a chrsitmas carol - poverty Flashcards
decrease the surplus population
stave 1 said by scrooge stave 1
scrooge refers to poor as ‘the surplus population”
this is a malthusian theory that dickens insinuates in order to portray scrooges destest for the poor
additionally this assertion appears after the unsympathetic description of scrooges characters
this therefore highlights dickens disapproval of this widespread viewpointfrom the begging of the novella
If these shadows remain unaltered… the child will die
said by GOC present to scrooge stave 3
implies that poverty is explicitly connected to death this is because of poor living and working conditions,health and little access to healthcare so therfore the poor will struggle to live
shadows suggests that what the poor experiences with poverty are extremely dark and and are something that they stuggle with as well as the idea of a shadow , dickens intends to use this a a metaphor to imply how poverty follows those who are in destitution just like how a shadow would . this can further suggest that considering the capitlaist society the novella is set in this can mean that the stuggles of being in poverty are hard to escape
this boy is ignorance this girl is want
said by ghost of christmas present
stave 3
the children link closely to the idea of social responsibilty where the ghost reveals “they are man’s” as if mankind has responsibilty of the children. therefore it can be argues that their existence ties closley with the abandonment of the poor in society
children may be reprensentativ of the ignorance that the upperclass have towards the plight of the poor
want represents the selfishness they upper class have and their uncharitabe attitudes
dicknes heightens the effect that this has by detailing that ignorance and want are both children provokes a powerful response from the reader due tothe subverted descriptions and protective instinct that readers are likely to feel towards them
’ such a bustled ensued that you might have thought a goosethe rarest of all birds; a feathered phenomenon”
a goose that is smaller than a regukar one suggests their imense poverty
“bustle” and “feathered phenomenon” contrastingly suggests their excitement and also shows that they are grateful for what they have
though poverty affects them greatly it doesn’t stop them from enjoying christmas as they spend time together as a family
‘god bless us everyone!” said by tiny Tim
despite tiny tim experiences the struggles of poverty he is a kind and thoughtful person with strong christian values(dickens was christian sick por child can be christian as well)
he also doesnt just means for god to bless him and his family but “everyone” in the world
explores how those who live in poverty are having a terrible experience but it doesnt mean they are terrible people themselves
