christmas carol key quotes and analysis

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! Dickens also suggests that, through his adoration of a false god, he is no longer a good christian. The synonyms 'alone' and 'by himself' emphasise again the loneliness of the life he has chosen. 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. Both have religious connotations and suggest a true depth of despair at his previous notions. A merry Christmas to everybody! The simile shows Bobs wealth in his family; he values them more than money and so is content with their love. With the title of the book being A Christmas Carol you would expect Christmas to feature prominently throughout the novel. Mrs Cratchit, although poor, represents the family's will to make the best of things - to celebrate in spite of their poverty. External heat and cold had little influence on Scrooge. ', 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. () The famous phrase Humbug really means either shame or hoax. Stave 1 - description of Scrooge's relationship with Marley. Scrooge. Imagery of warmth has symbolism of generosity, compassion and forgiveness- Fred always makes a effort with scrooge. Dickens uses Scrooge to show the extent of change that is possible in a small amount of time. A frosty rime was on his head, and on his eyebrows, and his wiry chin. Does this line support or contradict the speaker's statement in the final stanza, "Nothing really happened"? A Christmas Carol is the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a stingy, cruel, wealthy, old bachelor.The book opens with a funeral. 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. Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents. It acts as a mirror for Scrooges wealth and position but also as a stark contrast in approach. Scrooges words to the charity collectors as he refuses to give charity. 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. In what ways did Louis XV differ from Louis XIV? Arguably, this is the most famous quote from A Christmas Carol. No, Spirit! The Spirit pointed from the grave to him, and back again. Studying Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol'? It would have done you good to see how green a place it is.". A Christmas Carol (Key Answers) Chapter 1 1. 'A Christmas Carol' is a widely studied book filled with memorable quotes. So we have tried where possible to focus on the most vital sections of the novella. Stave 3 - ignorance and want The use of light throughout the novel suggests the truth/ the right path which Scrooge at first does not want to see. The last line of A Christmas Carol is God bless us, everyone. Its spoken by the well-loved character Tiny Tim. Oh, glorious! Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. 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. He is described as been so dislike that even the weather is better in that at least it 'comes down' gracefully. Stave 2 - the spirit takes him to past Christmases including seeing Scrooge alone at school. Yellow, meagre, ragged, scowling, wolfish. Stave 3 - ignorance and want Scrooge has undergone a metamorphoses - he has literally been reborn as a new man. "Its genial face, its sparking eye, its open hand. They are mans. Partially because of the nature of its main character. 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. ". "The cold within him froze his old features", Early description of scrooge. For each of the following sentences, identify the subject of the verb in parentheses. Compare the different settings in "Grape Sherbet" Describe each setting using details from the poem. It also explains why he becomes hard and sharp like a flint, later on. Hallo there! This use of listing to describe everything as 'good' helps to demonstrate the far reaching consequences of Scrooge's redemption. Themes= greed and generosity/Christmas. Scrooge hung his head to hear his own words and was overcome with penitence and grief. Their terrible behaviour is a consequence of the ignorance and want that Dickens personified in stave 3. The two children Ignorance and Want represents the attitudes of the rich to the poor in Victorian society. Description of the Ghost of Christmas Past, Stave 2, the holly symbolises Christmas. Stave 1 - Marley's ghost is distressed at Scrooge's suggestion that he was a 'good man of business'. 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. Themes= greed and generosity/ time. Being such a short story there is very little that is extraneous. Mr and Mrs Fezziwig ..'.shaking hands with every person individually as he or she went out, wished him or her a Merry Christmas.'. Hallo!" Click the card to flip Definition 1 / 5 Belle to Scrooge: "Another idol has displaced me a golden one.". enthusiastic- "a merry Christmas uncle. 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. 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. There is no doubt . In many ways the vision works like memory can do: it changes depending on perspectives or moods. cried Bob. Stave 4 - About Scrooge's grave: A happy New Year to all the world. 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. However, these are two children that he has no control over. This means that Scrooge is implying Christmas was designed to trick and fool people into spending money. Theme= poverty/greed and generosity. Whoop! ', 'secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. a squeezing, wrenching . Describes Fred, who is a symbol of Christmas spirit. Scrooge is not unfortunate in the way of relatives - he has a family awaiting his . However, how the poor were treated was far more extreme in Victorian England. Without the trauma from Scrooges youth and the death of his sister, Fran, its unlikely that he wouldve become the person that he did. uses long and short clauses to show how busy they are. The dying fire at the beginning of the novel symbolizes Scrooges lack of either. I am not the man I was', When Scrooge sees the name on the gravestone, he realises that time for change is limited, The ghost of Christmas past shows Scrooge some memories that may have been lost to time, Stave 2: 'each one connected with a thousand thoughts, and hopes, and joys, and cares long forgotten', Stave 4: 'Are these the shadows of the things that Will be, or are they shadows of things that May be, only? The declarative 'will' conveys certainty showing how urgent it is that Scrooge change. The simile 'like a tail' is suggestive of a snake, which is symbolic of the devil. Fan is portrayed with affection - and her term of endearment shows that Scrooge has known affection. The innocence of the 'angel' and the 'schoolboy' contrast with the hellish image of Marley's ghost, showing the reader that he will be saved. Her gown is poor but she is 'brave in ribbons'. The tremors of the great San Francisco earthquake that occurred in 1906 (was, were) estimated to have measured 8.3 on the Richter scale. ', 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! Ghost of Christmas Present, Stave 3, he warns that if Scrooge doesn't change himself that "doom" will be in his future. International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct,London, EC1A 2BN, United Kingdom, 2023 Book Analysis. Hes comparing Cratchits actual body temperature to Scrooges personality. 