Key Quotations Flashcards
Scrooge had a consistent dark and cold mood, and nothing, not even the weather could change his spirits, outcasting him from the rest of society again.
‘External heat and cold had little influence on Scrooge’
This particular quote shows Scrooge has no sympathy to the people in poverty and sees them as a waste of space, and it would be a good idea to get rid of them.
‘Decrease the surplus population’
In this quote, it shows the repetition of Scrooge’s life being miserable and lonely and uses the same adjective twice to make an impact of the routine Scrooge has,
‘Melancholy dinner in his usual melancholy tavern’
Scrooge is described as something which seems useless, lonely and ugly, but inside is something desirable and beautiful, reflecting his true emotions are positive but the ones he shows are negative.
‘Solitary as an oyster’
This quote represents Scrooge’s opinions of poor people, and his version of what an appropriate life would be for them. He decreases their status to an insulting one and links a place to live to their reputation.
‘Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?’
Scrooge is described using a simile to an object that is known to be hard, making the readers understand that Scrooge is very tough and doesn’t show any weaknesses.
‘Hard and sharp as flint’
This is about Marley and his relationship with Scrooge, and how Scrooge reacted to his funeral.
“Scrooge was his sole friend and sole mourner.”… “Scrooge was not so dreadfully cut up by the sad event… and solemnized it with an undoubted bargain.”
Description of Scrooge relating to his happy solitude, and how he liked that people ignored him and did not associate with him when they saw him.
“Nobody ever stopped him in the street to say… ‘My dear Scrooge, how are you?’… But what did Scrooge care? It was the very thing he liked.”
This is a quote about what Scrooge thinks about Christmas and lists the problems with it.
“Bah humbug!”… “What’s Christmas time to you but a time for paying bills without money; a time for finding yourself a year older, and not an hour richer.”
Scrooge’s attitude towards those who celebrate Christmas, explaining it in a violent manner. This takes place with Fred’s visit at the start.
“Every idiot who goes about with ‘Merry Christmas’ on his lips, should be boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart.”
This is about Fred’s, Scrooge’s nephew, think’s about Christmas, and defends his reasoning for why he likes it, despite a lot of negatives.
“Though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket, I believe that it has done me good and will do me good.”
Scrooges denial of Marley’s Ghost, where he blames his visions on food poisoning.
“There’s more of gravy than of grave about you.”
Scrooge’s second sign of change, directed to his clerk. This takes place as Fezziwig’s ball.
“I should like to be able to say a word or two to my clerk just now! That’s all.”
This is about the Cratchits being poor with just enough to go round but not comfortably, but the argue that anything is better than nothing. This is in the third stave and has an impact on Scrooge.
“Nobody said or thought it was at all a small pudding for a large family. It would have been flat heresy to do so.”
Description of lighthouse keepers celebrating Christmas despite them not being with their families, showing that many people gold the Christmas spirit while not having a good Christmas.
“Built upon a dismal reef of sunken rocks… Stood a solitary lighthouse… They wished each other Merry Christmas.”
