Christmas Carole Key Quotes Flashcards
‘If they would rather die, they had better do it and decrease the surplus population” - Scrooge Stave 1
What does this show
Scrooge speaking by the influence of capitalism.
Treats the poor as inhuman, that he has no responsibility over
However you could say this is irony as Scrooge is talking about the overpopulation yet he has nobody.
Reference to Poor Laws 1834
“I hear the chain forged in life” - Marley - Stave 1
What does this show?
Chain is a symbol for your life actions
Can be a warning from Charles Dickens that your life choices in life can be punishing.
“Forge” verb that suggests he made it his own choices.
“His wealth is no use to him, he dont do any good with it” - Fred - Stave 3
What does this show?
When Ghost of Christmas present takes Scrooge to see Fred.
Saying that there is no point to Scrooge being rich as he does nothing and is still alone.
Which can present Scrooge as a victim to his own greed / wealth.
“The boy is ignorance and the girl is want” - Ghost of Christmas Present - Stave 3.
Dickens refers to them as “Monsters”
the Noun “Ignorance” presents them as the impersonal way to show that they are symbolic of the problems and consequences of the problems in society.
Society is “Ignorant” of the struggles to the lower class, and unaware of it.
Society being ignorant creates people that “Want” the basic necessities in life.
Uses children as they are innocent to persuade the reader / capatalist.
Shows the lost of the younger generation.
“Hard and sharp as flint” - Dickens describing Scrooge - Start of novel
What does this show?
“Hard” presents Scrooge to be reluctant and refuses to change
Suggests that he lacks warmth / empathy.
“Sharp” is a adjective that suggests pain, which suggests that he has no mercy / empathy towards others
Simile “as flint” strengthens the description of scrooge as it extremely hard and can be sharp.
“I am as light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I am as merry as a school boy, i am giddy as a drunken man” - Stave 5, when Scrooge changes.
What does this show?
Contrasts to Scrooge’s personality at the start of the play.
Uses many simile’s to emphasise Scrooge is happy.
repetition of “I am” can show Scrooge’s motivation to change.
“I am light as a feather” can contrast to the chain of life that weighed him down before.
“A churchyard overrun by weeds, the growth of vegetation’s death of, not life… A worthy place!” - Scrooge - Stave 4
What does this show?
This is when Scrooge realises that he needs to change.
If he doesent he will die a lonely death that he deserves.
Verb shows that when he dies no one is cutting the grass around his death bed.
Can use Freud that Scrooge now understands his ID (Worship) for greed and money has all been pointless.
“Scrooge was conscious of a thousand odours floating in the air, each are connected with a long thought and hopes and joys long long forgotten” - Stave 2 Ghost of Christmas Past
This is when Scrooge is taken to the place he went to School.
Things that Scrooge has forgotten are coming back.
Marks the slow process of Scrooge’s redemption / change.
“The house fronts looked black enough and the windows blacker, contrasting with the smooth white sheet of snow upon the roofs and the dirtier snow on the ground” - Stave 3
Dickens is talking about the smoggy environment of a town.
The snow can be a metaphor for the people.
The clean snow on top of the roof that have been untouched can be a metaphor for the upper class, and how they dont have to dirty their hands.
The dirty snow at the bottom could represent the lower class and is doing all the work like it is being stepped on.
Shows the flaws of society and the contrast between the struggles of the rich and the poor.
Understand the context:
Dickens father went to a debtors prison.
1834 New Poor Laws
Thomas Malthus
Industrial Revolution
- Dickens dad went to a debtors prison so Dicken had to work at 12 years old.
Can be used in context of Ignorance and Want showing Dickens has experience of the cruelties of society.
- 1834 New Poor Law - If you were poor government could help as they worked for free in the worse conditions
- Thomas Malthus
Theory that overpopulation is what causes the poor and that the poor choose to be poor.
- Industrial revolution created a big social divide.
Factory owners were rich.
The workers are poor
“He has the power to render us happy or unhappy” - Scrooge - Talking about Fezziwig.
What does this show?
Oxymoron to emphasise that the rich have the power to assist the poor and make them happy.
“Small pudding . . . large family”
What does this show?
Oxymoron for small and large emphasises the poverty as they are having a small pudding for a large family.
However they are still happy as they are a family together.
Shows the theme of family.
“Another idol” - Belle
What does this show?
Happens during Belle’s breakup with Scrooge.
Noun “Idol” suggests the love of his life.
The idol belle was replaced by was money, Scrooge’s ID (Freud’s ID)
“A boy and girl. Yellow, meagre, ragged, wolfish” - Talking about Ignorance and want.
What does this show.
The list of adjectives, shows the state of the children and is a example of the lost of the younger generation due to society.
