Of course, the suggestion that people might be talking about him is beastly to Scrooge. "The cold within him froze his old features", Early description of scrooge. Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. God save you! The noun cell has connotations of Bob being imprisoned by scrooge. Stave 5 - Scrooge's reaction to discovering it is not too late Scrooge is presented as a miserly character - his money does not even bring him any happiness. 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. "', 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. The verb sparkled has magical and positive connotations, shows Fred is the antithesis of scrooge. 'It was a strange figurelike a child: yet not so like a child as like an old man'. Whoever the author.Discover new and exciting books to dive into with our Book Explorer Tool. He looked so irresistibly pleasant, in a word, that three or four good-humoured fellows said, "Good morning, sir. For a start, there is the use of ghosts throughout. The two children are the personification of man's ills - ignorance and want. Christmas is now a time for family, friends and feeling good. 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. Of course, the fact that this is obvious does not detract from the big reveal due to the way that Dickens masterfully creates tension. Y. Each sentence below contains a verb However, it could also be argued that ignorance reflects the lack of education of the poor. ', People with lots of money already are more likely to be greedy for more, not thinking about sharing that money with others effectively. The multiple similes emphasise Scrooge's joy and elation at his second chance. Clash, clang, hammer; ding, dong, bell! however, her reference to their father suggests that he had not been kind in the past, thus reinforcing our sympathy. The Christmas Spirit By Section Stave One: Marley's Ghost Stave Two: The First of the Three Spirits Stave Three: The Second of the Three Spirits Stave Four: The Last of the Spirits Stave Five: The End of It By Character Ebenezer Scrooge Bob Cratchit Fred Jacob Marley The Ghost of Christmas Past The Ghost of Christmas Present as if its hold were of uncommon strength." Without the trauma from Scrooges youth and the death of his sister, Fran, its unlikely that he wouldve become the person that he did. He is described as been so dislike that even the weather is better in that at least it 'comes down' gracefully. "I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. The repetition of the word 'little' reinforces to the reader how young and innocent and undeserving of death was Tiny Tim. What is interesting is that a lot of the traditions that Dickens writes about werent quite so commonplace before his novella. The childhood innocence has been 'shrivelled' and 'twisted' showing the ill effects of their treatment. They often came down handsomely, and Scrooge never did. "If these shadows remain unaltered by the Future, the child will die.". A Christmas Carol Charles Dickens On this page, readers can explore the quotes, they are broadly separated into a few sub-categories. Dr Aidan, PhD, brings you the second video. Whereas the line about being solitary as an oyster suggests that Scrooge refuses to let anybody into his life. Describes Fred, who is a symbol of Christmas spirit. The simile shows Bobs wealth in his family; he values them more than money and so is content with their love. The image of the oyster is almost perfect for Scrooge at this stage in the book. Ghost stories were very popular during the Victorian era. Themes= Christmas/greed and generosity/family. These cover themes like wealth, poverty, Christmas, and kindness. Themes= greed and generosity/time. A frosty rime was on his head, and on his eyebrows, and his wiry chin. They are likely to be of even higher class than Scrooge but are choosing to do good for the poor. 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.. Belle to Scrooge: "Another idol has displaced me a golden one.". '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. It is through your support of visiting Book Analysis that we can support charities, such as Teenage Cancer Trust. The Victorian's would have seen this as fitting. The two children Ignorance and Want represents the attitudes of the rich to the poor in Victorian society. How to revise from this guide You should be spending at least 30-60 minutes a week revising for English Literature from this point onwards, aiming to learn 5-7 key quotes for each character. When it was made you were another man. When you analyse poverty in A Christmas Carol, you may want to reference the setting as well as using direct quotes from characters. He teaches scrooge to learn from his mistakes of his past. A Christmas Carol is the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a stingy, cruel, wealthy, old bachelor.The book opens with a funeral. Charles Dickens only really scratched the surface of this. The list of adjectives show his wealth but also his warmth and generosity towards others. Of course, there is still a massive equality gap between the rich and the poor. Fire symbolizes emotion and warmth. 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 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. Stave 3 - Christmas at Fred's Underline the verb phrase in each sentence. "It was long and wound about him like a til.". cried the gentleman, as if his breath were taken away. To Kill a Mockingbird -Analysis of Major Characters. