christmas carol key quotes and analysis

Scrooge realises that his love with money is the reason he pushed everyone away. It could also show that, as it has been so long since he was happy, he finds it difficult to describe. However, these are two children that he has no control over. Dickens uses Tiny Tim to remind his readers of the story of Jesus performing miracles and his teaching of acceptance of all. LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in A Christmas Carol, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. Both have religious connotations and suggest a true depth of despair at his previous notions. Y. ", cynical- "what's Christmas time to you but a time for paying bills without money", Isolated- "secret and self-contained, and solitary like an oyster. A foil is a character who contrasts with another character (usually the protagonist) in order to highlight particular qualities of the other character. "Every person has a right to take care of themselves. No, Spirit! Stave 1 - description of Scrooge's house Stave 4 - in the rag 'n' bone man's shop This may be a way of showing what Dickens thinks should be happening. I will not be the man I must have been but for this intercourse! When he sees Tiny Tim and his jubilance despite his disadvantages, Scrooge cannot help but feel compassion and by association guilt, as he has seen from the effect Fezziwg had on his staff that he could have a similar influence on Tiny Tim. The metaphor shows the are poor but make the best of a bad situation, always smiling and showing they are grateful for what little they have. "His eyes sparkled and his breath smocked.". He always did.". The tone is impatient as he does so. I am as giddy as a drunken man., Scrooge was better than his word. A merry Christmas to everybody! The description of Marley's ghost has his chain wound about him. It is through your support of visiting Book Analysis that we can support charities, such as Teenage Cancer Trust. God bless us!, At the time people rid themselves of any guilt by blaming the poor for the fact they were poor. Scrooge has been transformed - just as his room has been transformed by the arrival of the Ghost of Christmas present - and wants to learn. Accessed 4 March 2023. She looked at me as if I had insulted her. He did it all and infinitely more; and to Tiny Tim, who did NOT die, he was a second father., He knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the Knowledge.. He begins with no compassion for others but eventually learns a better way to live. 'Dressed out but poorly in a twice-turned gown, but brave in ribbons'. 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. This is another quote where Dickens draws on the semantic field of the cold weather. 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. This quote is trying to say that Marley should've cared more about the people rather than his business - Marley, This opposes to the way that he conveyed his feelings to everyone at the start of the novel this shows his change and how he improved by the end, Therefore I am about to raise your salary, This shows a strong change in scrooges character as at the start of the novel with the 2 gentleman he was not willing to donate any money to them and now he is raising Bob Cratchits salary, This shows Tiny Tim's appreciation of Scrooge even when his mother doesnt think that scrooge deserves the praise, Another idol has displaced me a golden one. 5. With in-depth analysis, this video aims to help you gain a greater understanding of the novella in a matter of minutes. 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. Setting includes not only the physical surroundings, but also the ideas, customs, values, and beliefs of a particular time and place. Scrooge's grave, by comparison to Tiny Tim's is 'overrun by weeds'. Their terrible behaviour is a consequence of the ignorance and want that Dickens personified in stave 3. The spirit of Christmas is personified in his open heart, open hand, and outstretched arm. A description of the ghost of Christmas present. A Christmas Carol (Key Answers) Chapter 1 1. By the time he reaches the third ghost The Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come he orders the ghost, using the imperative phrase Lead on! He is in control now, and wants the change desperately enough to be forceful about it. These include Scrooge's cold nature, the power of wealth, and loss. "', The ghost of Christmas present focuses greatly on the Crachit family and how, despite their poor financial situation, In the Victorian era, family and family time were extremely important, particularly around Christmas, ' A Merry Christmas to us all, my dears. We can infer that the only other person he cared for was Marley and even that wasn't really because of a friendship. A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner! On this page, readers can explore the quotes, they are broadly separated into a few sub-categories. Then, identify each underlined word by writing above it ADV for adverb or ADJ for adjective. So, therefore, we should take responsibility for being a positive influence. The adjective dismal connotes a lack of light and hopeless atmosphere. A Christmas Carol - Quotes and Analysis Stave 1 Stave 2 Stave 3 Stave 4 Stave 5 ( ) The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker and the chief mourner. Shows Bob's place of work, and shows scrooges harsh treatment on him. Then, choose the verb form that agrees in number with the subject. They often came down handsomely, and Scrooge never did. This phrase is repeated to describe both Mrs Crarchit and her daughter. The Cratchits are generous and loving in very difficult circumstances. Whatever the book. He has learned his lesson and been transformed from darkness into light - which is reflected in the world around him. As we will later learn, his bitterness originates at Christmas time and has warped his perspective of it. With the title of the book being A Christmas Carol you would expect Christmas to feature prominently throughout the novel. These compare with the bells at the start of the novel, signifying the hellish arrival of Marley's ghost. Setting can help create an atmosphere or mood in a literary work. A Christmas Carol Quotes 50 of the best book quotes from A Christmas Carol 01 Share "God bless us every one!" Charles Dickens author God person A Christmas Carol book Tiny Tim character christmas blessings concepts 02 Share "Every traveler has a home of his own, and he learns to appreciate it the more from his wandering." Charles Dickens author The Ghost of Christmas yet to come is symbolic. sungiemarie. He carried his own low temperature always about with him', 'No warmth could warm, no wintry weather chill him', 'It was cold, bleak, biting weather: foggy withal', 'Scrooge had a very small fire, but the clerk's fire was so very much smaller that it looked like one coal. Instant PDF downloads. 4 major themes of this novel are forgiveness, the influence of the past, greed, and poverty. Scrooge's sympathy for himself leads to sympathy for the carol singer from the night before. Gives the impression of a festive being, full of Christmas spirit. Scrooge is not unfortunate in the way of relatives - he has a family awaiting his . There is no doubt . A Christmas Carol is rarely classified as a gothic novel. 'Long and wound about him like a tail made of cash-boxes, keys, padlocks, ledgers, deeds and heavy purses.'. ". "It was a large house but one of broken fortunes.". Accessed 4 March 2023. Copyright2007 - 2023 Revision World Networks Ltd. This is fitting because it is traditionally colder at Christmas but also because the cold is an apt metaphor for Scrooges personality. Themes= greed and generosity/ time. Scrooge, showing that through the visits of the different ghosts he began to change more and more, as in stave two his "lip was trembling", but now he is having "a violent fit of trembling". Scrooges offences carry their own punishments. Christmas is now a time for family, friends and feeling good. Home Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol Best Quotes. Whoop! The word 'business' reflects Scrooge's earlier response to the portly gentlemen. The Christmas Spirit I am sure I have always thought of Christmas time as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time the only time when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers. In this case, Ebeneezer and Fezziwig are both business owners with employees, but where they diverge is in their treatment of others and in their outlook on life. Dickens uses him to enable the reader to see that this is unfair, perhaps looking to make his readers reflect on the high mortality rate amongst poor children. Pre-modified adjectives create a sensory description -they remind scrooge of the delights of generosity and how it will create happiness. Leading up to this moment it appears as if Scrooge already fears that this is the case, but that does not detract from the tension that Charles Dickens can create here. Stave 2 - the spirit takes him to past Christmases including seeing Scrooge alone at school. Bell, dong, ding; hammer, clang, clash! Representing Victorian society. 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 The onomatopoetic verb 'gasping' makes the reader explicitly imagine the death, suggesting struggle and pain. Oh! He teaches scrooge to learn from his mistakes of his past. But, they were happy, grateful, pleased with one another and contented with the time. Themes= Christmas/greed and generosity/family. Flint is a type of ground that makes it difficult for life to grow kind of like how scrooges character allows no imaginations to grow. 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. For a start, there is the use of ghosts throughout. Stave 3 - the Cratchits The innocence of the 'angel' and the 'schoolboy' contrast with the hellish image of Marley's ghost, showing the reader that he will be saved. Stave 4 - in the rag 'n' bone man's shop Fred, as Scrooge's foil, is a kind, forgiving character who is determined to give Scrooge the same chance every year. 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. