christmas carol key quotes and analysis

Dickens was familiar with the terrible working conditions of the poor and campaigned for education of children. Mrs Cratchit, although poor, represents the family's will to make the best of things - to celebrate in spite of their poverty. As readers, Dickens is allowing us to reflect on how far Scrooge has come in learning the lesson - and perhaps asking us to reflect on our own learning. 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. This is evident in his early relationship with his nephew Fred. Studying A Christmas Carol? The list of adjectives show his wealth but also his warmth and generosity towards others. - Scrooge, Ever idiot who goes around with merry xmas on his lips should be buried with a stake of holly through his heart, The use of nature with a type of plant typically seen around christmas time makes scrooges comment even more menacing saying that they should kill him with the very thing that is giving him happiness in that certain period.- Scrooge. "Its genial face, its sparking eye, its open hand. patience and hope fro them. ', 'I believe that it has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it! But as I know your purpose is to do me good, and as I hope to live to be another man from what I was, I am prepared to bear your company and do it with a thankful heart', Stave 1: 'He tried to say 'Humbug!' 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 cold within him froze his old features", Early description of scrooge. For characters like Fred and Bob Cratchit, Christmas represents the Christian ideal of goodness and moral prosperity, but Scrooge is at his most miserly when Christmas is mentioned. Whatever the genre. Themes= poverty/family/greed and generosity. The chains are a metaphor for his punishment for his greedy life. But it does share a lot of gothic conventions. Here are some of the best 'A Christmas Carol' Scrooge quotes for this holiday season that will melt your heart. Setting can help create an atmosphere or mood in a literary work. For example, the first ghost is a metaphor for how memories and the past shape ones experience, while the last ghost is a metaphor for death and ones legacy. Instant PDF downloads. I can't afford to make idle people merry. Stave 4 - in the rag 'n' bone man's shop A Christmas Carol Charles Dickens On this page, readers can explore the quotes, they are broadly separated into a few sub-categories. The entrance of Scrooge 's nephew Fred at the beginning of the story introduces another side to the miser. The two children Ignorance and Want represents the attitudes of the rich to the poor in Victorian society. Ultimately he tries to extinguish the ghost's light. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. ". Tail has connotations of the devil- reinforcing evil image. The repetitive structure and short exclamations create the sense that he cannot put into words how happy he is. () The introduction of the portly gentlemen provide an opposition to Scrooge. " Scrooge entered timidly and hung . 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. The final ghost is by far the most scary of the three it remains silent throughout their time together, only standing by as a guide, and leaving Scrooge and the reader to work out the story himself. 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. Ghost stories were very popular during the Victorian era. International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct,London, EC1A 2BN, United Kingdom, 2023 Book Analysis. Scrooge has been transformed - just as his room has been transformed by the arrival of the Ghost of Christmas present - and wants to learn. Himself, always. Below one can explore the themes, symbols, and more that appear throughout the novel. Dickens uses these characters to challenge popular preconceptions that the wealthy had about the poor - preconceptions which led to support for the poor law and the workhouses. 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. Partially because of the nature of its main character. Stave 4 - in the rag 'n' bone man's shop These compare with the bells at the start of the novel, signifying the hellish arrival of Marley's ghost. 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. The repetition of the adjective 'good' reinforces this idea. My little, little child!'' These cover themes like wealth, poverty, Christmas, and kindness. 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. Though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket, I believe that it has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it! The ribbons are her means of dressing more festively. ". His house is dark - which reflects the darkness in his character and also adds to the gothic atmosphere of his house. 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. Foul weather didnt know where to have him. Stave 3 - the ghost uses Scrooge's words against him The childhood innocence has been 'shrivelled' and 'twisted' showing the ill effects of their treatment. In Victorian times, most of the readers would have been christian and would therefore heap additional judgement on Scrooge who needs to repent. So while he did not invent these particular traditions many people credit him with popularizing them. But, they were happy, grateful, pleased with one another and contented with the time. Where graceful youth should have filled their features out a stale and shrivelled hand, like that of age, had pinched, and twisted them. Themes= time/Christmas, "A solitary child, neglected by his friends.". Any study of the time will tell you about the working conditions for the lower classes. A Christmas Carol: Key Moments Being such a short story there is very little that is extraneous. I think this is why the character of Fezziwig exists to show that Scrooge is not representative of all the upper classes. God save you! I will not be the man I must have been but for this intercourse! A Christmas Carol Key Quotes and Analysis. Stave 2 - the spirit takes him to past Christmases including seeing Scrooge alone at school. Like an oyster, he keeps himself to himself, hidden beneath a hard shell that he uses to protect himself from the world. The last line of A Christmas Carol is God bless us, everyone. Its spoken by the well-loved character Tiny Tim. He carried his own low temperature always about with him; he iced his office in the dog-days; and didnt thaw it one degree at Christmas. Oh! The girl is want. Note the use of the adjective poor to describe Bob Cratchit. Himself. 