Ebenezer Scrooge Flashcards
Character summary of Scrooge
- Presented as miserly & misanthropic (dislikes other ppl) w strong aversion to Christmas & society around him in general, but evolves to a man as good as “the good old city knew”
- Redemption of character throughout novella serves two main purposes: highlights to reader anyone is capable of change & that Christmas is time of compassion/charity sp should be celebrated as such.
Character development of Scrooge
STAVE 1: cold, unlikeable, hostile character - “cold within him” “froze his old features”. Description in some way presents himvss an archetypal villian (classic)
STAVE 2: GoCPa teaches Scrooge value of reflection & causes reader to sympathise w him as we see emergence of regret & desire to change. Regrets treatement of “boy signing a Christmas Carol” at his door (repentance). Wishes “to say a word or two” to BC (reformation, actively wanting to change)
STAVE 3: GoCPr shows Scrooge BC household. Empathy/displays compassion towards their situation, an interest “he had never felt before”.
STAVE 4: Final spirit teaches actions have consequences. Causes him to put material obsessions into perspective as realises his wealth will not keep him company in event of his death.
STAVE 5: narrator reveals Scrooge was “better than his word” - finally transformed. Directly contrasts behaviour to opening stave: donates money to “portly gentlemen”
Key themes of Scrooge
- REDEMPTION: novella follows his journey of redemption. Initially described as incapable of change/stubborn nature by clarifying how “no warmth could warm, no wintry weather chill him” Actively tries to recompense for his past
- MATERIALISM: Dickens highlights how materialism costs him significantly more than it benefits him.
Key quotes of Scrooge
“A squeezing, wrenching, grasping … covetous old sinner” - asyndetic list of pcv, miserly, selfish, undeniably characterised as unlikeable
