Copyright2007 - 2023 Revision World Networks Ltd. A foil is a character who contrasts with another character (usually the protagonist) in order to highlight particular qualities of the other character. Fred, as Scrooge's foil, is a kind, forgiving character who is determined to give Scrooge the same chance every year. A description of scrooge as a young boy, he was left alone at school as others enjoyed their holidays. Stave 5 - pathetic fallacy But, they were happy, grateful, pleased with one another and contented with the time. Did the Anglo-Saxon period last between 449 and 1066? "The cold within him froze his old features", Early description of scrooge. Use if fairy tale convention, shows the story will have a magical ending. The tone is impatient as he does so. Himself, always. All rights reserved. The adjective monstrous, creates a negative impression of the man, almost evil, and reinforces Dickens message that it was the ignorance of the rich that created many society's problems. Of course, there is still a massive equality gap between the rich and the poor. "Every person has a right to take care of themselves. ', 'secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. This phrase is repeated to describe both Mrs Crarchit and her daughter. Themes= family/time/poverty. 'Long and wound about him like a tail made of cash-boxes, keys, padlocks, ledgers, deeds and heavy purses.'. However, it could also be argued that ignorance reflects the lack of education of the poor. Scrooge listened to this dialogue in horror he viewed them with a detestation and disgust. He always did.". The verb sparkled has magical and positive connotations, shows Fred is the antithesis of scrooge. A Christmas Carol is rarely classified as a gothic novel. '', Stave 3 - the ghost uses Scrooge's words against him when he asks where there is refuge for the children, ignorance and want. The opening line says, ''Marley was dead: to begin with. Dr Aidan, PhD, provides you with the 10 key quotes in Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol', along with in-depth analysis, to he. Perhaps Dickens is using him to represent the idea of childhood innocence and how close children were to God in order to reinforce his message that the wealthy need to do more to mitigate childhood poverty. The problem is internal, within Scrooges heart. If he had been, he'd have had somebody to look after him when he was struck with Death, instead of lying gasping out his last there, alone by himself.'. Describes Fred, who is a symbol of Christmas spirit. Scrooge realises that his love with money is the reason he pushed everyone away. The idea that anybody would be so callous about the dead is quite jarring and would have been especially impactful with a conservative Victorian readership. One interesting feature of this stave relates to the fact that two people die in it: Scrooge and Tiny Tim: the richest and the poorest people in the book. Thus Dickens is ending with the message that we can all change our selfish ways and be a positive influence. "I am sorry for him; I couldn't be angry with him if I tried. "Cherry cheeked apples, juicy oranges, luscious pears.". It is too much linked to his miserly ways thus suggesting that the learning is not finished yet. The Ghost of Christmas yet to come is symbolic. He is described as been so dislike that even the weather is better in that at least it 'comes down' gracefully. The ghost of Christmas yet to come is a symbol of the effect that memories have on someone as they age. The childhood innocence has been 'shrivelled' and 'twisted' showing the ill effects of their treatment. The ribbons are her means of dressing more festively. Glorious! Scrooges changing attitude is never better highlighted than in his initial responses to the three ghosts. The noun cell has connotations of Bob being imprisoned by scrooge. Yellow, meagre, ragged, scowling, wolfish. The verbs suggest age, disfiguration and pain suggesting how unnatural their conditions are that have led to this. Underline the word or symbol in parentheses that best completes each sentence. About Scrooge: As solitary as an oyster., External heat and cold had little influence on Scrooge., If they would rather die, said Scrooge, they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population., Darkness is cheap, and Scrooge liked it., Marleys Ghost: Mankind was my business., Marleys Ghost: I am here to-night to warn you, that you have yet a chance and hope of escaping my fate., There was a boy singing a Christmas Carol at my door last night. Draw an arrow from each underlined word to the word it modifies. Partially because of the nature of its main character. She looked at me as if I had insulted her. LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in A Christmas Carol, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. A Christmas Carol is a widely studied book filled with memorable quotes. The multiple similes emphasise Scrooge's joy and elation at his second chance. In this case, Ebeneezer and Fezziwig are both business owners with employees, but where they diverge is in their treatment of others and in their outlook on life. Fire symbolizes emotion and warmth. uses long and short clauses to show how busy they are. International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct,London, EC1A 2BN, United Kingdom, 2023 Book Analysis. