THEME - Death and Loss Flashcards
Stave 1 - “Marley was dead to begin with.”
“Marley was dead”: Its a direct statement leaving no room for ambiguity, setting the ominous tone for the entire story. Death is the starting point of the narrative, a recurring theme, not a vague concept, but a fact and final. It questions the nature of life death and the consequences of each. “was” being past tense emphasises that marleys death is in the past, a permanent state. Reflects how death is inevitable and unchangeable, influencing scrooges attitudes and moral lessons he will learn.
“to begin with”: The death of marley is essential, even foundational to the events following. It is the starting point of the changes and revelations thag will unfold. It foreshadows starti ng something new, even though it originates from death. Hints about how the story will revolve around transformation and rebirth, scrooges spiritual renewal. His death is a gateway to reevaluating ones life and choices.
DICKENS
Death is a catalyst for change, beginning scrooges moral reckoning. Causes scrooge to confrojt his own eventual fate. The bluntness of the statemrny reinforces the theme of deaths inevitability, causing readers to reflect on their own morality.
Stave 2 - “She died a woman, and had, as i think, children”
“She died a woman”: The phrase is straightforward, mirroring the bluntness that death is a permanent and unavoidable reality. The term “died” rather than a softer term shows the finality of death. The phrase also implies that in death the character is reduced to being a woman. The loss of indiviudality shows how death strips the complexities of a persons life, being remembered for just what they did. It can erase the nuances of someones life and the specific impact they had.
“And had as i think, children”: Sense of uncertainty and detachment, loss of clarity and precision. The mention of children hints at the legacy Fan left behind, showing that family, as an extension of her after death, are important. It also shows the cyclical nature of lige and death, and how there is generational loss, but also how life and death are always interconnected.
DICKENS
Bluntness emphasises the inevitability of death, as in victoria era, death would be spoken about euphemistically or formally. What you do during life is how youre remember, for example shes remember positively to dowoth her children.
Stave 3 - “If these shadows remain unaltered by the future, the child will die”
Shadows - Symbolic of death, suffering, and the inevitable consequences of scrooges actions. They are a forewarning of a future where nothing umproves, where people continue suffering at the hands of his greed. Shadows are personified, to show the future is not set in stone and can shift, adding a sense of ominous inevitability but also hope for change.
If - Conditional clause, the future of tiny tim is uncertain, and is malleable, if scrooge takes responsibility and is considerate. Shows the dependence and direct consequences of scrooges mercenary.
“The child”- The article sets it up, to be more detrimental and consequential. Tiny tim being reduced to just a child strips specific identity, making the imagery of an innocent child more universally relatable and tragic. It adds a layer of pathos (emotional appeal), making it easier for readers to sympathise with the childs fa
