Scrooge Flashcards
How does Dickens first construct, the character as Scrooge ?
Hint: why does Dickens present Scrooge like this ?
Hint #2: synonym for stereotypical
- Dickens’ first constructs the character of Scrooge, as a typical [archetypal] villain- and by presenting him as this, is reinforces his moral message:
- that ‘our responsibility as citizens, is to provide for the poor and less fortunate in [Victorian] society’
What can you tell me about Scrooge’s name ?
Hint: stone of…, not willing to give or spend…
- Dickens’ has carefully chosen Scrooge’s name, to foreshadow his redemption and transformation in Stave 5
- This is because, his name: ‘Ebenezer’ means ‘stone of help’ from a literal perspective, in Hebrew
- ; his surname is a proper noun- and the definition of Scrooge is a ‘a selfish and unfriendly person who is not willing to spend or give away money’
What does Scrooge’s first name and second name mean ?
- his name: ‘Ebenezer’ means ‘stone of help’ from a literal perspective, in Hebrew
- ; his surname is a proper noun- and the defection of Scrooge is a ‘a selfish and unfriendly person who is not willing to spend or give away money’
Briefly explain how Scrooge changes across Stave 1 to Stave 5
Hint: greedy and…, sociable and…
- Scrooge changes from a greedy and misanthropic loner, to a man who is now more friendly, generous and sociable.
- For example, he not only donates money to the poor; he now wants to help Bob Cratchit’s family, and doesn’t want to reject Fred’s invitation.
- Fill in the gaps: Dickens’ uses Scrooge’s name, to reflect his _______ character now
- ; to also __________ the change and _____________ he goes [as he firstly realises and understands his mistakes], then begs for forgiveness and is then redeemed by stave 5]
- therefore, Dickens uses this name, to reflect his current character now
- ; but, to also foreshadow the change and transformation he goes [as he firstly realises and understands his mistakes], then begs for forgiveness and is then redeemed by stave 5]
Oh but he was a ‘squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner’
Hint: listing of…
- L= listing of verbs- to firstly reflect how greedy and cold-hearted Scrooge is [he is mean with money]
- ; this listing, could also reflect the rich’s ignorance as well
What deeper meaning relates to the quote: Oh but he was a ‘squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner’ ?
Hint: exploits…, meaning of squeezing- example
- D= But on a deeper level, the verb ‘squeezing’ means ‘to firmly press’ so perhaps this reflects how Scrooge exploits the poor [for his own gain] and treats them wrongly.
- For example Scrooge doesn’t pay Bob Cratchit enough, and works him to the extent, he only manages to have one day off- on Christmas.
What alternative interpretations link to the quote: Oh but he was a ‘squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner’ ?
Hint: symbolism- restrict the less fortunate and ____- why?
- I= ; squeezing also means to restrict therefore on a symbolic level, it reflects how the middle and upper-middle [ruling] class restrict the poor and less fortunate in society
- because they aren’t able to be educated [due to financial reasons], they cannot escape their current and horrific circumstances [such: as working in the workhouses]
Fill in the gaps: Oh but he was a ‘squeezing, _________, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner’ ?
- L= ‘wrenching’- this verb means a ‘great sadness or distress’, reflecting how on one level, Scrooge is inflicting this distress and great sadness to others
- D= but on a symbolical level, perhaps it reflects how a great sadness and distress is also inflicted onto the poor and less fortunate in Victorian society [England].
How do people like Scrooge, cause distress to the poor ?
- people like Scrooge- [the upper [middle] class in society] are ignorant and don’t wish to not understand, what life is like for the poor- link to ignorance and want.
Fill in the gaps: Oh but he was a ‘squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, ________ old sinner’
- L= ‘covetous old sinner’- covetous ‘means a desire, to posses something that doesn’t belong to a person’.
- therefore this furthers the idea of how Scrooge is greedy- because, he thinks that his money and profit should solely belong to him, not anyone else.
- this is seen in the novella, as he neglects the poor and is mean with his money
Fill in the gaps: Oh but he was a ‘squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, ________ old sinner’ ?