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. In Victorian times, the deceased were usually dressed in their best clothes for burial but here, Scrooge's clothes after death have been removed and sold for money. Dickens uses these characters to challenge popular preconceptions that the wealthy had about the poor - preconceptions which led to support for the poor law and the workhouses. () A famous geographer Thomas Malthus came up with the theory that the poor were just surplus population and thus should be left to their own devices - even if this meant letting them die. Whoever the author.Discover new and exciting books to dive into with our Book Explorer Tool. My life tends that way, now., Bob Cratchit about Tiny Tims grave: I wish you could have gone. "If he be like to die, he had better do it, and decrease the surplus population." Oh! Invite Scrooge to come for Christmas dinner 4. Bitter- "no wind that blew was bitterer than he. Money 5. About Scrooge: As solitary as an oyster., External heat and cold had little influence on Scrooge., If they would rather die, said Scrooge, they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population., Darkness is cheap, and Scrooge liked it., Marleys Ghost: Mankind was my business., Marleys Ghost: I am here to-night to warn you, that you have yet a chance and hope of escaping my fate., There was a boy singing a Christmas Carol at my door last night. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business. Dickens uses Scrooge to show the extent of change that is possible in a small amount of time. Like an oyster, he keeps himself to himself, hidden beneath a hard shell that he uses to protect himself from the world. Here, Scrooge is talking about Fezziwig and how he uses his wealth to lift others up. The simile shows Bobs wealth in his family; he values them more than money and so is content with their love. 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. The boy is ignorance. Stave 1 - Scrooge's rponse to being asked to give money to charity, "If they would rather die," said Scrooge, "they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.". Dickens considers ignorance the worst, because it leads to want. We have never had any quarrel, to which I have been a party. Without the ghost of Christmas future, Scrooge wouldve been unlikely to change. Discuss why you think the poet made these choices. One interesting feature of this stave relates to the fact that two people die in it: Scrooge and Tiny Tim: the richest and the poorest people in the book. This scene is very clever as well because not only does seeing the Fezziwigs party give Scrooges character the chance to see how much power he wields and how that influence could be used but it also offers us the opportunity to see some of the aspects that shaped Scrooge into the person that he was. This use of listing to describe everything as 'good' helps to demonstrate the far reaching consequences of Scrooge's redemption. The description of the figure who is both like a child and like an old man, is suggestive of the journey that the ghost takes him on. ), 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. Bob Crachit and the Cratchit Family Quotes, A Christmas Carol- The Ghost of Christmas Pre, 'An Inspector Calls' Key Quotations Analysis, myPerspectives: English Language Arts, Grade 7, myPerspectives: Grade 10, Volume 2 California Edition, myPerspectives, English Language Arts, Grade 8, California My Perspectives English Language Arts, Grade 9, Volume Two. * The use of pathetic fallacy shows that he is in direct opposition to anyone who tries to help him. Does this line support or contradict the speaker's statement in the final stanza, "Nothing really happened"? "I wish you could have gone. Scrooge makes explicit reference to the Malthusian idea that the population must decrease in order to create better conditions. The list of adjectives show his wealth but also his warmth and generosity towards others. The synonyms 'alone' and 'by himself' emphasise again the loneliness of the life he has chosen. The adjectives squeezing and wrenching, etc., relate to how one should imagine him with money, refusing to let go of his wealth. Hallo!" Click the card to flip Definition 1 / 5 Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. Key quotes from a Christmas Carol- Stave 2, A Christmas Carol Vocabulary, A Christmas Car, myPerspectives, English Language Arts, Grade 8, myPerspectives: English Language Arts, California (Grade 9, Volume 1), myPerspectives: English Language Arts, Grade 7, myPerspectives: Grade 10, Volume 2 California Edition, A Christmas Carol - quotation analysis-Stave. Scrooge becomes part of two families: Dickens reveals that we are part of not only our blood relatives but also a wider family that of society. A Christmas Carol (Key Quotes) 'Mankind is my business' - Marley (Should be Scrooges and everyone elses too) 'I will honour Christmas in my heart and, and try to keepit all the year' - Scrooge (Willing to change, become better person) . Studying Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol'? () The famous phrase Humbug really means either shame or hoax. "The happiness he gives, is quite as great as if it costs a fortune.". I am as giddy as a drunken man. To Kill a Mockingbird -Analysis of Major Characters. ``My little child!''. Stave 2 - the arrival of his sister, Fan Stave 4 - Bob's reaction to Tiny Tim's death Marley 2. The verb 'shrouded' makes explicit reference to death which is reinforced by the 'deep black' of its clothes. The noun 'contract' reflects the language of business - reflecting the change that Scrooge has undergone. 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. Inclusive now of society - not isolated and solitary. 