ACC QUOTES AND ANNOTATIONS stave 3 Flashcards
Stave 3:
“If he be like to die, he had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.” Scrooge hung his head to hear his own words… and was overcome with penitence and grief
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the ghost uses Scrooge’s words against him
the strength of Scrooge’s dismay about hearing his own words repeated back to him is reinforced through the use of the nouns, penitence and grief. Both have religious connotations and suggest a true depth of despair at his previous notions. Dickens, therefore, is attacking the Malthusian capitalist theories.
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Stave 3:
“Spirit, tell me if Tiny Tim will live.”
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Scrooge realised that his actions affected others and could be the cause of Tiny Tim”s death.
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Stave 3:
Are there no prisons?’’ said the Spirit, turning on him for the last time with his own words. ``Are there no workhouses?’’
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the ghost uses Scrooge’s words against him when he asks where there is refuge for the children, ignorance and want.
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Stave 3:
They were a boy and girl. Yellow, meagre, ragged, scowling, wolfish
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ignorance and want
The two children are the personification of man’s ills - ignorance and want. Ignorance could represent the wealthy upper classes who are ignorant of what they must do to help. However, it could also be argued that ignorance reflects the lack of education of the poor.
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