Poverty Flashcards
When was the poor law amendment act?
1834
Why was the poor law amendment act created?
To reduce the cost of looking after the poor
Following the poor law amendment act in 1834, where did poor people have to go for help?
To workhouses
Why was Dickens upset about poverty?
He felt society didn’t treat the poor well
What does Dickens use Scrooge as?
A symbol of the ignorance of the poor amongst rich people.
What does Scrooge believe the poor are?
“Surplus”
“Decrease the…”
“Decrease the surplus population”
“The poor law in…”
“The poor law in full vigour, then”
“And the union…”
“And the union workhouses demanded Scrooge”
“There is nothing on which it is so hard as…”
“There is nothing on which it is so hard as poverty”
“Reeked with crime…”
“Reeked with crime, and filth, and misery”
“Many thousands are in want of…”
“Many thousands are in want of common necessaries”
What did Thomas Malthus claim?
The population would always grow faster than the food supplies, which would result in hunger and the poor dying.
Did Dickens agree with Thomas Malthus?
No, he believed that if the rich were generous there would be enough food to go around.
Why are the traits of Ignorance and Want a creation of society?
Because of the mistreatment of the poor
“From the foldings of his robe, it brought two children…”
“From the foldings of his robe, it brought two children; wretched, abject, frightful, hideous, miserable”
Describe an example of Ignorance and Want having animalistic qualitities:
“Yellow, meagre, ragged, scowling, wolfish”
“Where angles might have sat down…”
“Where angels might have sat down enthroned, devils lurked”
What does “Where angels might have sat down enthroned, devils lurked” suggest about Ignorance and Want?
It could lead to the downfall of mankind.
“On his brow I see that written…”
“On his brow I see that written which is Doom”
“This boy is Ignorance…”
“This boy is ignorance. This girl is want. Beware them both.”
“But most of all beware…”
“But most of all beware this boy”
“The dealings of my trade were but a drop…”
“The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of business”
“If these shadows remain unaltered by the future…”
“If these shadows remain unaltered by the future, the boy will die”
