christmas carol key quotes and analysis

No wind that blew was bitterer than he, no falling snow was more intent upon its purpose, no pelting rain less open to entreaty. Being such a short story there is very little that is extraneous. It has harsh imagery and the symbolism of cold, shows he is lacking Christmas spirit. Recognizing Progressive Forms and Tenses. () 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. 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. When you analyse poverty in A Christmas Carol, you may want to reference the setting as well as using direct quotes from characters. A Christmas Carol Themes and Analysis | Book Analysis Stave 2 - Belle breaks off the engagement The spirit of Christmas is personified in his open heart, open hand, and outstretched arm. Shows Scrooge's inability to harness any other views that arent his. A description of how the Cratchit family mourned the death of Tiny Tim. Lord bless me!" patience and hope fro them. Stave 4 - the final ghost Then write the form of that verb The Fezziwigs throw a party and treat everyone the same - no matter their status. This again leads back to Dickens' idea of collective responsibility - that everything that we do influences others. A Christmas Carol Stave 4 Summary & Analysis | LitCharts He carried his own low temperature always about with him; he iced his office in the dog-days; and didnt thaw it one degree at Christmas. Fred in A Christmas Carol - Characters - AQA - BBC Bitesize As it is used in line 32 , the word reticent means the opposite of. Dr Aidan, PhD, provides you with key quotes and analysis relating to the theme of 'Christmas'. "Its genial face, its sparking eye, its open hand. Dickens was openly opposed to this view and challenges it throughout the novella. A Christmas Carol Stave 1 Summary & Analysis | LitCharts Stave 2 - the spirit takes him to past Christmases including seeing Scrooge alone at school. In this way, like a patient completing therapy, he has faced his past, but can now move on. Describes Fred, who is a symbol of Christmas spirit. Such as the graveyard at the end. I am not the man I was', When Scrooge sees the name on the gravestone, he realises that time for change is limited, The ghost of Christmas past shows Scrooge some memories that may have been lost to time, Stave 2: 'each one connected with a thousand thoughts, and hopes, and joys, and cares long forgotten', Stave 4: 'Are these the shadows of the things that Will be, or are they shadows of things that May be, only? This symbolises his generosity and air of festivity. 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. Scrooge signed it. 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. Total Abstinence Principle more hilarious punning from Dickens. It is really in this Stave that Dickens brings to life the Christmas that we all know and love today: the food, the presents, the games, the snow, and good feeling, the parties and generosity. 'Long and wound about him like a tail made of cash-boxes, keys, padlocks, ledgers, deeds and heavy purses.'. The description of the children is designed to shock the reader. With the title of the book being A Christmas Carol you would expect Christmas to feature prominently throughout the novel. A description of the ghost of Christmas present. Accessed 4 March 2023. scientist; is. It is uncared for just as he was uncared for, gasping out his last alone. The ghost of Christmas yet to come is a symbol of the effect that memories have on someone as they age. Themes= greed and generosity/time. I am as light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I am as merry as a schoolboy. These morally repugnant, ugly people are simply treating Scrooge the way he treated others and he is horrified. Bob describes his crippled son. I don't make merry myself at Christmas and, If that spirit goes not forth in life, it is, them both, but most of all beware this boy, for on his brow I see that written which is, squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner." No Way- he tells them that the poor should go and die then there would be less people in the world. 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. He has learned his lesson and been transformed from darkness into light - which is reflected in the world around him. Both have religious connotations and suggest a true depth of despair at his previous notions. 2. Oh, glorious! 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. 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. 6 Memorable Quotes from A Christmas Carol | Book Analysis Themes= poverty/family/greed and generosity. Beware them both, and all of their degree, but most of all beware this boy., Scrooge says to the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come: I am prepared to bear you company, and do it with a thankful heart., Two Business Colleagues: Its likely to be a very cheap funeral, said the same speaker; for upon my life I dont know of anybody to go to it., Scrooge to the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come: I see, I see. Stave 3 - Christmas at Fred's Without the trauma from Scrooges youth and the death of his sister, Fran, its unlikely that he wouldve become the person that he did. The adjective dismal connotes a lack of light and hopeless atmosphere. a squeezing, wrenching . The Victorian's would have seen this as fitting. Dickens, therefore, is attacking the Malthusian capitalist theories. "I wish you could have gone. ', 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. Then, identify each underlined word by writing above it ADV for adverb or ADJ for adjective. It was a worthy place. This girl is Want. The repetition of the adjective 'good' reinforces this idea. Whatever the genre. 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. The verb forged shows skill and effort- Marley spent his whole life's time and effort in his greed so is suffering the consequences. 