Scrooge

Question 1

“As solitary as an oyster.”

(Stave 1)

Answer 1

• similes is used to show Scrooge is lonely isolating himself from society and relationships (Fred ), causing his miserable attitude. Dickens shows the consequences of isolation and shows that greed and addiction to wealth is the main cause. Reinforced by the (…)
• Oyster have a pearl inside that is beautiful so it could foreshadow to the reader Scrooge will change.

Question 2

“External heat and cold had little influence on Scrooge.”

(Stave 1)

Answer 2

-Weather conditions don’t even affects Scrooge so not even people around him will influence him
- Pathetic fallacy shows he is cold and heartless

Question 3

“If they would rather die,” said Scrooge, “they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.”

(Stave 1)

Answer 3

-Dickens present Scrooge as cruel inhuman cold not caring about the poor
-Believes in the Malthus theory which talks about how there is not enough resources/food so the poor people that should die
-Dicken utilities Scrooge making him a dislikable character due to his cruel/greedy behavior. This may have been done to persuade the audience to not be like Scrooge but instead be more generous.

Question 4

‘every idiot who goes about with “merry Christmas” on his lips should be boiled with his own pudding and buried with a stake of holly through his heart’

(Stave 1)

Answer 4

• Shows scrooge strong hatred for Christmas and people in general

Question 5

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

(Stave 1)

Answer 5

-Has money but is a miser being stingy with money not wanting to give
- Stereotypes the poor as “idle” (lazy) thinking of them as unproductive and useless

Question 6

“Are there no prisons?
Are there no workhouses?”

(Stave 1)

Answer 6

• Emphasises Scrooges lack of empathy for the poor
• Doesn’t care about the poor working conditions
• Stereotypes the poor as criminals that should go to prison

Question 7

“he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner!”

(Stave 1)

Answer 7

• Dickens uses a list linked with hands suggesting he isn’t generous but greedy only wanting to take not give

Question 8

“he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner!”

(Stave 1)

Answer 8

• Dickens uses a list linked with hands suggesting he isn’t generous but greedy only wanting to take not give, holds money

Question 9

“my clerk, with fifteen shillings a week”

(Stave 1)

Answer 9

-Scrooge presented as greedy paying Bob only a small amount exploits Bob for his labour for his own profits

Question 10

A solitary child, neglected by his friends

Answer 10

-Dickens present Scrooges sorrow child hood perhaps makes audience sympathetic towards Scrooge
-Lonely childhood reason for his social isolation

Question 11

‘Scrooge had a very small fire, but the clerk’s fire was so very much smaller that it looked like one coal.’

‘His clerk, who in a dismal little cell beyond…was copying letters

Answer 11

-Scrooge treats his Clerk terribly providing awful/dreadful working conditions
-Greed is amplified as he want to save money so he doesn’t provide heat
-“Cell” criminalise the poor
-“dismal emphasises how horrible the Bobs working conditions are making reader feels bad for Bob

Question 12

I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me.”

Answer 12

-Scrooge has finally truely transformed turning from a miserly, selfish person to someone who embraces love and compassion, promising to keep the spirit of Christmas alive in his heart