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. I can't afford to make idle people merry. 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." His selfish ways have left him this way. Stave 2 - Belle breaks off the engagement With in-depth analysis, this video aims to help you gain a greater understanding of the novella in a matter of minutes. "I wish you could have gone. Of course, Dickens does use his trademark lengthy descriptions but nearly everything has a point. As a result of this he was damned to walk as a ghost chained with money boxes surrounding him. His description of the setting suggests that poverty has bred crime and deep unhappiness. However, inside that shell - like Scrooge - the oyster is soft and vulnerable. ". Of course, Dickens does use his trademark lengthy descriptions but nearly everything has a point. Himself. Scrooge is presented as a miserly character - his money does not even bring him any happiness. In the first stave of A Christmas Carol, the following quote is really important in characterizing Scrooge:. Whatever the genre. Dr Aidan, PhD, provides you with key quotes and analysis relating to the theme of 'Christmas'. A Christmas Carol Key Quotes Major Themes Major characters How to revise effectively Isolation and loneliness Ebenezer Scrooge One mistake people often make is to try to revise EVERYTHING. ". 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. 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. It is this love that consoles him in stave 4 when Tiny Tim is shown to be dead, a long with the memories of Tiny Tim as a patient and loving boy. The verb sparkled has magical and positive connotations, shows Fred is the antithesis of scrooge. My life tends that way, now., Bob Cratchit about Tiny Tims grave: I wish you could have gone. Scrooge becomes part of two families: Dickens reveals that we are part of not only our blood relatives but also a wider family that of society. The repetition of the adjective 'good' reinforces this idea. Scrooges changing attitude is never better highlighted than in his initial responses to the three ghosts. This compares directly with the explicit description of Scrooge at the start of the novel where even beggars will not speak to him. 'Dressed out but poorly in a twice-turned gown, but brave in ribbons'. 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. "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 Fezziwigs throw a party and treat everyone the same - no matter their status. Each sentence below contains a verb 'A lonely boy was reading near a feeble fire'. 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. Bovey, Lee-James "A Christmas Carol Quotes " Book Analysis, https://bookanalysis.com/charles-dickens/a-christmas-carol/quotes/. He always did.". ``Are there no workhouses? This is evident in his early relationship with his nephew Fred. Stave 5 - Scrooge's reaction to discovering it is not too late 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. 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. 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. Scrooge's grave, by comparison to Tiny Tim's is 'overrun by weeds'. ", 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. I am as giddy as a drunken man. jovial voice.". Gives the impression of a festive being, full of Christmas spirit. 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. All rights reserved. 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. The boy is ignorace - the lack of education and the girl is want - the lack of money. As we will later learn, his bitterness originates at Christmas time and has warped his perspective of it. A merry Christmas to you.". Oh, glorious. ', 'I believe that it has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it! Losing a business partner around Christmas time could not have been easy. Click the card to flip Flashcards Learn Test Match Created by AIC-CREATOR-TD Terms in this set (36) 5. This is where the clerk lives. 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. 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 can't afford to make idle people merry.". These cover themes like wealth, poverty, Christmas, and kindness. A Christmas Carol Key Quotes and Analysis. This shows that scrooge is only hurting himself by being so money orientated it doesnt affect his family but does himself. They were a boy and girl. Stave 5 - Scrooge's reaction to discovering it is not too late I am sure we shall none of us forget poor Tiny Timshall weor this first parting that there was among us? This shows scrooges selfishness and his addiction to money with belle feeling replace with money she feels like she doesnt matter to him and that all he cares about is money. Tiny Tim is frequently referred to in Christian terms - as though his true goodness is close to God. A foil is a character who contrasts with another character (usually the protagonist) in order to highlight particular qualities of the other character. Glorious! He is cheerful and oily where scrooge is cold and sharp. He stopped at the outer door to bestow the greetings of the season on the clerk, who, cold as he was, was warmer than Scrooge. The childhood innocence has been 'shrivelled' and 'twisted' showing the ill effects of their treatment. When it was made you were another man. The metaphor shows the are poor but make the best of a bad situation, always smiling and showing they are grateful for what little they have. 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. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. Whoever the author.Discover new and exciting books to dive into with our Book Explorer Tool. The 10 Most Important Quotes in A Christmas Carol - https://youtu.be/8wpegV4ueYY'The Ghosts' in A Christmas Carol - https://youtu.be/15HiKFCMEyk'Scrooge' in A Christmas Carol - https://youtu.be/c2x9wiRRFQYQuick, relaxed, and informative, Dr Aidan's Guide to Literature aims to make literature accessible to everyone. Repetition of 'chuckle' emphasises Scrooge's newfound delight in giving. Clash, clang, hammer; ding, dong, bell! They often came down handsomely, and Scrooge never did. Accessed 4 March 2023. The opening line says, ''Marley was dead: to begin with. A description of the ghost of Christmas past, who symbolises memory and who shows scrooge events from the past. ', "Darkness is cheap, and Scrooge liked 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. Fezziwigs character is an understated part of the story of A Christmas Carol. Ignorance could represent the wealthy upper classes who are ignorant of what they must do to help. "If these shadows remain unaltered by the Future, the child will die.". This poignant moment arrives when Scrooge is looking at Christmas yet to come. It is a dark, sad moment but Bob Cratchit handles the situation with grace and dignity. 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. This is fitting because it is traditionally colder at Christmas but also because the cold is an apt metaphor for Scrooges personality. Recognizing Progressive Forms and Tenses. We can infer that the only other person he cared for was Marley and even that wasn't really because of a friendship. A Christmas Carol: Key Moments Being such a short story there is very little that is extraneous.