However, the verb 'profit' still has a hint of selfishness - as well as an implication of individual, even material, gain. A Christmas Carol Themes and Analysis | Book Analysis Theme= poverty/greed and generosity. ', 'I believe that it has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it! He is designed to show that the wealthy can make a significant difference. Where graceful youth should have filled their features out a stale and shrivelled hand, like that of age, had pinched, and twisted them. As it is used in line 32 , the word reticent means the opposite of. It is through your support of visiting Book Analysis that we can support charities, such as Teenage Cancer Trust. Ignorance could represent the wealthy upper classes who are ignorant of what they must do to help. Then, identify each underlined word by writing above it ADV for adverb or ADJ for adjective. 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. The Cratchits are generous and loving in very difficult circumstances. Dr Aidan, PhD, provides you with key quotes and analysis relating to the theme of 'Christmas'. A Christmas Carol Key Quotes and Analysis - chegg.com Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. When you analyse poverty in A Christmas Carol, you may want to reference the setting as well as using direct quotes from characters. 'a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner! He begins with no compassion for others but eventually learns a better way to live. ', 'Many thousands are in want of common necessaries; hundreds of thousands are in want of common comforts". Like an oyster, he keeps himself to himself, hidden beneath a hard shell that he uses to protect himself from the world. In many ways, it is the child who can most tug on Scrooges heartstrings. The problem is internal, within Scrooges heart. phrase on the line at the right. That being said the fact that Marley is suffering damnation suggests that he too led a similar path to Scrooge. Studying A Christmas Carol? Stave 3 - the Cratchits These include Scrooges cold nature, the power of wealth, and loss. Stave 2 - Belle's husband tells Belle about seeing Scrooge. These words are then used against him by the ghost of the Christmas present. I should like to have given him something: thats all., About the Fezziwig family: shaking hands with every person individually as he or she went out, wished him or her a Merry Christmas., Scrooge about Mr Fezziwig: The happiness he gives, is quite as great as if it costs a fortune., Belle to Scrooge: Another idol has displaced me., Belle about Scrooge: I have seen your nobler aspirations fall off one by one, until the master passion, Gain, engrosses you., Belles husband to Belle about Scrooge: Quite alone in the world, I do believe., There was nothing very cheerful in the climate or the town, and yet was there an air of cheerfulness abroad., About the Ghost of Christmas Present: Sprinkled incense on their dinners from his torch., About the Cratchits goose: a feathered phenomenon., There never was such a goose. 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. 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; Golden sunlight; Heavenly sky; sweet fresh air; merry bells. This girl is Want. Scrooge awakes and finds his room as dark as when he fell asleep at two o'clock. Both have religious connotations and suggest a true depth of despair at his previous notions. PDF A Christmas Carol - Holy Trinity Academy, Telford * The use of pathetic fallacy shows that he is in direct opposition to anyone who tries to help him. A Christmas Carol is the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a stingy, cruel, wealthy, old bachelor.The book opens with a funeral. Stave 3 - the ghost uses Scrooge's words against him 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. 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. The word 'business' reflects Scrooge's earlier response to the portly gentlemen. A description of how the Cratchit family mourned the death of Tiny Tim. Accessed 4 March 2023. Themes= greed and generosity/time. 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. The two children Ignorance and Want represents the attitudes of the rich to the poor in Victorian society. Stave 4 - About Scrooge's grave: The Spirit pointed from the grave to him, and back again. We can infer that the only other person he cared for was Marley and even that wasn't really because of a friendship. A description of the school house that Scrooge was left in as a child, by his family. Stave 1 - Scrooge's response to the gentlemen saying that people would rather die than go to the workhouse. Stave 4 - Tiny Tim's burial place is eden like - as, despite his poverty and place in life, he was good and will be welcomed by god. forgiving- "to Mr Scrooge, the founder of the feast.". Stave 2 - The first of the three spirits 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 dying fire at the beginning of the novel symbolizes Scrooges lack of either. The verb 'shrouded' makes explicit reference to death which is reinforced by the 'deep black' of its clothes. Privacy Policy, https://bookanalysis.com/charles-dickens/a-christmas-carol/quotes/. With key quotes \u0026 analysis, this video provides an ideal format to gain a greater understanding of this novella in a matter of minutes. People can change, but Scrooge has thus far been content with his situation. Seven Years 3. The ghost of christmas present is showing the two children that hide in his cloak and he says that the problems these children portray are the problems of mankind. It is through your support of visiting Book Analysis that we can support charities, such as Teenage Cancer Trust. Marley 2. Shows Bob's place of work, and shows scrooges harsh treatment on him. Active Themes Scrooge's grave, by comparison to Tiny Tim's is 'overrun by weeds'. Whoop! Of course, there is still a massive equality gap between the rich and the poor. Inclusive now of society - not isolated and solitary. 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 chains are a metaphor for his punishment for his greedy life. Then write the form of that verb 35 Best Ebenezer Scrooge Quotes From 'A Christmas Carol' - Kidadl " Scrooge entered timidly and hung . Refine any search. 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. Belle to Scrooge: "Another idol has displaced me a golden one.". 