Quote 7: “I can’t afford to make idle people merry”

Question 1

“I can’t _____ to make ____ people ______”

Answer 1

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

Question 2

who said it and when? who did they say it to? what is it about?

Answer 2

Scrooge’s respond to the Portly gentlemen after their request for a charity donation

Question 3

5 key features:

Answer 3

• ironic: possesses means to aid poor yet chooses to exacerbate their plight. misplaced priorities.
• blunt: emphasises detachment from society & lack of social awareness.
• declarative statement: steadfast certainty that charity = futile
• “merry” conflates happiness w/ money; oblivious as to what genuine, unmaterialistic joy is
• degrading terminology: “idle” as synonym for poor, assuming that they are to blame for their condition