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. phrase on the line at the right. Privacy Policy, https://bookanalysis.com/charles-dickens/a-christmas-carol/themes-and-analysis/. The noun phantom has negatives connotations in contrast to the more positive spirits - once again, warning scrooge of his fate if he doesn't change his ways. forgiving- "to Mr Scrooge, the founder of the feast.". Stave 3 - Scrooge asks if Tiny Tim will live, having been moved by his goodness. Underline the verb phrase in each sentence. It is too much linked to his miserly ways thus suggesting that the learning is not finished yet. Whoop! Here, Scrooge is talking about Fezziwig and how he uses his wealth to lift others up. Underline the word or symbol in parentheses that best completes each sentence. My life tends that way, now., Bob Cratchit about Tiny Tims grave: I wish you could have gone. 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. Spirit! he cried, tight clutching at his robe, hear me! Stave 5 - the bells ring They often came down handsomely, and Scrooge never did. 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. No fog, no mist; clear, bright, jovial, stirring, cold; cold, piping for the blood to dance to; Golden sunlight; Heavenly sky; sweet fresh air; merry bells. Dickens considers ignorance the worst, because it leads to want. Im sure you will all e familiar with the one percent statistic. He doesn't believe it, but when he goes to the window, the street is deserted and dark as nighttime. 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' He is designed to show that the wealthy can make a significant difference. Then there are some of the settings contained in A Christmas Carol. "Reeked with crime, and filth, and misery". He begins with no compassion for others but eventually learns a better way to live. 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. Scrooges changing attitude is never better highlighted than in his initial responses to the three ghosts. They were a boy and girl. Whatever the book. Stave 5 - pathetic fallacy A description of the ghost of Christmas present. "The noisy little Cratchit's were as still as status". Dr Aidan, PhD, brings you the second video. 2003-2023 Chegg Inc. All rights reserved. The Ghost of Christmas Present greets Scrooge from on top of a pile of luxurious Christmas fare. Stave 3 - ignorance and want The style of A Christmas Carol is conversational and direct. No Way- he tells them that the poor should go and die then there would be less people in the world. sungiemarie. He listens for the church bell but when it comes, it strikes twelve. 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". 6. Scrooge has undergone a metamorphoses - he has literally been reborn as a new man. 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. A frosty rime was on his head, and on his eyebrows, and his wiry chin. There is no doubt . Of course, Dickens does use his trademark lengthy descriptions but nearly everything has a point. cried the Ghost, wringing its hands again. External heat and cold had little influence on Scrooge. He must have slept through a whole day and half a night. 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. "Tonight, if you have aught to teach me, let me profit by it.". 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. Themes= greed and generosity of the poor. Fred represents the spirit of Christmas and carries Dickens' message about collective responsibility and how we should treat one another. "If these shadows remain unaltered by the Future, the child will die.". Such as the graveyard at the end. Throughout the book, Dickens makes use of metaphors, personification, imagery, and more. If you watch any of the adaptations of A Christmas Carol Tiny Tim is almost always one of the loveable characters and with good reason. Discuss why you think the poet made these choices. Theme= poverty/greed and generosity. Dickens though that this was wrong and aimed to change perception, 'Mankind was my business. scientist; is. You must cook those fresh eggs for that kind of special salad. LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in A Christmas Carol, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. Without the ghost of Christmas future, Scrooge wouldve been unlikely to change. The word 'business' reflects Scrooge's earlier response to the portly gentlemen. The key theme for Dickens is that money does not lead to happiness, Greed is the single factor that is responsible for the breakup of Scrooge's marriage, 'Another idol has displaced me a golden one', Stave 2: 'The happiness he gives, is quite as great as if it cost a fortune', The Cratchit family are used as a depiction of a family in poverty, More than any other time in history there was a huge divide between classes, the lower classes lived in deperate poverty and were in want while the upper classes enjoyed a life of luxury, Stave 1: 'Many thousands are in want of common necessities, sir and many hundreds of thousands are in want of common comforts', Scrooge's staff selling off his old goods, Victorian aristocracy were very keen to remain ignorant about the sufferings of the poor. But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! Dickens also suggests that, through his adoration of a false god, he is no longer a good christian. 