christmas carol key quotes and analysis

The last line of A Christmas Carol is God bless us, everyone. Its spoken by the well-loved character Tiny Tim. We see when Scrooge is presented with the poor children (Want and Ignorance) how instinctively and perhaps despite his character that he is compelled to want to help. A merry Christmas to you.". A frosty rime was on his head, and on his eyebrows, and his wiry chin. Stave 2 - Belle breaks off the engagement Describes Fred, who is a symbol of Christmas spirit. '', Stave 3 - the ghost uses Scrooge's words against him when he asks where there is refuge for the children, ignorance and want. Marley haunts scrooge- a description of his chains. The verb sparkled has magical and positive connotations, shows Fred is the antithesis of scrooge. uses long and short clauses to show how busy they are. Scrooges words to the charity collectors as he refuses to give charity. Analysis. It is uncared for just as he was uncared for, gasping out his last alone. So while he did not invent these particular traditions many people credit him with popularizing them. Both have religious connotations and suggest a true depth of despair at his previous notions. These include Scrooges cold nature, the power of wealth, and loss. For example, the first ghost is a metaphor for how memories and the past shape ones experience, while the last ghost is a metaphor for death and ones legacy. Whatever the genre. This is clearly not possible. Stave 1 - description of Scrooge's relationship with Marley. I should like to have given him something: thats all., About the Fezziwig family: shaking hands with every person individually as he or she went out, wished him or her a Merry Christmas., Scrooge about Mr Fezziwig: The happiness he gives, is quite as great as if it costs a fortune., Belle to Scrooge: Another idol has displaced me., Belle about Scrooge: I have seen your nobler aspirations fall off one by one, until the master passion, Gain, engrosses you., Belles husband to Belle about Scrooge: Quite alone in the world, I do believe., There was nothing very cheerful in the climate or the town, and yet was there an air of cheerfulness abroad., About the Ghost of Christmas Present: Sprinkled incense on their dinners from his torch., About the Cratchits goose: a feathered phenomenon., There never was such a goose. "Reeked with crime, and filth, and misery". Whatever the book. Perhaps Dickens is using him to represent the idea of childhood innocence and how close children were to God in order to reinforce his message that the wealthy need to do more to mitigate childhood poverty. In defending Fezziwig, he is taught a lesson and makes him think about how he treats his clerk, leading to his second moment of regret in which he'd like to 'say a word to two' to Bob. "Quite alone in the world, I do believe.". A merry Christmas to everybody! Whoever the author.Discover new and exciting books to dive into with our Book Explorer Tool. As readers, Dickens is allowing us to reflect on how far Scrooge has come in learning the lesson - and perhaps asking us to reflect on our own learning. The boy is ignorance. Here in this quote, one can see Dickens playing with literal and figurative meanings to great effect. However, it could also be argued that ignorance reflects the lack of education of the poor. - Scrooge, Ever idiot who goes around with merry xmas on his lips should be buried with a stake of holly through his heart, The use of nature with a type of plant typically seen around christmas time makes scrooges comment even more menacing saying that they should kill him with the very thing that is giving him happiness in that certain period.- Scrooge. Dr Aidan, PhD, provides you with key quotes and analysis relating to the theme of 'Christmas'. Hallo!" Click the card to flip Definition 1 / 5 Whatever the book. ', People with lots of money already are more likely to be greedy for more, not thinking about sharing that money with others effectively. When it was made you were another man. This quote shows Ebenezer Scrooge's miserly, miserable attitude toward Christmas at the opening of the story; he is obsessed with his money and has no time for festivities, family, or joy. The word 'business' reflects Scrooge's earlier response to the portly gentlemen. Dickens' use of the word 'good' repetitively to demonstrate the juxtaposition between Scrooge at the beginning of the novel, where Dickens describes Scrooge as a 'covetous old sinner'. International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct,London, EC1A 2BN, United Kingdom, 2023 Book Analysis. () The famous phrase Humbug really means either shame or hoax. Dr Aidan, PhD, brings you the second video in his 'A Christmas Carol' series, looking here at the role and importance of the ghosts in this story. Hallo!". Scrooge's assertion that 'it is not my business' is challenged quickly by Marley's ghost whose view is that 'mankind' should have been his 'business. What is interesting is that a lot of the traditions that Dickens writes about werent quite so commonplace before his novella. () At the time, Camden town would have been a crowded suburb. People can change, but Scrooge has thus far been content with his situation. As it is used in line 32 , the word reticent means the opposite of. Who suffers? Copyright2007 - 2023 Revision World Networks Ltd. "[He called out in a] comfortable,oily, rich. Setting includes not only the physical surroundings, but also the ideas, customs, values, and beliefs of a particular time and place. His selfish ways have left him this way. The portly gentlemen are also instrumental in delivering Dickens' message. Belle to Scrooge: "Another idol has displaced me a golden one.". Th onomatopoeia here makes the bells sound particularly noise -and yet Scrooge sees them as 'glorious' which is suggestive of noises from heaven. Hes comparing Cratchits actual body temperature to Scrooges personality. cried Bob. It is through your support of visiting Book Analysis that we can support charities, such as Teenage Cancer Trust. 