The metaphor shows he is rigid in his unfeeling behaviour to others. " Scrooge entered timidly and hung . Hallo there! Part of the reason that A Christmas Carol is so widely studied is the abundance of different themes that it touches upon. 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. 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. The Spirit pointed from the grave to him, and back again. Exhausted- "i cannot rest,i cannot stay, i cannot linger anywhere.". "The cold within him froze his old features", Early description of scrooge. The chains are a metaphor for his punishment for his greedy life. ffects the change, pulling the curtains aside with his own hand. By this stage, Scrooge has already begun to see the error of his ways and has realised that he will benefit from the messages he is receiving and so he begins to take agency over the situation. '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. As it is used in line 32 , the word reticent means the opposite of. The repetitive structure and short exclamations create the sense that he cannot put into words how happy he is. We have never had any quarrel, to which I have been a party. The workers will be repairing the building. scientist; is. The reader does not know that Tim has died, so Dickens foreshadows his death through the use of the simile. The two children are the personification of man's ills - ignorance and want. Scrooges changing attitude is never better highlighted than in his initial responses to the three ghosts. ". Did the Anglo-Saxon period last between 449 and 1066? Here are some of the best 'A Christmas Carol' Scrooge quotes for this holiday season that will melt your heart. Marleys chains symbolize the mistakes hes made in life and the greed that controlled him. Of course, Dickens does use his trademark lengthy descriptions but nearly everything has a point. The heaviest rain, and snow, and hail, and sleet, could boast of the advantage over him in only one respect. A Christmas Carol is rarely classified as a gothic novel. We see when Scrooge is presented with the poor children (Want and Ignorance) how instinctively and perhaps despite his character that he is compelled to want to help. Scrooge is particularly affected by the death, and this is a death he is able to reverse in the future when he amends his behaviour. The two children Ignorance and Want represents the attitudes of the rich to the poor in Victorian society. But it does share a lot of gothic conventions. The verb sparkled has magical and positive connotations, shows Fred is the antithesis of scrooge. Stave 3 - the Cratchits With key quotes \u0026 analysis, this video provides an ideal format to gain a greater understanding of this novella in a matter of minutes. I am as giddy as a drunken man. A frosty rime was on his head, and on his eyebrows, and his wiry chin. () *The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shrivelled his cheek, stiffened his gait; made his eyes red, his thin lips blue; and spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice. Of course, Dickens does use his trademark lengthy descriptions but nearly everything has a point. Stave 4 - in the rag 'n' bone man's shop 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. This reminds us of Freds line during the beginning of the book a phrase that Dickens later called The Carol Philosophy: It is only during Christmas that we open our shut up hearts and think of each other as being fellow passengers to the grave and not other beings on some other journey. During this section, Scrooge is reminded that we all die in the end, it is the only sure thing in life, and that all we have to work with is the short time that we have down here. ', People with lots of money already are more likely to be greedy for more, not thinking about sharing that money with others effectively. "Reeked with crime, and filth, and misery". 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." He teaches scrooge to learn from his mistakes of his past. I am as light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I am as merry as a schoolboy. I am as giddy as a drunken man., Scrooge was better than his word. Lord bless me!" A description of the ghost of Christmas past, who symbolises memory and who shows scrooge events from the past. Foul weather didnt know where to have him. Dickens is very clever in his use of dialogue in this section of the story as the Ghost of Future Yet To Come shows Scrooge the people that are talking about his death. 