'A Christmas Carol' Key Quotations Stave 5 Analysis Term 1 / 5 "I am light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I am as merry as a schoolboy. The two children Ignorance and Want represents the attitudes of the rich to the poor in Victorian society. Tail has connotations of the devil- reinforcing evil image. The word 'business' reflects Scrooge's earlier response to the portly gentlemen. Scrooge's language has been formal and official: here he is informal, natural and joyous. Scrooges offences carry their own punishments. This is the image of rich men who are shown to ridicule Scrooge after his death.The rich are presented as unfeeling and callous- their physical ugliness reflects the lack of generosity in their spirits. Themes= family/time/poverty. Oh, glorious, glorious! The last line of A Christmas Carol is God bless us, everyone. Its spoken by the well-loved character Tiny Tim. With in-depth analysis, this video aims. A foil is a character who contrasts with another character (usually the protagonist) in order to highlight particular qualities of the other character. Stave 5 - pathetic fallacy 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. Here in this quote, one can see Dickens playing with literal and figurative meanings to great effect. It is through your support of visiting Book Analysis that we can support charities, such as Teenage Cancer Trust. A Christmas Carol - Quotes and Analysis - Coggle This mirrors the Victorian rich's attitude to the poor. So while he did not invent these particular traditions many people credit him with popularizing them. The relative clause describing Tiny Tim reinforces the idea that it is Scrooge's actions that caused him to live. 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'. 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. "Are there no prisons?" Fan is portrayed with affection - and her term of endearment shows that Scrooge has known affection. Stave 1 - description of Scrooge's relationship with Marley. 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. Here, we get the image of a country that is united during this time of year; a place where Christmas and Britishness are inextricably linked, which would have been incredibly popular for a Victorian audience who were in the throws of empire building. 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. Studying 'A Christmas Carol'? PDF A Christmas Carol - Holy Trinity Academy, Telford The gothic was a popular genre in the Victorian age and would have seemed fitting for a ghost story to Victorian readers. Themes= family/greed and generosity/ time. He did it all, and infinitely more; and to Tiny Tim, who did not die, he was a second father. But, they were happy, grateful, pleased with one another and contented with the time. Privacy Policy, https://bookanalysis.com/charles-dickens/a-christmas-carol/quotes/. Gone are the puritanical values that banned Christmas, and, also, to a large degree, gone as well are the memories of Christmas as a serious and religious celebration of the birth of Christ. Y. ', People with lots of money already are more likely to be greedy for more, not thinking about sharing that money with others effectively. Themes= Christmas/greed and generosity/family. " 'A Christmas Carol' Key Quotations Stave 5 Analysis 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. Bovey, Lee-James "A Christmas Carol Themes and Analysis " Book Analysis, https://bookanalysis.com/charles-dickens/a-christmas-carol/themes-and-analysis/. A merry Christmas to you.". Here, Scrooge is talking about Fezziwig and how he uses his wealth to lift others up. Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. The words of the charwoman, who disgusts Scrooge, in the rag 'n' bone man's shop reflect the views to which Scrooge subscribed at the start of the novella when he declared that the poor were not his 'business' implying that his only business was himself. Whatever the genre. Along with the words, 'sole' and 'solitary' used throughout the novel to suggest that each individual must take responsibility for his own choices - just as Marley is paying for his individual sins. Themes= time/Christmas/generosity and forgiveness. AQA English Revision - Key Quotes Dickens was familiar with the terrible working conditions of the poor and campaigned for education of children. Stave 3 - the ghost uses Scrooge's words against him 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. I am not the man I was. As we will later learn, his bitterness originates at Christmas time and has warped his perspective of it. () The introduction of the portly gentlemen provide an opposition to Scrooge. These cover themes like wealth, poverty, Christmas, and kindness. 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. Past: "The curtains of his bed were drawn aside, I tell you, When the Ghost of Christmas Past arrives, the curtains of his bed were drawn aside by a hand. Here, it is clear that it is the ghost who makes the move the ghost actively. The workers will be repairing the building. Of course, Dickens does use his trademark lengthy descriptions but nearly everything has a point. Oh! () *The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shrivelled his cheek, stiffened his gait; made his eyes red, his thin lips blue; and spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice. It would have done you good to see how green a place it is., Bob Cratchit about Freds kindness: It really seemed as if he had known our Tiny Tim, and felt with us., About Scrooges grave: overrun by grass and weeds., Scrooge on what he has learnt: I will not shut out the lessons that they teach., Scrooge: The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me., Scrooge: I am as light as a feather, I am a happy as an angel, I am as merry as a school-boy. In this quote, Dickens describes London as a dark and dangerous place. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business. The repetitive structure and short exclamations create the sense that he cannot put into words how happy he is. This brightly\underline{\text{brightly}}brightly lit room will be perfect for my art studio. "I am sorry for him; I couldn't be angry with him if I tried. She looked at me as if I had insulted her. Where graceful youth should have filled their features out a stale and shrivelled hand, like that of age, had pinched, and twisted them. A Christmas Carol Stave 2 Summary & Analysis | LitCharts Stave 5 - Scrooge walks the streets enjoying the company of others. Bell, dong, ding; hammer, clang, clash! However, how the poor were treated was far more extreme in Victorian England. Clash, clang, hammer; ding, dong, bell! They are mans. It would have done you good to see how green a place it is.". Stave 5 - Scrooge's reaction to discovering it is not too late A happy New Year to all the world! Seven Years 3. cried the gentleman, as if his breath were taken away. 