Hint: on a metaphorical level- covets…
- ; on a metaphorical level, the adjective ‘covetous’ also suggests, how Scrooge wants the poor’s money [finances] [and covets them]
- This is because, not only is he greedy with his own money, he is greedy with the poor’s money- to the extent, he charges high interest, and is ‘merciless’ with the little time he gives the poor, to pay off their own debts from him.
Fill in the gaps: Oh but he was a ‘squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous ___ ______’ ?
- L= Though it’s also interesting to note, that Dickens’ also uses the noun in covetous ‘old sinner’, to perhaps reflect how Scrooge has committed a moral crime [trangressed against] against Christianity.
- This is because, he’s chosen to challenge and therefore ignore, his own moral responsibility [as a citizen]: which is ‘to provide for the poor and less fortunate
Why does Dickens use asyndetic listing in the quote: Oh but he was a ‘squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner’ ?
Hint: lexical field of _____- highlight the greed present in…
- I= perhaps Dickens’ use of [asyndetic] listing develops a lexical field of greed, to reinforce his description of Scrooge as a [archetypal] villain
- ultimately, highlighting the greed present in Victorian society.
How does making Scrooge a greedy man, act as a catalyst for Dickens’ readers ?
Hint: begin to question- social reformation
- This is because, by showing this quality in Scrooge, perhaps it would make a Victorian reader, begin to question if they are like Scrooge?
- and although this isn’t the catalyst for Scrooge, perhaps this is the catalyst to start a social reform, for the middle and upper-middle class’s in Victorian society ? [concerning their belief s and attitudes about the poor]
What reader response can you tell me, about the references in Dickens’ use of asyndetic listing ?
- R= Furthermore, Dickens’ use of [asyndetic] listing has references [and connotations] of hell, which a Victorian Reader would clearly recognise, due to their genuine belief in heaven and hell
What is asyndetic listing ?
- asyndetic listing, is listing without conjunctions [such as but or and], and instead using commas
‘______ rime on his head and on his eyebrows, and on his wiry chin’
- L= Dickens’ uses pathetic fallacy, to construct Scrooge as a [archetypal] villain, by firstly describing Scrooge as an unemotional man who has a ’frosty rime on his head and eyebrows…’.
- The use of this metaphor reflects how Scrooge is so emotionally cold, to the extent that frost sticks to him
- ; Dickens’ use of pathetic fallacy, also reflects Scrooge’s misdemeanour [and his cold character ]
‘__ warmth could warm, __ wintry weather chill him’
- L= repetition and anaphora of ‘no’- emphasises how negative Scrooge is and the use of the plosive ‘b’ reflects how Scrooge is harsh and disliked
‘No warmth could warm, no wintry weather chill him’
- ; Dickens’ use of pathetic fallacy, also suggests that Scrooge is an outcast [outsider] to Victorian society.
- This is because not even the weather, can affect him [and his opinions] and therefore neither can any people
‘No ______ could warm, no wintry weather chill him’
- But Dickens of the use abstract noun ‘warmth’, also suggests how cold and hard- hearted Scrooge is, since it has associations of bright emotions.
- And because this contrasts with the semantic field of the cold, and directly contrasts with Scrooge’s current personality, [in Stave 1] it perhaps suggests nothing can change him yet
- [no amount of affection or kindess can warm how emotionally cold he is.]
** What can you tell me, about the use of hyperbolic language in** ‘No warmth could warm, no wintry weather chill him’?
- L= Dickens also constructs Scrooge as a conventional [archetypal] villain, by using hyperbolic language, to deliberately make the Victorian readers’ detest him
- so they hope, that Scrooge can change.
‘he carried his own low temperature always about with him’
- This notion of Scrooge being a conventional [stereotypical] villain is also developed throughout stave 1, as he ‘carried’ his ‘own’ low temperature always about with him.
- firstly, Dickens’ use of the pronoun ‘own’ reinforces the notion of Scrooge being a villain and it suggests Scrooge owns this low temperature. [on a symbolical level]
‘he carried his own low temperature always about with him’
- Dickens’ use of this past participle verb suggets that Scrooge is carrying a burden.