'Dressed out but poorly in a twice-turned gown, but brave in ribbons'. Any study of the time will tell you about the working conditions for the lower classes. With in-depth analysis, this video aims. This poignant moment arrives when Scrooge is looking at Christmas yet to come. It is a dark, sad moment but Bob Cratchit handles the situation with grace and dignity. Accessed 4 March 2023. Describes Fred, who is a symbol of Christmas spirit. Fred is unrelenting in his attempts to change his uncles way of thinking. This symbolises his generosity and air of festivity. A Christmas Carol is the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a stingy, cruel, wealthy, old bachelor.The book opens with a funeral. Stave 4 - Tiny Tim's burial place is eden like - as, despite his poverty and place in life, he was good and will be welcomed by god. Stave 2 - Scrooge's response to the ghost saying that it was only a small thing that Fezziwig did. The ghost of Christmas yet to come is a symbol of the effect that memories have on someone as they age. What I think is really clever is that the story is framed so that when we see the ghost of Christmas past, seeing the things that shaped Scrooge into the man he is at the beginning of the play starts to let us feel sympathy for him so that when he is offered a second chance as a reader, we are glad he gets to redeem himself. The simile has connotations of stillness and endings. Stave 3 - the ghost uses Scrooge's words against him Seven Years 3. Hallo there! ), phrases like holding a candle for someone mean to remember them, while candles are used in c. Scrooge finishes the stave by putting out the candle, which shows him symbolically putting down his past leaving behind the resentment he has harboured at having lost his childhood to neglect. The simile shows Bobs wealth in his family; he values them more than money and so is content with their love. The heaviest rain, and snow, and hail, and sleet, could boast of the advantage over him in only one respect. "Cherry cheeked apples, juicy oranges, luscious pears.". The description of the children is designed to shock the reader. Who suffers by his ill whims? jovial voice.". He is designed to show that the wealthy can make a significant difference. Stave 4 - About Scrooge's grave: These cover themes like wealth, poverty, Christmas, and kindness. The noun 'idol' shows that Belle believes Scrooge is so enamoured of money that he worships it. "The noisy little Cratchit's were as still as status". "Business!" This compares directly with the explicit description of Scrooge at the start of the novel where even beggars will not speak to him. It is too much linked to his miserly ways thus suggesting that the learning is not finished yet. Themes= greed and generosity/Christmas/poverty. International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct,London, EC1A 2BN, United Kingdom, 2023 Book Analysis. The opening line says, ''Marley was dead: to begin with. Stave 5 - Scrooge walks the streets enjoying the company of others. If you watch any of the adaptations of A Christmas Carol Tiny Tim is almost always one of the loveable characters and with good reason. The boy is ignorace - the lack of education and the girl is want - the lack of money. Stave 1 - Scrooge's response to the gentlemen saying that people would rather die than go to the workhouse. Scrooge realises that his love with money is the reason he pushed everyone away. At this point, Scrooges character has become fairly well established but the reason that this particular meeting is of such importance is that it highlights Scrooges outlook towards the poor as well as provides his comments about how the poor should be treated. He stopped at the outer door to bestow the greetings of the season on the clerk, who, cold as he was, was warmer than Scrooge. ', Where the portly gentlemen explain to Scrooge about the plight of the poor and the responsibility of the rich to deal with it, In Stave 5, Scrooge begins to redeem himself for all the terrible things he did in the past, Victorian society was still extremely religious at this point and they believed strongly in the impact of sin upon the treatment of one in the afterlife, The way that Scrooge worships money would have been considered as sinful at the time as it is in a way idolising something that is not the holy lord, Stave 5: 'that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge', Stave 1: 'A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping clutching, covetous old sinner! However, inside that shell - like Scrooge - the oyster is soft and vulnerable. They are mans. Bovey, Lee-James "A Christmas Carol Quotes " Book Analysis, https://bookanalysis.com/charles-dickens/a-christmas-carol/quotes/. A happy New Year to all the world! A description of the ghost of Christmas past, who symbolises memory and who shows scrooge events from the past. Stave 5 - pathetic fallacy The Fezziwigs throw a party and treat everyone the same - no matter their status. