Scrooge Flashcards
“A poor excuse for picking a mans pocket every twenty-fifth of December”
This quote shows how focused Scrooge is on money. It implies that the reason Scrooge doesn’t like Christmas is he doesn’t see how he benefits because he gains nothing materialistic. “Picking a mans pocket” infers that Scrooge is a miser and unwilling to give anything away. Dickens here is showing the reader how Scrooge is greedy.
“Edged his way along the crowded paths of life.”
This quote focuses on Scrooge’s position in society. The word “edged “ represents Scrooge as an outsider, the reader can imply from this that Scrooge tries to stay as far away as possible from everybody else in society. The word “crowded” shows that at the time the area was overpopulated. By Dickens using the word “crowded” it emphasizes how much of an outsider Scrooge is, and that it isn’t because he lives in a quiet area it is because this is the way that he has chosen to live his life. “paths of life” is used to represent the choices that Scrooge has taken in his life, and these have left him as an outsider on the edge of society.
“A good time: a forgiving charitable, pleasant time.”
This quote was said by Fred. Dickens uses a list of words to describe what Fred thinks of Christmas to reinforce the point Fred loves Christmas and thinks very highly of it. Fred is a direct contrast to Scrooge, Scrooge shuns Christmas and thinks it’s foolish to spend money on other people for no particular reason.
“Decrease the surplus population”
This statement reveals a couple of things about Scrooge. It reveals his cold-heart; he would rather see people die than help them, and by dying thinks that they would be doing a service to the world by “decreasing the surplus population” It also shows the reader his capitalist views of how he doesn’t believe he has a responsibility to help anyone else. It also implies that he thinks that the poor choose to be in that situation.
“You’re lips are trembling”
This is the first time throughout the text that Scrooge shows any emotion. This is a significant moment because it shows the reader that Scrooge is human and he does have emotions. It makes the reader think that it is possible for him to change. The word “trembling” infers that Scrooge is trying to hold back on showing any emotion. This quote is from when Scrooge sees himself as a child. Dickens does this to send a message to the reader that how children are treated affects how they grow up to be. You can see this from Scrooge, he was neglected as a child and treated as an outsider and has grown up as an outsider for the rest of his life.
“Scrooge hung his head… and was overcome with penitence and grief.”
Dickens having the ghost repeat Scrooge’s words to him is effective it shows him what would happen to people like Tiny Tim. When the ghost has said this Scrooge feels remorseful and ashamed of what he said. This quote is the first sign that we see of him regretting what he said and wishing he could change.
“I know your purpose is to do me good, and as i hope to live to be another man”
From this quote the reader can tell that Scrooge wants to change and learn. The phrase “live to be another man” implies that scrooge regrets what he has done in the past and realizes that if he doesn’t want to end up like Marley he has to change his ways and become a more charitable, approachable person. This is a contrast to when the first spirit came to visit him, he said “show me no more” were as here he wants the spirit to show him and excepts that it benefits him.
“The night is waning fast, and it is precious time to me”
This quote shows a different Scrooge to the one at the beginning of the text. The word precious has connotations of valuable and something you care about. This shows change because it’s the first time he sees value in something that isn’t money. This shows that he has realized that non-materialistic things are also valuable and time is now valuable because if he doesn’t change and make the most of his life now he will end up like Marley.
“I’m quite a baby. Never mind. I don’t care. I’d rather be a baby.”
This quote shows the reader that after Scrooge has woken up he feels like a different person. The phrase “Quite a baby” could mean that he feels like he’s been reborn because he feels like a completely different person. This could be because he feels really happy now and he can’t remember feeling like that. The phrase “I’d rather be a baby” suggests that Scrooge has learnt his lesson and he would rather be a baby to make sure he doesn’t repeat the same mistakes. The word baby has connotations of happy, innocent and care-free Scrooge could be using this word because he wishes he could start his life again as innocent and happy knowing what he now knows and having seen the mistakes he made.
“I am as light as a feather.”
This quote is a direct contrast to the beginning of the text where Scrooge was going to end up in purgatory weighed down by chains. Dickens uses this contrast to show the theme of redemption. It shows that Scrooge now feel like a burden has been lifted off him, now that he has realized how he was and accepted that he has to change. The word “feather” emphasises how much better, and light he feels because a feather is one of the lightest thing in contrast to the chains which were extremely heavy and would weigh him down.
