sarcasm, scoffing at the Christmas meal of “frozen turkey, store-bought pies, and box wine,” opting instead for high-quality room service. Following the

Wealth inequality is the unequal distribution of assets within a population. This typically results in a gradually increasing gap, with respect to net worth, that has yet to be filled. One of the factors which contribute to this crescive issue is the rapidly increasing wealth of the richest. This is most evident in the Forbes 400, a list of the 400 richest Americans. In 1982, one needed a net worth of 80 million dollars to enter the list, while the average for the list was 230 million dollars. In the most recent list, created in 2016, the valuation needed to make the list was 1.7 billion dollars, and the mean valuation was 6 billion dollars. Following inflation adjustment, the valuation remains over ten times that of 1982. This remains consistent with the portrayals of the rich “1%” in both the play and movie, in which Scrooge of 19th century England’s richest considers luxuries to be new candles, and dyed clothes, while Ebony, also the 1% of America in 2000, considers luxury to be extravagant air travel, designer clothing, and 5-star hotels. The time period, technology and inflation considered, Ebony still is portrayed to be much richer than Scrooge, based upon their definitions of luxury. Through this ludicrous increase in wealth amongst the 1% of