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business. This shows scrooges lack of empathy for the poor people around christmas time not regarding their life or family, this is used to show a change later on in the book with him not donating to the 2 gentleman at the start but him donating to them at the end of the play- Scrooge to the two gentleman, Marley during his life was a harsh businessman similar to scrooge and he was also very uptight not giving money to charity or other good causes. " Scrooge entered timidly and hung . I am sure we shall none of us forget poor Tiny Timshall weor this first parting that there was among us? That being said the fact that Marley is suffering damnation suggests that he too led a similar path to Scrooge. Stave 2 - Scrooge becomes distressed by what he is seeing. However, some of the scenes are to help develop Scrooge's character and add backstory. Instant PDF downloads. However, the verb 'profit' still has a hint of selfishness - as well as an implication of individual, even material, gain. However, how the poor were treated was far more extreme in Victorian England. These words are then used against him by the ghost of the Christmas present. This is to illustrate to the rich that they can be part of the solution, Dickens was of the belief that things in society could change and this was something he wished to portray to people to ensure they didn't lose hope, Stave 2: 'I should like to be able to say a word or two to my clerk just now', Stave 4: 'Fear you more than any other spectre I have seen. Draw one line under each main verb and two lines under each auxiliary verb. Accessed 4 March 2023. It also explains why he becomes hard and sharp like a flint, later on. "I am sorry for him; I couldn't be angry with him if I tried. Repetition of 'chuckle' emphasises Scrooge's newfound delight in giving. How does the speaker begin and end "Incident"? "It was long and wound about him like a til.". Dickens clearly uses them to represent what employment should be like. Scrooge has been transformed - just as his room has been transformed by the arrival of the Ghost of Christmas present - and wants to learn. Example: The scientist, along with her two assistants, (is, are) working on a computer simulation of earthquake activity. Scrooges changing attitude is never better highlighted than in his initial responses to the three ghosts. The Victorian's would have seen this as fitting. We have never had any quarrel, to which I have been a party. The onomatopoetic verb 'gasping' makes the reader explicitly imagine the death, suggesting struggle and pain. ', 'Many thousands are in want of common necessaries; hundreds of thousands are in want of common comforts". sungiemarie. He did it all, and infinitely more; and to Tiny Tim, who did not die, he was a second father. however, her reference to their father suggests that he had not been kind in the past, thus reinforcing our sympathy. Themes= poverty/family/greed and generosity. Marley 2. Fezziwig's office has a large fire which adds to the welcoming atmosphere, offering the reader an additional opportunity to compare it to Scrooge's cold office with the meagre fire. The verbs suggest age, disfiguration and pain suggesting how unnatural their conditions are that have led to this. Stave 4 - in the rag 'n' bone man's shop The tone is impatient as he does so. You must cook those fresh eggs for that kind of special salad. Throughout the book, Dickens makes use of metaphors, personification, imagery, and more. Bob describes his crippled son. The shortness of the main clause at the end makes the message more shocking. Stave 2 - The first of the three spirits Whereas the line about being solitary as an oyster suggests that Scrooge refuses to let anybody into his life. Stave 5 - description of Scrooge's redemption My little, little child!'' But, they were happy, grateful, pleased with one another and contented with the time. Stave 2 - Belle's husband tells Belle about seeing Scrooge. "the phantom slowly, gravely, silently approached", A description of the ghost of Christmas future; he is the darkest of the spirits, a reminder to scrooge of his terrible fate if he fails to learn his lesson. the adjective idle reveals scrooge believes the poor are lazy and are to be blamed for their own situation. Here, Scrooge is talking about Fezziwig and how he uses his wealth to lift others up. But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! The two children Ignorance and Want represents the attitudes of the rich to the poor in Victorian society. ', Stave 1: 'that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellowmen, and travel far and wide; and if that spirit goes not forth in life, it is condemned to do so after death. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The synonyms 'alone' and 'by himself' emphasise again the loneliness of the life he has chosen. 'A Christmas Carol' is a widely studied book filled with memorable quotes. The most clearly religious image though is how it wears a tunic of purest white, as though it is a pure, innocent Angel sent to guide him. With key quotes \u0026 analysis, this video provides an ideal format to gain a greater understanding of this novella in a matter of minutes. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. Scrooge awakes and finds his room as dark as when he fell asleep at two o'clock. So, therefore, we should take responsibility for being a positive influence. Although their behaviour is callous and cruel, the italicised personal pronoun he reminds us that scrooge (and the rich) are partly to blame fro the behaviour of the poor. Himself. The problem is internal, within Scrooges heart. Losing a business partner around Christmas time could not have been easy. Perfect for those studying the book at school (particularly GCSE students) or simply those wanting to learn more about it.For more in Dr Aidan's 'A Christmas Carol' series:The 10 Most Important Quotes in A Christmas Carol - https://youtu.be/8wpegV4ueYYPicture credits: Grim Reaper: openclipart.comCornucopia: openclipart.com You are changed. He teaches scrooge to learn from his mistakes of his past. This is another quote where Dickens draws on the semantic field of the cold weather. The hellish atmosphere is emphasised by the fact that the ghost's clothing and hair appears to move as though in an updraft of heat, suggesting that the ghost is in hell. A Christmas Carol is a widely studied book filled with memorable quotes. Note the use of the adjective poor to describe Bob Cratchit. The verb forged shows skill and effort- Marley spent his whole life's time and effort in his greed so is suffering the consequences.

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christmas carol key quotes and analysis