Quotes

Question 1

Squeezing wrenching… covetous old sinner.
SELFISHNESS/MATERIALISM
SOCIAL INJUSTICE
RELIGION

Answer 1

•Asyndetic listing highlights his selfishness avaricious character
•Portrays Scrooge’s immoral characteristics as ongoing-unrepentant sinner
•7 negative adjective mirrors 7 deadly sins, known as cardinal sins-seen as root of all evil in bible
•foundations of Victorian morality was religion, parallels between Scrooge and sins
•this highlights how the rich are more inclined towards moral transformation than poor

Question 2

Squeezing wrenching… covetous old sinner (PART 2)
SELFISHNESS MATERIALISM
SOCIAL INJUSTICE
RELIGION

Answer 2

Dickens implicitly critiques societal structures, such as the 1834 poor law and the views of Thomas Malthus which were designed to address the perceived sin and laziness of the poor
•‘squeezing and wrenching’ connotes a struggle
Illustrates how Scrooge struggles to see the detrimental consequences of his actions
Or, undertone of struggle is used by dickens to illustrate how the avariciousness of upper class directly causes struggle for poor

Question 3

‘He seized the extinguisher cap, and by a sudden action pressed it down upon its head’
SUPERNATURAL REDEMPTION/REGRET

Answer 3

•Verb ‘pressed and adverb ‘sudden’
Aggressive verb ‘pressed’ combined with ‘sudden’ delves into scrooges suppressed emotion
He reacts irrationally out of sheer panic anticipating confronting stifled memories
•Figure serves as more than a symbol of scrooges past- symbolises necessary spiritual intervention for Scrooges spiritual awakening
•cap is a metaphor for Scrooge as he wants to evade confronting his humanity
•symbolism of ghost: iridescent imagery as it has ‘bright clear jet of light’
Illuminate both literal and metaphorical darkness in Scrooges life
•cap shows reluctance for redemption

Question 4

‘Yellow wolfish scowling’ (I+W)
SELFISHNESS/MATERIALISM
SOCIAL JUSTICE
REGRET/REDEMPTION

Answer 4

Ignorance +want allegorical characters to highlight the unjustified abuse of children result of callous behaviour of upper class
•yellow-stark reminder of physical sickness and malnutrition endured by neglected children, a consequence of social neglect and obliviousness to social injustice
•encounter between Scrooge and the marginalised illuminates the suffering is caused by rich like Scrooge- covetousness outweighs compassion
•animalistic imagery: feral and animalistic portrayal of children in ‘scowling’ and ‘wolfish’. Poverty dehumanises individuals, reduced to animals

Question 5

‘Yellow,wolfish,scowling’ (I+W)
SELFISHNESS
SOCIAL INJUSTICE
REGRET/REDEMPTION. (Part 2)

Answer 5

Or,dickens employs Scrooge, an extension of the ignorant wealth to encounter dehumanised poor, to show the only remedy to societal ills is for the rich to acknowledge their role in perpetuating poverty
‘Tell me if tiny Tim will live’- desperate attempt to reverse his ignorance towards poor-recognises humanity amidst society that treats poor like animals
•religion: GOCP is god like omniscient-transformative power of religion. Ghost allows Scrooge to access spiritual redemption

Question 6

I will live in the past,present,future.the spirits of all three shall strive within me’
SELFISHNESS/MATERIALISM
SUPERNATURAL
RELIGION
REGRET/REDEMPTION

Answer 6

Religious allusions:concept of three-biblical allusion to 3 different aspects of trinity-Father,Son,Holy Spirit
•Ghosts act as incarnation of God relaying a moral message in Scrooge
‘•Within me’ internalisation of their moral teaching and his desperation to be given opportunity to embark on the path of salvation
•juxtaposition ‘past present future’ -symbolic reflection of contrast between Scrooges former avaricious self and his transformation into a person dedicated to redemption
•passage of time emphasises his realisation of his ‘past’ and ‘present’- showing his ‘solitary’ existence, and contributed to systematic oppression

Question 7

‘Quite a baby’-‘merry as a schoolboy’
SELFISHNESS/MATERIALISM
SOCIAL JUSTICE
RELIGION
REGRET/REDEMPTION

Answer 7

Infantile language:Scrooges infantile self-description
‘Baby’ and ‘schoolboy’connotes innocence
Because Scrooge repented for his sins, he regained youthful innocence and to see the world in an untainted light-through compassion
‘Baby’ start of life Scrooge has been reborn as he goes from ‘covetous old sinner’ back to the most innocent form of human life
•Christian ideas:concept of rebirth holds significance- spiritual renewal+connection with god
Jesus Christ rebirth offered salvation to humanity