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. Stave 1 - Scrooge's response to the gentlemen saying that people would rather die than go to the workhouse. The use of light throughout the novel suggests the truth/ the right path which Scrooge at first does not want to see. We can infer that the only other person he cared for was Marley and even that wasn't really because of a friendship. Of course, the suggestion that people might be talking about him is beastly to Scrooge. This brightly\underline{\text{brightly}}brightly lit room will be perfect for my art studio. Themes= time/Christmas/generosity and forgiveness. Theme= poverty/greed and generosity. Accessed 4 March 2023. This is where the clerk lives. 'It was a strange figurelike a child: yet not so like a child as like an old man'. This went against what Victorians considered to be a 'good death' where you die surrounded by friends and family and then are mourned afterwards. Dickens also suggests that, through his adoration of a false god, he is no longer a good christian. The metaphor shows that the school didn't help any student achieve their dreams, instead it destroyed their lives as they could not fulfil their potential. No Way- he tells them that the poor should go and die then there would be less people in the world. Scrooge can see the error of his ways and then acts accordingly to become a better person. Who suffers? in Its progressive form. Y. Spirit! he cried, tight clutching at his robe, hear me! The idea that we are all 'fellow passengers' serves to emphasise the idea of the transience of life - we are all going to die some day so we are more similar than we are different. So, therefore, we should take responsibility for being a positive influence. Gone are the puritanical values that banned Christmas, and, also, to a large degree, gone as well are the memories of Christmas as a serious and religious celebration of the birth of Christ. cried the gentleman, as if his breath were taken away. ", 'A frosty rime was on his head, and on his eyebrows, and his wiry chin. 'A lonely boy was reading near a feeble fire'. Marleys ghost is the one that kicks everything off but also acts as a mirror to Scrooge to show him the error of his ways. I am as giddy as a drunken man. scientist; is. A merry Christmas to everybody! Stave 3 - Scrooge's willingness to learn So while he did not invent these particular traditions many people credit him with popularizing them. The ribbon for the bookmark should be seven (inches, in) long. Stave 1 - description of Scrooge's house God bless us!, At the time people rid themselves of any guilt by blaming the poor for the fact they were poor. Invite Scrooge to come for Christmas dinner 4. The description of Marley's ghost has his chain wound about him. the strength of Scrooge's dismay about hearing his own words repeated back to him is reinforced through the use of the nouns, penitence and grief. Active Themes He teaches scrooge to learn from his mistakes of his past. however, her reference to their father suggests that he had not been kind in the past, thus reinforcing our sympathy. Stave 1 - Scrooge's view of the plight of the poor The noun 'idol' shows that Belle believes Scrooge is so enamoured of money that he worships it. Of course, Dickens does use his trademark lengthy descriptions but nearly everything has a point. 1. 2. What I think is really clever is that the story is framed so that when we see the ghost of Christmas past, seeing the things that shaped Scrooge into the man he is at the beginning of the play starts to let us feel sympathy for him so that when he is offered a second chance as a reader, we are glad he gets to redeem himself. Stave 1 - Marley's ghost is distressed at Scrooge's suggestion that he was a 'good man of business'. The book also explores what you might call the true meaning of Christmas and while this might not be true from a Christian standpoint, from a morality/spiritual view, you could claim that it really does help to make that point. Watching Scrooge forge his own invisible chain served as part of Marley's punishment for his deeds in life. The list of verbs, gives the spirit a threatening air- this is compounded by the fact that he does not speak to scrooge at all. 'A Christmas Carol' is a widely studied book filled with memorable quotes. Fred is unrelenting in his attempts to change his uncles way of thinking. It is through your support of visiting Book Analysis that we can support charities, such as Teenage Cancer Trust. Fezziwg really represents what Scrooge has and what he could (and eventually does) become. Here, Scrooge is talking about Fezziwig and how he uses his wealth to lift others up. I don't make merry myself at Christmas and, If that spirit goes not forth in life, it is, them both, but most of all beware this boy, for on his brow I see that written which is, squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner." () The famous phrase Humbug really means either shame or hoax. They often came down handsomely, and Scrooge never did. With the title of the book being A Christmas Carol you would expect Christmas to feature