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. In Victorian times, the deceased were usually dressed in their best clothes for burial but here, Scrooge's clothes after death have been removed and sold for money. Workhouses were a terrible place and menial and dangerous jobs such as sweeping chimneys still existed. LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in A Christmas Carol, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. He greets Scrooge with a drink that makes him feel good: the milk of human kindness though one could be forgiven for seeing an alcoholic connection and then takes him on a tour of Christmases around the country. These morally repugnant, ugly people are simply treating Scrooge the way he treated others and he is horrified. Stave 3 - ignorance and want I think this is why the character of Fezziwig exists to show that Scrooge is not representative of all the upper classes. ", 'A frosty rime was on his head, and on his eyebrows, and his wiry chin. The entrance of Scrooge 's nephew Fred at the beginning of the story introduces another side to the miser. "He hoped the people saw him in the church, because he was a cripple and it might be pleasant for them to remember on Christmas Day, who made lame beggars walk, and blind men see.". 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. The onomatopoetic verb 'gasping' makes the reader explicitly imagine the death, suggesting struggle and pain. Themes= time/Christmas/generosity and forgiveness. 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. The noun unanimity suggests that he is happy to be involved. Watching Scrooge forge his own invisible chain served as part of Marley's punishment for his deeds in life. This again leads back to Dickens' idea of collective responsibility - that everything that we do influences others. Oh! Her gown is poor but she is 'brave in ribbons'. The Ghost of Christmas yet to come is symbolic. Being such a short story there is very little that is extraneous. A description of the school house that Scrooge was left in as a child, by his family. I will not be the man I must have been but for this intercourse! We are reminded of the contrast between the rendered status. Stave 2 - the arrival of his sister, Fan In this way, like a patient completing therapy, he has faced his past, but can now move on. This went against what Victorians considered to be a 'good death' where you die surrounded by friends and family and then are mourned afterwards. Stave 4 - About Scrooge's grave: Hes comparing Cratchits actual body temperature to Scrooges personality. ``Are there no workhouses? Stave 5 - Scrooge walks the streets enjoying the company of others. Dickens clearly uses them to represent what employment should be like. With the title of the book being A Christmas Carol you would expect Christmas to feature prominently throughout the novel. He is designed to show that the wealthy can make a significant difference. This is another quote where Dickens draws on the semantic field of the cold weather. Then, identify each underlined word by writing above it ADV for adverb or ADJ for adjective. No wind that blew was bitterer than he, no falling snow was more intent upon its purpose, no pelting rain less open to entreaty. The boy is ignorance. The adjective dismal connotes a lack of light and hopeless atmosphere. The adjective solitary and neglected highlight his feelings of loneliness and isolation, creating sympathy for him. 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. Check ()(\checkmark)() the blank before each sentence that contains a subordinate clause. Dickens uses the scene to allow the reader to feel sorry for the child 'Scrooge' whose loneliness was not by choice - although the adult Scrooge's is. The metaphor shows he is rigid in his unfeeling behaviour to others. "I wish you could have gone. But it does share a lot of gothic conventions. Click the card to flip Flashcards Learn Test Match Created by AIC-CREATOR-TD Terms in this set (36) Then write the form of that verb This shows scrooges lack of empathy for the poor people around christmas time not regarding their life or family, this is used to show a change later on in the book with him not donating to the 2 gentleman at the start but him donating to them at the end of the play- Scrooge to the two gentleman, Marley during his life was a harsh businessman similar to scrooge and he was also very uptight not giving money to charity or other good causes. That being said the fact that Marley is suffering damnation suggests that he too led a similar path to Scrooge. Of course, these changes seldom happen so quickly in reality and perhaps thats part of the reason that A Christmas Carol does not receive the critical acclaim that you could argue it deserves. This is said by criminals who plundered/ stole from scrooge after he died. And perhaps its because we know the story so well, or maybe because it is pretty obvious, most readers will probably understand that they are in fact commenting on Scrooge. ". Oh, glorious. Scrooge's language has been formal and official: here he is informal, natural and joyous. ``My little child!''. The Christmas Spirit I am sure I have always thought of Christmas time as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time the only time when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers. ', Stave 5: 'No fog, no mist; clear, bright, jovial, stirring, cold;', Stave 5: '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.'