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. This went against what Victorians considered to be a 'good death' where you die surrounded by friends and family and then are mourned afterwards. cried the Ghost, wringing its hands again. The adjective 'brave' suggests that the Cratchit's approach to life is noble and admirable - but not easy. 5 Quotes You Can Use To Analyse Poverty In A Christmas Carol Scrooge realises that his love with money is the reason he pushed everyone away. The ghost of Christmas future symbolizes death and the mistakes that are sure to haunt him after his death. The adjectives squeezing and wrenching, etc., relate to how one should imagine him with money, refusing to let go of his wealth. The simile has connotations of stillness and endings. Oh, glorious, glorious! Spirit! he cried, tight clutching at his robe, hear me! 'A Christmas Carol' is a widely studied book filled with memorable quotes. The spirit of Christmas is personified in his open heart, open hand, and outstretched arm. He carried his own low temperature always about with him', 'No warmth could warm, no wintry weather chill him', 'It was cold, bleak, biting weather: foggy withal', 'Scrooge had a very small fire, but the clerk's fire was so very much smaller that it looked like one coal. 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. I am sure we shall none of us forget poor Tiny Timshall weor this first parting that there was among us? A happy New Year to all the world! There is no doubt . Such as the graveyard at the end. Walled in by houses; overrun by grass and weeds. Scrooge can see the error of his ways and then acts accordingly to become a better person. This mirrors the Victorian rich's attitude to the poor. It is too much linked to his miserly ways thus suggesting that the learning is not finished yet. Did the Anglo-Saxon period last between 449 and 1066? Stave 4 - in the rag 'n' bone man's shop A merry Christmas to everybody! This is evident in his early relationship with his nephew Fred. 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 Home Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol Best Quotes. It is really in this Stave that Dickens brings to life the Christmas that we all know and love today: the food, the presents, the games, the snow, and good feeling, the parties and generosity. Mrs Cratchit, although poor, represents the family's will to make the best of things - to celebrate in spite of their poverty. - 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. However, this in itself would probably not have been enough to alter his ways. 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. Charles Dickens only really scratched the surface of this. Privacy Policy, https://bookanalysis.com/charles-dickens/a-christmas-carol/themes-and-analysis/. The simile 'like a tail' is suggestive of a snake, which is symbolic of the devil. The tone is impatient as he does so. Discuss why you think the poet made these choices. AQA English Revision - Key Quotes In what ways did Louis XV differ from Louis XIV? Scrooge's sympathy for himself leads to sympathy for the carol singer from the night before. It could also show that, as it has been so long since he was happy, he finds it difficult to describe. 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. A merry Christmas to you.". I think this is why the character of Fezziwig exists to show that Scrooge is not representative of all the upper classes. This brightly\underline{\text{brightly}}brightly lit room will be perfect for my art studio. A Christmas Carol: The Ghost of Christmas Present Quotes - SparkNotes Bovey, Lee-James "A Christmas Carol Themes and Analysis " Book Analysis, https://bookanalysis.com/charles-dickens/a-christmas-carol/themes-and-analysis/. The Fezziwigs throw a party and treat everyone the same - no matter their status. Marley haunts scrooge- a description of his chains. Hes comparing Cratchits actual body temperature to Scrooges personality. A Christmas Carol Charles Dickens On this page, readers can explore the quotes, they are broadly separated into a few sub-categories. ', 'secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. Scrooges changing attitude is never better highlighted than in his initial responses to the three ghosts. With the title of the book being A Christmas Carol you would expect Christmas to feature prominently throughout the novel. 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. What are some key quotes from A Christmas Carol explained? Whatever the book. Click the card to flip Flashcards Learn Test Match Created by AIC-CREATOR-TD Terms in this set (36) I am as giddy as a drunken man., Scrooge was better than his word. No warmth could warm, no wintry weather chill him. Scrooge has undergone a metamorphoses - he has literally been reborn as a new man. The boy is ignorance. The ghost is dressed in green reminiscent both of the Green Man from Pagan mythology, and also the traditional character of St Nicholas or Father Christmas, who has more recently come to symbolise the holiday period. 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. 2003-2023 Chegg Inc. All rights reserved. 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 relative clause describing Tiny Tim reinforces the idea that it is Scrooge's actions that caused him to live. Oh! Key quotes from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. 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. 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. 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. It is uncared for just as he was uncared for, gasping out his last alone. However, how the poor were treated was far more extreme in Victorian England. 'A lonely boy was reading near a feeble fire'. 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. "His eyes sparkled and his breath smocked.". This phrase is repeated to describe both Mrs Crarchit and her daughter. 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. 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. Tiny Tim is frequently referred to in Christian terms - as though his true goodness is close to God. ``My little child!''. He did it all, and infinitely more; and to Tiny Tim, who did not die, he was a second father. The verb sparkled has magical and positive connotations, shows Fred is the antithesis of scrooge. A frosty rime was on his head, and on his eyebrows, and his wiry chin. Dickens considers ignorance the worst, because it leads to want. I am as giddy as a drunken man. The verb sparkled has magical and positive connotations, shows Fred is the antithesis of scrooge. Themes= family/greed and generosity/ time. Of Mice and Men Section Overview . These cover themes like wealth, poverty, Christmas, and kindness. ', 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. 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.