Isolation/lonliness

Question 1

“a solitary child, neglected by his friends”

Answer 1

In his childhood Scrooge was lonely so in adulthood he chooses to be a misanthropic person

Deeper meaning:
It’s a psychological protective mechanism, if he chooses to be a loner he cannot be emotionally hurtfrom being alone

Question 2

“poor forgotten self”

Answer 2

Language: emotive language

Reader response:
This makes the reader feel sorry for Scrooge as he’s in his vulnerable state

Question 3

“why wasn’t he natural”

Answer 3

Language: adjective
He wasn’t normal as he had no loved ones to look after him

Question 4

“secret and self contained and solitary as an oyster”

Answer 4

Language: sibilance and simile
Simile - emphasizes how Scrooge is closed off towards people
Sibilance - could possibly resemble a snake

Context:
In the Bible, the snake tricked Adam and Eve into eating the fruit

Deeper meaning:
This could be Dickens trying to warn his middle class readers that isolation is possibly deadly

Question 5

“lying gasping out his last there, alone by himself”

Answer 5

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Question 6

“questioned beggars”

Answer 6

Language: verb
The verb emphasizes how Scrooge finally acknowledged the beggars, which contrasts to stave 1 where the beggars didn’t even “implore[d] him”

Question 7

“patted children on the head”

Answer 7

Language: verb
The verb implies how Scrooge is taking interest into others, and he understands the method of Christmas. Contrasts with stave 1 where the children didnt ask him what time it was.

Question 8

Topic sentence 1 (Scrooge’s childhood)

Answer 8

Dickens constructs Scrooge’s childhood as lonely so the readers see how his past shaped the man he became.

Question 9

Topic sentence 2 (Scrooge’s death)

Answer 9

Because of Scrooge’s inconsiderate behaviour in life, his death is portrayed as a lonely one.

Question 10

Topic sentence 3 (Scrooge realises)

Answer 10

Instead of rejecting people, Scrooge realises interacting with others can help bring happiness.