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". A Christmas Carol - Quotes and Analysis Stave 1 Stave 2 Stave 3 Stave 4 Stave 5 ( ) The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker and the chief mourner. Accessed 4 March 2023. However, how the poor were treated was far more extreme in Victorian England. "Tonight, if you have aught to teach me, let me profit by it.". Dickens clearly uses them to represent what employment should be like. Use if fairy tale convention, shows the story will have a magical ending. Fred is unrelenting in his attempts to change his uncles way of thinking. Fezziwigs character is an understated part of the story of A Christmas Carol. Draw an arrow from each underlined word to the word it modifies. The word 'business' reflects Scrooge's earlier response to the portly gentlemen. Im sure you will all e familiar with the one percent statistic. The image of the oyster is almost perfect for Scrooge at this stage in the book. This went against what Victorians considered to be a 'good death' where you die surrounded by friends and family and then are mourned afterwards. A Christmas Carol: Key Moments Being such a short story there is very little that is extraneous. The noun 'father' shows the idea that one laugh leads to another - happiness breeds happiness. Dickens was familiar with the terrible working conditions of the poor and campaigned for education of children. The verb forged shows skill and effort- Marley spent his whole life's time and effort in his greed so is suffering the consequences. Dickens was openly opposed to this view and challenges it throughout the novella. Refine any search. "I wish you could have gone. The shortness of the main clause at the end makes the message more shocking. 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. When you analyse poverty in A Christmas Carol, you may want to reference the setting as well as using direct quotes from characters. A solitary child, neglected by his friends is left there still - Scrooge sobbed, This shows scrooges lack of companionship and support even since a child this could show why scrooge became so money obsessed, I have always thought of Christmas a good time. 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. 'A Christmas Carol' is a widely studied book filled with memorable quotes. A happy New Year to all the world! enthusiastic- "a merry Christmas uncle. Without the trauma from Scrooges youth and the death of his sister, Fran, its unlikely that he wouldve become the person that he did. Stave 1 - Scrooge's response to the gentlemen saying that people would rather die than go to the workhouse. Of course, there is still a massive equality gap between the rich and the poor. Bob describes his crippled son. With in-depth analysis, this video aims to help you gain a greater understanding of the novella in a matter of minutes. The last line of A Christmas Carol is God bless us, everyone. Its spoken by the well-loved character Tiny Tim. The spirit of Christmas is personified in his open heart, open hand, and outstretched arm. Shows Bob's place of work, and shows scrooges harsh treatment on him. The use of light throughout the novel suggests the truth/ the right path which Scrooge at first does not want to see. Fire symbolizes emotion and warmth. This almost prompts a realization in Scrooge as he catches on to the fact that his wealth provides him (and indeed Fezziwig) with the power to make people happy. Fred represents the spirit of Christmas and carries Dickens' message about collective responsibility and how we should treat one another. Marley tells scrooge he is responsible fro his punishment- he is suffering the consequences for his actions. The girl is want. Theme= poverty/greed and generosity. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. Check ()(\checkmark)() the blank before each sentence that contains a subordinate clause. They now drag him down in death, and hes forced to wander the earth, unable to undo what he did before. jovial voice.". '', Stave 3 - the ghost uses Scrooge's words against him when he asks where there is refuge for the children, ignorance and want. but stopped at the first syllable', Repeated phrase (Juxtaposition and patterning), Stave 5: 'Hear me! A Christmas Carol Charles Dickens On this page, readers can explore the quotes, they are broadly separated into a few sub-categories. said the Spirit, turning on him for the last time with his own words. GCSE (9-1): Literature: A Christmas Carol: Key Quotes: Key Quotes with Analysis 4.7 (15 reviews) Term 1 / 36 'Sole' (stave 1) Click the card to flip Definition 1 / 36 repetition - Isolated, lonely. ', Where the portly gentlemen explain to Scrooge about the plight of the poor and the responsibility of the rich to deal with it, In Stave 5, Scrooge begins to redeem himself for all the terrible things he did in the past, Victorian society was still extremely religious at this point and they believed strongly in the impact of sin upon the treatment of one in the afterlife, The way that Scrooge worships money would have been considered as sinful at the time as it is in a way idolising something that is not the holy lord, Stave 5: 'that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge', Stave 1: 'A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping clutching, covetous old sinner! 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. 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. ', Stave 1: 'that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellowmen, and travel far and wide; and if that spirit goes not forth in life, it is condemned to do so after death. ', 'I believe that it has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it!