'No fog, no mist; clear, bright, jovial, stirring, cold; Golden sunlight; Heavenly sky; sweet fresh air; merry bells. Bell, dong, ding; hammer, clang, clash! 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 verb sparkled has magical and positive connotations, shows Fred is the antithesis of scrooge. Themes= family/time/poverty. There is a very real suggestion that Scrooge knows that the people are describing him. We have never had any quarrel, to which I have been a party. However, inside that shell - like Scrooge - the oyster is soft and vulnerable. Imagery of warmth has symbolism of generosity, compassion and forgiveness- Fred always makes a effort with scrooge. The workers will be repairing the building. 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 adjective 'common' shows the reader that the poor only want those things which should be normal and available for all - the 'common' things rather than luxuries. Given an unexpected opportunity to communicateperhaps as a Christmas miracleMarley feels determined to help Scrooge and he warns him here. 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. However, these are two children that he has no control over. Recognizing Progressive Forms and Tenses. The tremors of the great San Francisco earthquake that occurred in 1906 (was, were) estimated to have measured 8.3 on the Richter scale. A happy New Year to all the world! Total Abstinence Principle more hilarious punning from Dickens. Family Theme Analysis. Charles Dickens only really scratched the surface of this. A merry Christmas to everybody! Although their behaviour is callous and cruel, the italicised personal pronoun he reminds us that scrooge (and the rich) are partly to blame fro the behaviour of the poor. Analysing the evidence "I am sorry, with all my heart, to find you so resolute. ``My little child!''. "[He called out in a] comfortable,oily, rich. 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 "Our contract is an old one. Marleys chains symbolize the mistakes hes made in life and the greed that controlled him. When you analyse poverty in A Christmas Carol, you may want to reference the setting as well as using direct quotes from characters. 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. This may be a way of showing what Dickens thinks should be happening. For a start, there is the use of ghosts throughout. Scrooges words to the charity collectors as he refuses to give charity. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. Glorious! Stave 1 - description of Marley's ghost This is one of Freds lines, and it really helps to highlight the difference in viewpoints between Fred and his uncle. () The famous phrase Humbug really means either shame or hoax. They are mans. Fezziwig's office has a large fire which adds to the welcoming atmosphere, offering the reader an additional opportunity to compare it to Scrooge's cold office with the meagre fire. This is a great quote for highlighting the sort of character that Scrooge was in A Christmas Carol. In many ways, it is the child who can most tug on Scrooges heartstrings. 2. ', "Darkness is cheap, and Scrooge liked it.". The heaviest rain, and snow, and hail, and sleet, could boast of the advantage over him in only one respect. 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.'. 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) . Only financial gain. Watching Scrooge forge his own invisible chain served as part of Marley's punishment for his deeds in life. The case of this unhappy man might be my own. 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'. 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. A Christmas Carol is the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a stingy, cruel, wealthy, old bachelor.The book opens with a funeral. He did it all, and infinitely more; and to Tiny Tim, who did not die, he was a second father. "Business!" However, some of the scenes are to help develop Scrooge's character and add backstory. 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. He looked so irresistibly pleasant, in a word, that three or four good-humoured fellows said, "Good morning, sir. 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. Part of the reason that A Christmas Carol is so widely studied is the abundance of different themes that it touches upon. Here, we get the image of a country that is united during this time of year; a place where Christmas and Britishness are inextricably linked, which would have been incredibly popular for a Victorian audience who were in the throws of empire building. Inclusive now of society - not isolated and solitary. With the title of the book being A Christmas Carol you would expect Christmas to feature prominently throughout the novel. Themes= time/Christmas/generosity and forgiveness. Scrooge's grave, by comparison to Tiny Tim's is 'overrun by weeds'. Whoever the author.Discover new and exciting books to dive into with our Book Explorer Tool. His selfish ways have left him this way. 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.". Xmas Present - This makes scrooge realise that he needs to change or Tiny Tim will die young which is the one of the first stages of scrooges change. Stave 3 - description of Mrs Cratchit A foil is a character who contrasts with another character (usually the protagonist) in order to highlight particular qualities of the other character. 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. 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.". Are there no prisons?'' 