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. Hes comparing Cratchits actual body temperature to Scrooges personality. He spreads joy over all like a force of nature. His most famous saying is bah humbug. He used it as an exclamation when he wanted to express his displeasure about something. The Ghost of Christmas Present greets Scrooge from on top of a pile of luxurious Christmas fare. Oh, no, no! The finger was still there. Dr Aidan, PhD, provides you with the 10 key quotes in Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol', along with in-depth analysis, to he. The simile has connotations of stillness and endings. External heat and cold had little influence on Scrooge. 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. And I know I know my dears, that when we recollect how patient and how mild he was; although he was a little, little child, we shall not quarrel easily among ourselves and forget poor Tiny Tim in doing it. A happy New Year to all the world! The idea that we are all 'fellow passengers' serves to emphasise the idea of the transience of life - we are all going to die some day so we are more similar than we are different. The 10 Most Important Quotes in A Christmas Carol - https://youtu.be/8wpegV4ueYY'The Ghosts' in A Christmas Carol - https://youtu.be/15HiKFCMEyk'Scrooge' in A Christmas Carol - https://youtu.be/c2x9wiRRFQYQuick, relaxed, and informative, Dr Aidan's Guide to Literature aims to make literature accessible to everyone. Stave 5 - Scrooge's reaction to discovering it is not too late It is this love that consoles him in stave 4 when Tiny Tim is shown to be dead, a long with the memories of Tiny Tim as a patient and loving boy. Of course, the fact that this is obvious does not detract from the big reveal due to the way that Dickens masterfully creates tension. However, some of the scenes are to help develop Scrooge's character and add backstory. Below one can explore the themes, symbols, and more that appear throughout the novel. But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! Total Abstinence Principle more hilarious punning from Dickens. All rights reserved. said the Spirit, turning on him for the last time with his own words. In what ways does the text indicate lbn Batutta's social status? Scrooge hung his head to hear his own words and was overcome with penitence and grief. A Christmas Carol Key Quotes Major Themes Major characters How to revise effectively Isolation and loneliness Ebenezer Scrooge One mistake people often make is to try to revise EVERYTHING. It also explains why he becomes hard and sharp like a flint, later on. 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. ffects the change, pulling the curtains aside with his own hand. By this stage, Scrooge has already begun to see the error of his ways and has realised that he will benefit from the messages he is receiving and so he begins to take agency over the situation. Dickens believed in collective responsibility - that the wealthy should take responsibility for helping the poor, specifically through the provision of education and support for children. He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough, in the good old world. The gothic was a popular genre in the Victorian age and would have seemed fitting for a ghost story to Victorian readers. Such as the graveyard at the end. I defy himif he finds me going there, in good temper, year after year, and saying, Uncle Scrooge, how are you? If it only puts him in the vein to leave his poor clerk fifty pounds, thats something. The adjectives: genial show his joy/ cheer, sparkling presents tense- has connotations of light and magic and open emphasises his generosity.Themes= greed and generosity/Christmas. The simile has a snake like connotations, Marley is a symbol of evil. Fred represents the spirit of Christmas and carries Dickens' message about collective responsibility and how we should treat one another. Dickens clearly uses them to represent what employment should be like. Shows Scrooge's inability to harness any other views that arent his. In Victorian times, most of the readers would have been christian and would therefore heap additional judgement on Scrooge who needs to repent. It was shrouded in a deep black garment, which concealed its head, its face, its form, and left nothing of it visible save one outstretched hand. Whoever the author.Discover new and exciting books to dive into with our Book Explorer Tool. I am as giddy as a drunken man. The Fezziwigs throw a party and treat everyone the same - no matter their status. - 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. "I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. A merry Christmas to you.". Stave 4 - in the rag 'n' bone man's shop A Christmas Carol Charles Dickens On this page, readers can explore the quotes, they are broadly separated into a few sub-categories. The metaphor shows he is rigid in his unfeeling behaviour to others. "Its genial face, its sparking eye, its open hand. They were a boy and girl. Xmas Present - This makes scrooge realise that he needs to change or Tiny Tim will die young which is the one of the first stages of scrooges change. ', 'He was all in a glow; his face was ruddy and handsome; his eyes sparkled, and his breath smoked', Christmas is a time when people 'Think of the people below them as if they really were fellow passengers to the grave and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys. This symbolises his generosity and air of festivity. The image of the 'lonely boy near a feeble fire' reflects very closely the older Scrooge we have seen, alone eating gruel. However, it could also be argued that ignorance reflects the lack of education of the poor. Imagery of warmth has symbolism of generosity, compassion and forgiveness- Fred always makes a effort with scrooge. 