key quotes Flashcards
“Mankind was my business.”
Jacob Marley’s Ghost – Marley’s regret shows that the pursuit of wealth without caring for others is a wasted life, warning Scrooge about his future.
“Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?”
Scrooge – Reflects Scrooge’s cold, indifferent attitude toward the poor at the beginning of the novella, showing his selfishness and lack of empathy.
“God bless us, everyone!”
Tiny Tim – This quote encapsulates Tiny Tim’s optimistic and kind-hearted nature despite his illness, symbolizing hope and compassion
“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.”
Scrooge – After his transformation, Scrooge commits to embodying the Christmas spirit, symbolizing his moral and spiritual redemption.
“Bah! Humbug!”
Scrooge – His famous phrase that dismisses Christmas as a fraud, demonstrating his initial miserly and cynical attitude.
“He was a second father.”
Narrator (about Scrooge) – This reflects Scrooge’s transformation as he becomes a caring and compassionate figure, particularly to Tiny Tim.
“The Spirits have done it all in one night. They can do anything they like.”
Expresses his amazement at the supernatural events of the night, revealing his new belief in change and miracles.
“It is required of every man… that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow men.”
Marley’s Ghost – A warning to Scrooge about the need for social responsibility, emphasizing the moral duty to help others.
“I wear the chain I forged in life.”
Jacob Marley – His ghostly chain symbolizes the greed and selfishness Marley practiced in life, which now burdens him in death.
“I see a vacant seat… If these shadows remain unaltered by the future, the child will die.”
Ghost of Christmas Present – A poignant moment warning Scrooge that Tiny Tim’s fate depends on the choices people like Scrooge make, stirring his conscience.
“If they would rather die, they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.”
Scrooge – A cold and harsh view of the poor early in the story, later echoed back to Scrooge by the Ghost of Christmas Present to shame him.
“A solitary child, neglected by his friends, is left there still.”
Ghost of Christmas Past (about young Scrooge) – Reveals Scrooge’s lonely childhood, helping to explain why he became so isolated and embittered
“Spirit, tell me if Tiny Tim will live.”
Scrooge – This shows the beginning of Scrooge’s transformation, as he begins to care about someone other than himself.
“I am as light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel.”
Scrooge – After his redemption, Scrooge feels liberated and joyful, in stark contrast to his earlier miserly and heavy-hearted demeanor
