Poverty & Social Responsibility

Question 1

Topic Sentence 1

Answer 1

Dickens presents the poor as people who need help and that they are not inferior people.

Question 2

“hundreds of thousands are in want of common comforts” - Charity Gentleman

Answer 2

• emphasises the extent of poverty in Victorian society

Question 3

“I can’t afford to make idle people merry” - Scrooge

Answer 3

• Scrooge sees poor people as lazy and that they arent working hard
• He thinks that they don’t deserve to be helped

Question 4

Topic Sentence 2

Answer 4

Dickens descibes how eveyone has a social responsibility to care for those who are less fortunate.

Question 5

“every person has a right to take care of themselves. He always did!” - Charwoman

Answer 5

• Scrooge never helped the poor so she is just doing what he did: help themsleves.

Question 6

“why did I walk through crowds of fellow beings with my eyes turned down?” - Marley’s Ghost

Answer 6

• Marley regrets not helping other people and only caring for himself like Scrooge does
• He is now having his soul tormented when he is dead beacause of this
• He is warning Scrooge and the reader that this will happen to them if they also don’t help the poor

Question 7

Dickens’ Message to Readers

Answer 7

People in poverty are still humans and wealthier people have a responsibility to support them and not to treat them unfairly.