. Pathetic fallacy - Scrooge can see now clearly - reinforced by the adjectives juxtaposing the foggy, misty scenes of earlier chapters when Scrooge could not see the error of his ways. This quote is trying to say that Marley should've cared more about the people rather than his business - Marley, This opposes to the way that he conveyed his feelings to everyone at the start of the novel this shows his change and how he improved by the end, Therefore I am about to raise your salary, This shows a strong change in scrooges character as at the start of the novel with the 2 gentleman he was not willing to donate any money to them and now he is raising Bob Cratchits salary, This shows Tiny Tim's appreciation of Scrooge even when his mother doesnt think that scrooge deserves the praise, Another idol has displaced me a golden one. Leading up to this moment it appears as if Scrooge already fears that this is the case, but that does not detract from the tension that Charles Dickens can create here. Here in this quote, one can see Dickens playing with literal and figurative meanings to great effect. ". Fezziwigs character is an understated part of the story of A Christmas Carol. Stave 4 - Bob's reaction to Tiny Tim's death I can't afford to make idle people merry.". In defending Fezziwig, he is taught a lesson and makes him think about how he treats his clerk, leading to his second moment of regret in which he'd like to 'say a word to two' to Bob. Dickens though that this was wrong and aimed to change perception, 'Mankind was my business. It is through your support of visiting Book Analysis that we can support charities, such as Teenage Cancer Trust. Scrooge has undergone a metamorphoses - he has literally been reborn as a new man. Studying 'A Christmas Carol'? These compare with the bells at the start of the novel, signifying the hellish arrival of Marley's ghost. International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct,London, EC1A 2BN, United Kingdom, 2023 Book Analysis. Ignorance could represent the wealthy upper classes who are ignorant of what they must do to help. His most famous saying is bah humbug. He used it as an exclamation when he wanted to express his displeasure about something. These include Scrooges cold nature, the power of wealth, and loss. Underline the word or symbol in parentheses that best completes each sentence. Spirit! he cried, tight clutching at his robe, hear me! Dr Aidan, PhD, provides you with key quotes and analysis relating to the theme of 'Christmas'. No Way- he tells them that the poor should go and die then there would be less people in the world. With key quotes \u0026 analysis, this video provides an ideal format to gain a greater understanding of this novella in a matter of minutes. Yellow, meagre, ragged, scowling, wolfish. "[He called out in a] comfortable,oily, rich. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. () At the time, Camden town would have been a crowded suburb. Active Themes Stave 3 - the Cratchits Describes Fred, who is a symbol of Christmas spirit. As a result of this he was damned to walk as a ghost chained with money boxes surrounding him. * The use of pathetic fallacy shows that he is in direct opposition to anyone who tries to help him. Stave 1 - why the portly gentlemen are collecting for the poor I am as giddy as a drunken man. At this point, Scrooges character has become fairly well established but the reason that this particular meeting is of such importance is that it highlights Scrooges outlook towards the poor as well as provides his comments about how the poor should be treated. Instant PDF downloads. Bob said he didnt believe there ever was such a goose cooked., About Tiny Tim: If these shadows remain unaltered by the Future, the child will die., Bob Cratchit: Ill give you Mr Scrooge, the Founder of the Feast., About Ignorance and Want: This boy is Ignorance. It is uncared for just as he was uncared for, gasping out his last alone. Dickens wished to educate people about the personal consequences of maintaining such an attitude, Scrooge's former staff can be seen selling of his old things as they were not paid sufficiently when he was alive, Stave 1/3: 'If he be like to die, he better do it and decrease the surplus population', Stave 3: 'wretched, abject, frightful, hideous, miserable', Stave 3: 'The girl is ignorance, the boy is want', 'it is more than usually desirable that we should make some slight provision for the Poor and destitute, who suffer greatly at the present time. Partially because of the nature of its main character. The verbs suggest age, disfiguration and pain suggesting how unnatural their conditions are that have led to this. This is the image of rich men who are shown to ridicule Scrooge after his death.The rich are presented as unfeeling and callous- their physical ugliness reflects the lack of generosity in their spirits. In many ways, it is the child who can most tug on Scrooges heartstrings. Family Theme Analysis. Studying Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol'? 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. Example: The scientist, along with her two assistants, (is, are) working on a computer simulation of earthquake activity. Whatever the book. But, they were happy, grateful, pleased with one another and contented with the time. It has harsh imagery and the symbolism of cold, shows he is lacking Christmas spirit. His selfish ways have left him this way. The dying fire at the beginning of the novel symbolizes Scrooges lack of either. The shortness of the main clause at the end makes the message more shocking. The idea that they shake hands with each person 'individually' shows the humanity with which they treat everyone - they do not see the poor as 'creatures' A happy New Year to all the world. This phrase is repeated to describe both Mrs Crarchit and her daughter. Walled in by houses; overrun by grass and weeds. "Quite alone in the world, I do believe.". But I have made the trial in homage to Christmas, and. This may be a way of showing what Dickens thinks should be happening. Invite