Jacob marley Flashcards
who is he as a character
he is scrooges dead business partner who, as a ghost, is doomed to roam the world for eternity
what is his role in the story
he warns scrooge about the spirits explaining what will happen in the rest of the tale
how can Marley been seen symbolically, metaphorically or as a representation of something.
- everyman capitalist
- a glimpse into scrooges potential future
“scrooge was (…) his sole friend and his sole mourner”
repletion of soul makes it clear that amulet is unloved as he only has one person in his life
this could cause the reader to pity marley at the beginning of the novella
“even scrooge was not so dreadfully cut up”
this shows that barely wasn’t loved as his business partner and best friend was not effected by his death
“Marley had no Bowles”
in a biblical sense, bowles refers to deep feelings
if Marley had no Bowles it means he showed no compassion and is unkind in general
“infernal atmosphere of its own”
infernal - connects Jacob to hell
not only does this add a horrifying element to Marleys appearance but it also suggests that he is being deeply punished for the sins he committed in life
“it was long and wrapped around him like a tail”
long = Marley committed lots of sins but if scrooge doesn’t change his chain will be much longer
tail = animalistic imagery and gives impression of punishment
“cash boxes, keys, padlocks, ledgers”
chain is made of objects from Marleys past job
“I wear the chain I forged in life”
it was Marleys sins on earth that gave him this punishment
“mankind was my business”
his job was in the counting house meaning this is an admission on what he should have prioritized others instead of money
regretful?
Jacob Marley: summarized?
In death, Marley is tormented and regretful, doomed to lead an eternally hellish existence. In visiting scrooge, he not only warns him of the coming spirits, but shows scrooge his own potential afterlife