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. The image of the oyster is almost perfect for Scrooge at this stage in the book. Scrooge learns how little generosity creates a lot of happiness. But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! A description of the school house that Scrooge was left in as a child, by his family. Who suffers? Here in this quote, one can see Dickens playing with literal and figurative meanings to great effect. () A famous geographer Thomas Malthus came up with the theory that the poor were just surplus population and thus should be left to their own devices - even if this meant letting them die. Workhouses were a terrible place and menial and dangerous jobs such as sweeping chimneys still existed. This shows that scrooge is only hurting himself by being so money orientated it doesnt affect his family but does himself. Themes= greed and generosity/Christmas. But I have made the trial in homage to Christmas, and. This use of listing to describe everything as 'good' helps to demonstrate the far reaching consequences of Scrooge's redemption. This is a great description, wanders around holding a candle snuffer that looks like a hat. Scrooge realises that his love with money is the reason he pushed everyone away. Themes= Christmas/greed and generosity/family. that this creature, who appears to be both young and old, is an image of Jesus who was a baby at Christmas and yet who, as the son of God, represents the divine wisdom that Christians worship. This symbolises his generosity and air of festivity. The two children are the personification of man's ills - ignorance and want. In the first stave of A Christmas Carol, the following quote is really important in characterizing Scrooge:. This is clearly not possible. Stave 5 - Scrooge's reaction to discovering it is not too late "I am sorry for him; I couldn't be angry with him if I tried. ". Of course, the fact that this is obvious does not detract from the big reveal due to the way that Dickens masterfully creates tension. Instead, once you know and understand the plot, a great idea is to pick three or four major themes, and three or four major characters, and revise them in great detail. Pre-modified adjectives create a sensory description -they remind scrooge of the delights of generosity and how it will create happiness. The simile shows Bobs wealth in his family; he values them more than money and so is content with their love. Each sentence below contains a verb The image of the 'lonely boy near a feeble fire' reflects very closely the older Scrooge we have seen, alone eating gruel. but stopped at the first syllable', Repeated phrase (Juxtaposition and patterning), Stave 5: 'Hear me! 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. Scrooge. 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. A Christmas Carol is rarely classified as a gothic novel. Marley tells scrooge he is responsible fro his punishment- he is suffering the consequences for his actions. ", "there's a cold within him" that "froze his old features", sociable- "wonderful party, wonderful games, wonderful unanimity". The noun 'father' shows the idea that one laugh leads to another - happiness breeds happiness. International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct,London, EC1A 2BN, United Kingdom, 2023 Book Analysis. The multiple similes emphasise Scrooge's joy and elation at his second chance. 'The Ghosts' in A Christmas Carol (Key Quotes & Analysis) Dr Aidan 22.1K subscribers Subscribe 47K views 3 years ago Studying A Christmas Carol? The ghost of Christmas yet to come is a symbol of the effect that memories have on someone as they age. Who suffers by his ill whims? These include Scrooge's cold nature, the power of wealth, and loss. Whoever the author.Discover new and exciting books to dive into with our Book Explorer Tool. Without the trauma from Scrooges youth and the death of his sister, Fran, its unlikely that he wouldve become the person that he did. 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 Christmas Carol Quotes 50 of the best book quotes from A Christmas Carol 01 Share "God bless us every one!" Charles Dickens author God person A Christmas Carol book Tiny Tim character christmas blessings concepts 02 Share "Every traveler has a home of his own, and he learns to appreciate it the more from his wandering." Charles Dickens author The tone is impatient as he does so. The shortness of the main clause at the end makes the message more shocking. Stave 2 - Belle breaks off the engagement People can change, but Scrooge has thus far been content with his situation. 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. The boy is ignorace - the lack of education and the girl is want - the lack of money. The verbs suggest age, disfiguration and pain suggesting how unnatural their conditions are that have led to this. Themes= family/greed and generosity/ time. 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. I can't afford to make idle people merry.". By the time he reaches the third ghost The Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come he orders the ghost, using the imperative phrase Lead on! He is in control now, and wants the change desperately enough to be forceful about it. 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. "Crown of its head there sprung a bright clear jet of light." Description of the Ghost of Christmas Past, Stave 2, this ghost is much less scary than Marley which symbolises the innocence of childhood. The dying fire at the beginning of the novel symbolizes Scrooges lack of either. ', People with lots of money already are more likely to be greedy for more, not thinking about sharing that money with others effectively. Oh, glorious.

Does Virgin Pulse Convert Workout To Steps, Jason Twyman Obituary, Mdc Inmate Lookup, Articles C