prominently throughout the novel. His narrator describes events as they happened and doesnt spend a great deal of time on extraneous details. The hellish atmosphere is emphasised by the fact that the ghost's clothing and hair appears to move as though in an updraft of heat, suggesting that the ghost is in hell. It was shrouded in a deep black garment, which concealed its head, its face, its form, and left nothing of it visible save one outstretched hand. Flint is a type of ground that makes it difficult for life to grow kind of like how scrooges character allows no imaginations to grow. As a result of this he was damned to walk as a ghost chained with money boxes surrounding him. The Total Abstinence Principle was a phrase used for teetotallers (people who refrained from drinking). A Christmas Carol Charles Dickens On this page, readers can explore the quotes, they are broadly separated into a few sub-categories. In this quote, Dickens describes London as a dark and dangerous place. Then there are some of the settings contained in A Christmas Carol. Marley tells scrooge he is responsible fro his punishment- he is suffering the consequences for his actions. The father of a long, long line of brilliant laughs. The simile shows Bobs wealth in his family; he values them more than money and so is content with their love. This is evident in his early relationship with his nephew Fred. Whatever the book. We have never had any quarrel, to which I have been a party. So we have tried where possible to focus on the most vital sections of the novella. Shows Bob's place of work, and shows scrooges harsh treatment on him. Studying 'A Christmas Carol'? Beware them both, and all of their degree, but most of all beware this boy., Scrooge says to the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come: I am prepared to bear you company, and do it with a thankful heart., Two Business Colleagues: Its likely to be a very cheap funeral, said the same speaker; for upon my life I dont know of anybody to go to it., Scrooge to the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come: I see, I see. His house is dark - which reflects the darkness in his character and also adds to the gothic atmosphere of his house. His selfish ways have left him this way. Dickens was familiar with the terrible working conditions of the poor and campaigned for education of children. Everyone is entitled to be a little happier on Christmas, and the Ghost of Christmas Present helps them to be so. Privacy Policy, https://bookanalysis.com/charles-dickens/a-christmas-carol/quotes/. 'He did it all, and infinitely more; and to Tiny Tim, who did NOT die, he was a second father. International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct,London, EC1A 2BN, United Kingdom, 2023 Book Analysis. There is no doubt . The boy is ignorance. Along with the words, 'sole' and 'solitary' used throughout the novel to suggest that each individual must take responsibility for his own choices - just as Marley is paying for his individual sins. Stave 3 - ignorance and want The final ghost appears as a phantom a spectre dressed in black: clearly an image of The Grim Reaper himself. The noun unanimity suggests that he is happy to be involved. 6. A description of how the Cratchit family mourned the death of Tiny Tim. Family Theme Analysis. The onomatopoetic verb 'gasping' makes the reader explicitly imagine the death, suggesting struggle and pain. This is a great description, wanders around holding a candle snuffer that looks like a hat. Marley 2. The workers will be repairing the building. This means that Scrooge is implying Christmas was designed to trick and fool people into spending money. I defy himif he finds me going there, in good temper, year after year, and saying, Uncle Scrooge, how are you? If it only puts him in the vein to leave his poor clerk fifty pounds, thats something. Ghost stories were very popular during the Victorian era. ', "Darkness is cheap, and Scrooge liked it.". Scrooge's assertion that 'it is not my business' is challenged quickly by Marley's ghost whose view is that 'mankind' should have been his 'business. The case of this unhappy man might be my own. Stave 1 - Scrooge's rponse to being asked to give money to charity, "If they would rather die," said Scrooge, "they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.". The reader does not know that Tim has died, so Dickens foreshadows his death through the use of the simile. Marley haunts scrooge- a description of his chains. Stave 2 - Belle breaks off the engagement The verb sparkled has magical and positive connotations, shows Fred is the antithesis of scrooge. Themes= time/Christmas, "A solitary child, neglected by his friends.". Without the trauma from Scrooges youth and the death of his sister, Fran, its unlikely that he wouldve become the person that he did. Bitter- "no wind that blew was bitterer than he. Himself. I am sure we shall none of us forget poor Tiny Timshall weor this first parting that there was among us? This is to illustrate to the rich that they can be part of the solution, Dickens was of the belief that things in society could change and this was something he wished to portray to people to ensure they didn't lose hope, Stave 2: 'I should