Allegory

An allegory can be defined as a story or narrative which can be interpreted to possess a certain hidden meaning – in the case of A Christmas Carol, a moral one. A Christmas Carol can both be perceived as a Christian allegory, as well as a more general allegory for the perils of greed, and the value of generosity. In other words, Dickens novella is not merely an innocent Christmas story, but rather, an allegory for a more important moral message