Ignorance and want

Question 1

They were a boy and girl. Yellow, meagre, ragged, scowling,
wolfish;

Answer 1

who represent the social ills of poverty and neglect

allegoric figures

“Yellow” suggests a sickly, unhealthy appearance, “meagre” emphasizes their lack of sustenance, “ragged” points to their poverty, “scowling” indicates their discontent and perhaps a hardened outlook, and “wolfish” suggests a predatory or desperate state.

Question 2

he tried to say they were fine children, but the words choked
themselves,

Answer 2

highlights Scrooge’s initial reluctance and denial when confronted with the harsh realities of poverty. The phrase indicates his discomfort and struggle to acknowledge the suffering of others, suggesting that his attempts to rationalize or dismiss the plight of the poor are futile