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. Of course, Dickens does use his trademark lengthy descriptions but nearly everything has a point. The fog has lifted and Scrooge can 'see' the truth. ', 'Many thousands are in want of common necessaries; hundreds of thousands are in want of common comforts". Scrooge. A solitary child, neglected by his friends is left there still - Scrooge sobbed, This shows scrooges lack of companionship and support even since a child this could show why scrooge became so money obsessed, I have always thought of Christmas a good time. Here, readers are exposed to the ghost of Christmas yet to come. The ghost breaks the news to Scrooge that the person whose death has been talked about so callously was his own. Why show me this, if I am past all hope! For the first time, the hand appeared to shake. And perhaps its because we know the story so well, or maybe because it is pretty obvious, most readers will probably understand that they are in fact commenting on Scrooge. This is said by criminals who plundered/ stole from scrooge after he died. The repetition of the word 'little' reinforces to the reader how young and innocent and undeserving of death was Tiny Tim. Tail has connotations of the devil- reinforcing evil image. The Ghost of Christmas Past is an interesting vision it changes shape and size, it has many arms and then a few, it seems distant and close, old and young in fact it seems riddled with contradictory images. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. I can't afford to make idle people merry.". Privacy Policy, https://bookanalysis.com/charles-dickens/a-christmas-carol/themes-and-analysis/. Fire symbolizes emotion and warmth. The ghost of Christmas presents it sitting on a throne of food. Dickens is very clever in his use of dialogue in this section of the story as the Ghost of Future Yet To Come shows Scrooge the people that are talking about his death. Whatever the genre. It has harsh imagery and the symbolism of cold, shows he is lacking Christmas spirit. A Christmas Carol: Key Moments Being such a short story there is very little that is extraneous. " Scrooge entered timidly and hung . This again leads back to Dickens' idea of collective responsibility - that everything that we do influences others. When you analyse poverty in A Christmas Carol, you may want to reference the setting as well as using direct quotes from characters. Dickens also suggests that, through his adoration of a false god, he is no longer a good christian. Tiny Tim's comment is generous in spirit, seeing his disability positively as it will remind others of the true meaning of Christmas by allowing them to think of Jesus on Christmas day. 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. Scrooges words to the charity collectors as he refuses to give charity. I am sure we shall none of us forget poor Tiny Timshall weor this first parting that there was among us? The entrance of Scrooge 's nephew Fred at the beginning of the story introduces another side to the miser. The relative clause describing Tiny Tim reinforces the idea that it is Scrooge's actions that caused him to live. Thus Dickens is ending with the message that we can all change our selfish ways and be a positive influence. The style of A Christmas Carol is conversational and direct. "The noisy little Cratchit's were as still as status". Stave 2 - Belle breaks off the engagement. A description of scrooge as a young boy, he was left alone at school as others enjoyed their holidays. Bob said he didnt believe there ever was such a goose cooked., About Tiny Tim: If these shadows remain unaltered by the Future, the child will die., Bob Cratchit: Ill give you Mr Scrooge, the Founder of the Feast., About Ignorance and Want: This boy is Ignorance. In this quote, Dickens describes London as a dark and dangerous place. This quote from Fred shows him having opposing views to his uncle scrooge, Fred tries to make Scrooge someone who enjoys christmas however it is not him that makes scrooge appreciate it. A happy New Year to all the world. This went against what Victorians considered to be a 'good death' where you die surrounded by friends and family and then are mourned afterwards. This is a great description, wanders around holding a candle snuffer that looks like a hat. cried the Ghost, wringing its hands again. Hallo there! His narrator describes events as they happened and doesnt spend a great deal of time on extraneous details. The Victorian's would have seen this as fitting. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. However, how the poor were treated was far more extreme in Victorian England.

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