like to be able to say a word or two to my clerk just now', Stave 4: 'Fear you more than any other spectre I have seen. These include Scrooges cold nature, the power of wealth, and loss. People can change, but Scrooge has thus far been content with his situation. Bell, dong, ding; hammer, clang, clash! A Christmas Carol: Key Moments Being such a short story there is very little that is extraneous. Dr Aidan, PhD, brings you the second video. He also argues that Time is precious to me. This is most telling of all: whereas the old Scrooge saw little of value beyond his money hole, now he sees the truth that Time itself is precious; and it is, in fact, the most precious thing we. Tiny Tim's comment is generous in spirit, seeing his disability positively as it will remind others of the true meaning of Christmas by allowing them to think of Jesus on Christmas day. He has learned his lesson and been transformed from darkness into light - which is reflected in the world around him. Themes= greed and generosity/Christmas. ", cynical- "what's Christmas time to you but a time for paying bills without money", Isolated- "secret and self-contained, and solitary like an oyster. Whatever the genre. He always did!". Below one can explore the themes, symbols, and more that appear throughout the novel. The Spirit pointed from the grave to him, and back again. Scrooge is not unfortunate in the way of relatives - he has a family awaiting his . I am as light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I am as merry as a schoolboy. Bob describes his crippled son. The simile has connotations of stillness and endings. 'A Christmas Carol' Key Quotations Stave 5 Analysis Term 1 / 5 "I am light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I am as merry as a schoolboy. Imagery of warmth has symbolism of generosity, compassion and forgiveness- Fred always makes a effort with scrooge. as if its hold were of uncommon strength." Here, readers are exposed to the ghost of Christmas yet to come. The ghost breaks the news to Scrooge that the person whose death has been talked about so callously was his own. cried Bob. A Christmas Carol (Key Answers) Chapter 1 1. "It was long and wound about him like a til.". Oh, glorious! Scrooge's grave, by comparison to Tiny Tim's is 'overrun by weeds'. My little, little child!'' Dickens' use of the word 'good' repetitively to demonstrate the juxtaposition between Scrooge at the beginning of the novel, where Dickens describes Scrooge as a 'covetous old sinner'. A Christmas Carol (Key Quotes) 'Mankind is my business' - Marley (Should be Scrooges and everyone elses too) 'I will honour Christmas in my heart and, and try to keepit all the year' - Scrooge (Willing to change, become better person) . The verb 'shrouded' makes explicit reference to death which is reinforced by the 'deep black' of its clothes. Scrooge, showing that through the visits of the different ghosts he began to change more and more, as in stave two his "lip was trembling", but now he is having "a violent fit of trembling". Whoever the author.Discover new and exciting books to dive into with our Book Explorer Tool. "', The ghost of Christmas present focuses greatly on the Crachit family and how, despite their poor financial situation, In the Victorian era, family and family time were extremely important, particularly around Christmas, ' A Merry Christmas to us all, my dears. Towards the end of the book, Scrooge has clearly learnt that fact and decides to spend his remaining days sharing his time, his wealth, and enjoying the fruits of his fellow men. Dr Aidan, PhD, brings you the second video in his 'A Christmas Carol' series, looking here at the role and importance of the ghosts in this story. Dickens uses Scrooge to show the extent of change that is possible in a small amount of time. Where graceful youth should have filled their features out a stale and shrivelled hand, like that of age, had pinched, and twisted them. Dickens clearly uses them to represent what employment should be like. These words are then used against him by the ghost of the Christmas present. External heat and cold had little influence on Scrooge. Whatever the genre. This has a double meaning both as a sympathetic term of endearment and also the fact that thanks to Scrooge the man is literally poor. This use of listing to describe everything as 'good' helps to demonstrate the far reaching consequences of Scrooge's redemption. Here in this quote, one can see Dickens playing with literal and figurative meanings to great effect. Stave 2 - Belle's husband tells Belle about seeing Scrooge. Stave 2 - the Fezziwig's party It could also show that, as it has been so long since he was happy, he finds it difficult to describe. "His eyes sparkled and his breath smocked.". As we will later learn, his bitterness originates at Christmas time and has warped his perspective of it. The word 'business' reflects Scrooge's earlier response to the portly gentlemen. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business. "The happiness he gives, is quite as great as if it costs a fortune.". ', People with lots of money already are more likely to be greedy for more, not thinking about sharing that money with others effectively. The words of the charwoman, who disgusts Scrooge, in the rag 'n' bone man's shop reflect the views to which Scrooge subscribed at the start of the novella when he declared that the poor were not his 'business' implying that his only business was himself. No wind that blew was bitterer than he, no falling snow was more intent upon its purpose, no pelting rain less open to entreaty. Scrooge awakes and finds his room as dark as when he fell asleep at two o'clock. However, some of the scenes are to help develop Scrooge's character and add backstory. The Ghost of Christmas Past is an interesting vision it changes shape and size, it has many arms and then a few, it seems distant and close, old and young in fact it seems riddled with contradictory images. Dr Aidan, PhD, provides you with key quotes and analysis relating to the theme of 'Christmas'. ``Are there no workhouses? Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. Note the use of the adjective poor to describe Bob Cratchit. QUOTES THAT SHOW POVERTY IN A CHRISTMAS CAROL, Macbeth quotes, Key quotes from Macbeth, Macb, 2019 GCSE AQA Triple Higher Biology Paper 2 (, Paper 2 Chemistry Topics 6-10 TRIPLE AQA GCSE, Prentice Hall Writing and Grammar Grade 8, Grammar Exercise Workbook, myPerspectives: English Language Arts, California (Grade 9, Volume 1), myPerspectives: American Literature, California Volume 2, Holt McDougal Literature: American Literature Grade 11, Texas Edition. Key quotes from a Christmas Carol- Stave 2, A Christmas Carol Vocabulary, A Christmas Car, myPerspectives, English Language Arts, Grade 8, myPerspectives: English Language Arts, California (Grade 9, Volume 1), myPerspectives: English Language Arts, Grade 7, myPerspectives: Grade 10, Volume 2 California Edition, A Christmas Carol - quotation analysis-Stave. Belle "Our contract is an old one. Their terrible behaviour is a consequence of the ignorance and want that Dickens personified in stave 3. A happy New Year to all the world. Perfect for those studying the book at school (particularly GCSE students) or simply those wanting to learn more about it.For more in Dr Aidan's 'A Christmas Carol' series:The 10 Most Important Quotes in A Christmas Carol - https://youtu.be/8wpegV4ueYYPicture credits: Grim Reaper: openclipart.comCornucopia: openclipart.com Scrooge signed it. Dickens uses him to enable the reader to see that this is unfair, perhaps looking to make his readers reflect on the high mortality rate amongst poor children. Stave 4 - in the rag 'n' bone man's shop 4 major themes of this novel are forgiveness, the influence of the past, greed, and poverty. Hes comparing Cratchits actual body temperature to Scrooges personality. Themes= greed and generosity/time. And I know I know my dears, that when we recollect how patient and how mild he was; although he was a little, little child, we shall not quarrel easily among ourselves and forget poor Tiny Tim in doing it. This scene is very clever as well because not only does seeing the Fezziwigs party give Scrooges character the chance to see how much power he wields and how that influence could be used but it also offers us the opportunity to see some of the aspects that shaped Scrooge into the person that he was. a squeezing, wrenching . He did it all and infinitely more; and to Tiny Tim, who did NOT die, he was a second father., He knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the Knowledge.. It was a worthy place. In Victorian times, most of the readers would have been christian and would therefore heap additional judgement on Scrooge who needs to repent. Exhausted- "i cannot rest,i cannot stay, i cannot linger anywhere.". Scrooge makes explicit reference to the Malthusian idea that the population must decrease in order to create better conditions. Gives the impression of a festive being, full of Christmas spirit. The adjectives squeezing and wrenching, etc., relate to how one should imagine him with money, refusing to let go of his wealth. phrase on the line at the right. I think he wanted to make it accessible to all classes so he could better spread his message. A Christmas Carol is the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a stingy, cruel, wealthy, old bachelor.The book opens with a funeral. Dickens creates sympathy for the poor, through the Crachit's and their tight knit family. The description of the figure who is both like a child and like an old man, is suggestive of the journey that the ghost takes him on. ', 'I believe that it has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it! jovial voice.". This mirrors the Victorian rich's attitude to the poor. I will not be the man I must have been but for this intercourse! He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough, in the good old world. They now drag him down in death, and hes forced to wander the earth, unable to undo what he did before. This again leads back to Dickens' idea of collective responsibility - that everything that we do influences others. Scrooge's language has been formal and official: here he is informal, natural and joyous. Arguably, this is the most famous quote from A Christmas Carol. The chains are a metaphor for his punishment for his greedy life. "Business!"
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