A Christmas Carol Flashcards
Give quotes that describe Scrooge at the beginning of the Novella
• ‘Solitary as an Oyster’
• ‘A frosty Rime’
Gives quotes on Scrooges attitude at the start of the play
• ‘Are there no prisons’ ‘and the union workhouses’
• ‘It’s not my business’
• ‘I can’t afford to make idle people merry’
Give two/three quotes that describe the Ghost of Christmas Past
• ‘Bright Clear jet of light’
• ‘like a child’ but also like ‘an old man’
• ‘strange firgure’
Give two Quotes that describe the Ghost of Christmas Presents appearance
‘An antique scabbard; but no sword was in it’
• ‘glowing torch, in the shape not unlike a Plenty’s horn’
Give two quotes on the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Comes appearance
• ‘shrouded in a deep black garment’
• ‘silent shape’
Give two parts of Scrooges Past that the Ghost of Christmas Past shows him that contributes to his Redemption and explain how
• Fan - seeing Fan who is ‘brimful with glee’, reminds Scrooge of his nephew Fred, who is ‘ruddy and handsome’. This reminder makes Scrooge feel ‘uneasy in his mind’; the the adjective uneasy suggesting he feels guilty and regretful. However, it can be interpreted that guilt could mean care - the first step in his redemption.
• Fezziwig - his old employer. Fezziwig is an ‘organ of benevolence’ and has a ‘jovial voice’, which contrasts scrooges ‘grating voice’ Fezziwig lets Scrooge and his employees have a break for Christmas (again, contrasting how Scrooge complained to Bob about having Christmas Day off), and had ‘fuel was heaped, upon the fire’, (‘fuel - a lot of coal), symbolising all his joy, unlike scrooges, who had a ‘very small fire’ (light imagery). It could also be interpreted that Dickens uses Fezziwig to foreshadow a potential-future version of Scrooge.
At the end of Stave two, Scrooge ‘seized the extinguisher cap’ onto the Ghosts of Christmas Pasts ‘bright clear jet of light’. What could this be suggesting?
That Scrooge is trying to block out the hope and truth that the Ghost was presenting to him (light imagery), it could also metaphorically suggest he’s not ready for the truth.
How does the Ghost of Christmas Present showing Scrooge the Cratchit Family impact him?
Scrooge seeing the Cratchits helps him view the value of family & compassion. ‘Nobody said or thought it was at all a small pudding for a large family’. The fact that it’s a small pudding for a large family does not matter to them as they’re just grateful to have a pudding at all; any crachit would have ‘blush to hint such a thing’. The verb blush is deliberately used to be associated with embarrassment further implying they would be ashamed to even hint it wouldn’t be enough for them.
What optimistic imagery is featured when Scrooge is with the Ghost of Christmas Present
The ghost of Christmas present shows the streets which is described using a lot of optimistic imagery (such as ‘gold and silver fish’ - treasure), which contrasts when Scrooge thought that poor people should go to ‘Bedlam’ (mental asylum) if they can’t enjoy Christmas.
‘Laughing heartily if it went right, and not less if it went wrong’
What does the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come tell/show Scrooge and how?
The Ghost of Christmas YTC shows Scrooge the consequences of his present actions in the future (His death & Tiny Tim’s death).
• Businessmen
Give two ways that Dickens portrays Scrooge as Isolated at the start of the Novella
• ‘solitary as an oyster’ - saying he’s trapped and locked in, mirroring his isolation in society.
• Dismisses everyone - Fred, ‘Bah, Humbug!’ showing his disapproval of Fred’s attitude to Christmas (‘your poor enough’).
The portly gentlemen - tells them that social responsibility is ‘not my business’ and asks if there are ‘no prisons’ and ‘no workhouses’ for the poor - shows his uneducated views of the poor, mirroring that he does not know this because he’s isolated himself.
How does Dickens illustrate Scrooge as a cold and uncaring character? (Quotes only)
• ‘I can’t afford to make idle people merry’
• ‘Bah, Humbug!’
• Are there no prisons?’ And ‘No workhouses?’
• ‘Your poor enough’
Give Two things that the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come showed Scrooge that helped him (achieve redemption)
• The future of the Crachits family - their house was ‘Quiet. Very Quiet’. Dickens purposefully uses short sentences to signify a change in the Cratchits; ‘quiet’ juxtaposes how it was described in Stave 3, which, using the value of family (‘as good as gold’…’and better’). Tiny Tim dies. Scrooge realises that his potentional to change could save Tiny Tim’s life; a key part in his redemption.
• Businessmen - ‘I don’t mind going If lunch is provided’, the businessmen are valuing their lunch over respect for Scrooges death; similarly how in Stave 1 Scrooge valued his money more than the welfare of the people around him. They also think the funeral will be ‘very cheap’ - implying it hasn’t been funded by society, just like how Scrooge refused to help/fund society himself (Stave 1; ‘It’s not my business’).
Explain the Contrast between Scrooges Grave and Tiny Tim’s Grave
Tiny Tim’s grave is described as ‘green’, which can be associated with nature; further mirroring peace. Dickens deliberately does this, as despite Tiny Tim’s poverty, the love and value he had for his family was enough to give him a peaceful end, showing Scrooge the value of family over money. Whereas, Scrooges grave is described as ‘unwatched, unwept, uncared for’; Dickens purposely lists sad and isolating adjectives to show how Scrooge did not mirror peace at death. Moreover, it reflects how Tiny Tim’s was cared for at death because of his family and love, however Scrooges money did not care for him at death. This hints to Scrooge that his money will only lead him to a miserable death.
Overall, Dickens deliberately does this to highlight the importance and value of family and love.