Scrooge to come for Christmas dinner 4. Scrooge has been transformed - just as his room has been transformed by the arrival of the Ghost of Christmas present - and wants to learn. The workers will be repairing the building. "the phantom slowly, gravely, silently approached", A description of the ghost of Christmas future; he is the darkest of the spirits, a reminder to scrooge of his terrible fate if he fails to learn his lesson. The chains are a metaphor for his punishment for his greedy life. The verb forged shows skill and effort- Marley spent his whole life's time and effort in his greed so is suffering the consequences. Past: "The curtains of his bed were drawn aside, I tell you, When the Ghost of Christmas Past arrives, the curtains of his bed were drawn aside by a hand. Here, it is clear that it is the ghost who makes the move the ghost actively. This is a great description, wanders around holding a candle snuffer that looks like a hat. "Are there no prisons?" Themes= greed and generosity/ time. The most clearly religious image though is how it wears a tunic of purest white, as though it is a pure, innocent Angel sent to guide him. These cover themes like wealth, poverty, Christmas, and kindness. He doesn't believe it, but when he goes to the window, the street is deserted and dark as nighttime. Scrooge's sympathy for himself leads to sympathy for the carol singer from the night before. Scrooge will avoid spirits for the rest of his life geddit? The Fezziwigs throw a party and treat everyone the same - no matter their status. Scrooge learns how little generosity creates a lot of happiness. It is too much linked to his miserly ways thus suggesting that the learning is not finished yet. 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. Stave 2 - Belle breaks off the engagement. Scrooges changing attitude is never better highlighted than in his initial responses to the three ghosts. Marley 2. Tail has connotations of the devil- reinforcing evil image. Use if fairy tale convention, shows the story will have a magical ending. patience and hope fro them. It would have done you good to see how green a place it is., Bob Cratchit about Freds kindness: It really seemed as if he had known our Tiny Tim, and felt with us., About Scrooges grave: overrun by grass and weeds., Scrooge on what he has learnt: I will not shut out the lessons that they teach., Scrooge: The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me., Scrooge: I am as light as a feather, I am a happy as an angel, I am as merry as a school-boy. Summary. However, this in itself would probably not have been enough to alter his ways. uses long and short clauses to show how busy they are. Themes= poverty/family/greed and generosity. Privacy Policy, https://bookanalysis.com/charles-dickens/a-christmas-carol/themes-and-analysis/. "Every person has a right to take care of themselves. This symbolises his generosity and air of festivity. The use of light throughout the novel suggests the truth/ the right path which Scrooge at first does not want to see. Bob Crachit and the Cratchit Family Quotes, A Christmas Carol- The Ghost of Christmas Pre, 'An Inspector Calls' Key Quotations Analysis, myPerspectives: English Language Arts, Grade 7, myPerspectives: Grade 10, Volume 2 California Edition, myPerspectives, English Language Arts, Grade 8, California My Perspectives English Language Arts, Grade 9, Volume Two. She looked at me as if I had insulted her. However, these are two children that he has no control over. Of Mice and Men Section Overview . Accessed 4 March 2023. Whoever the author.Discover new and exciting books to dive into with our Book Explorer Tool. It could also show that, as it has been so long since he was happy, he finds it difficult to describe. Money 5. 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. This is a great quote for highlighting the sort of character that Scrooge was in A Christmas Carol. However, some of the scenes are to help develop Scrooge's character and add backstory. 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. "Business!" A happy New Year to all the world. Analysis. Ideas about purgatory and hell would have been recognisable to the mainly Christian readership at the time - and would have made the allegory more frightening. The reader does not know that Tim has died, so Dickens foreshadows his death through the use of the simile. " Scrooge entered timidly and hung . With in-depth analysis, this video aims to help you gain a greater understanding of the novella in a matter of minutes. Of course, Dickens does use his trademark lengthy descriptions but nearly everything has a point. Belle "Our contract is an old one. The portly gentlemen are also instrumental in delivering Dickens' message. Compare the different settings in "Grape Sherbet" Describe each setting using details from the poem. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. When he sees Tiny Tim and his jubilance despite his disadvantages, Scrooge cannot help but feel compassion and by association guilt, as he has seen from the effect Fezziwg had on his staff that he could have a similar influence on Tiny Tim. Stave 2 - Belle's husband tells Belle about seeing Scrooge. As it is used in line 32 , the word reticent means the opposite of. Scrooges words to the charity collectors as he refuses to give charity. Scrooge awakes and finds his room as dark as when he fell asleep at two o'clock. The speaker is clearly fed up with Scrooges behaviour and wants him to get to the end of his journey and realize his mistakes as soon as possible. This shows that scrooge is only hurting himself by being so money orientated it doesnt affect his family but does himself.