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. I am sure we shall none of us forget poor Tiny Timshall weor this first parting that there was among us? A Christmas Carol: Study Guide | SparkNotes ', 'secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. - Scrooge, Is scrooges staple opinion to christmas at the start of stave one, showing off his negative opinions to begin with, this is used to emphasise the change in scrooges character from the beginning to the end. Dickens clearly uses them to represent what employment should be like. Dr Aidan, PhD, brings you the second video. Arguably, this is the most famous quote from A Christmas Carol. ``Are there no workhouses? Ideas about purgatory and hell would have been recognisable to the mainly Christian readership at the time - and would have made the allegory more frightening. "It was long and wound about him like a til.". ', '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. Are there no prisons?'' The 50 Best A Christmas Carol Quotes - bookroo.com 4 major themes of this novel are forgiveness, the influence of the past, greed, and poverty. ', "Darkness is cheap, and Scrooge liked it.". 'Scrooge was his sole executor, his sole assign, his sole residuary legatee, his sole friend and sole mourner'. 'Christmas' in A Christmas Carol: Key Quotes & Analysis 6. 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. External heat and cold had little influence on Scrooge. Pathetic fallacy - Scrooge can see now clearly - reinforced by the adjectives juxtaposing the foggy, misty scenes of earlier chapters when Scrooge could not see the error of his ways. The father of a long, long line of brilliant laughs. Copyright2007 - 2023 Revision World Networks Ltd. Tiny Tim is frequently referred to in Christian terms - as though his true goodness is close to God. 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. 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. There is a very real suggestion that Scrooge knows that the people are describing him. Analysing the evidence "I am sorry, with all my heart, to find you so resolute. The metaphor shows that the school didn't help any student achieve their dreams, instead it destroyed their lives as they could not fulfil their potential. The boy is ignorace - the lack of education and the girl is want - the lack of money. On this page, readers can explore the quotes, they are broadly separated into a few sub-categories. "I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. This is another quote where Dickens draws on the semantic field of the cold weather. Marley tells scrooge he is responsible fro his punishment- he is suffering the consequences for his actions. that this creature, who appears to be both young and old, is an image of Jesus who was a baby at Christmas and yet who, as the son of God, represents the divine wisdom that Christians worship. This went against what Victorians considered to be a 'good death' where you die surrounded by friends and family and then are mourned afterwards. the adjective idle reveals scrooge believes the poor are lazy and are to be blamed for their own situation. The shortness of the main clause at the end makes the message more shocking. He always did.". Dickens creates sympathy for the poor, through the Crachit's and their tight knit family. "Business!" Exhausted- "i cannot rest,i cannot stay, i cannot linger anywhere.". "Are these the shadows of the things that Will be, or are they shadows of things that May be, only?". However, inside that shell - like Scrooge - the oyster is soft and vulnerable. Everyone is entitled to be a little happier on Christmas, and the Ghost of Christmas Present helps them to be so. 2003-2023 Chegg Inc. All rights reserved. "Every person has a right to take care of themselves. Refine any search. How to revise from this guide You should be spending at least 30-60 minutes a week revising for English Literature from this point onwards, aiming to learn 5-7 key quotes for each character. Scrooge is particularly affected by the death, and this is a death he is able to reverse in the future when he amends his behaviour. 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. For each of the following sentences, identify the subject of the verb in parentheses. Himself, always. This is a great description, wanders around holding a candle snuffer that looks like a hat. International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct,London, EC1A 2BN, United Kingdom, 2023 Book Analysis. Stave 5 - the bells ring ', Stave 5: 'No fog, no mist; clear, bright, jovial, stirring, cold;', Stave 5: '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.'. "Every person has a right to take care of themselves. His narrator describes events as they happened and doesnt spend a great deal of time on extraneous details. 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. 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 happy New Year to all the world. Marleys chains symbolize the mistakes hes made in life and the greed that controlled him. Stave 1 - why the portly gentlemen are collecting for the poor The simile has a snake like connotations, Marley is a symbol of evil. 'This boy is ignorance.most of all beware the boy"-Stave 3-Ghost of Christmas present Metaphor. Whatever the book. Here are some of the best 'A Christmas Carol' Scrooge quotes for this holiday season that will melt your heart. This use of listing to describe everything as 'good' helps to demonstrate the far reaching consequences of Scrooge's redemption. The ghost is dressed in green reminiscent both of the Green Man from Pagan mythology, and also the traditional character of St Nicholas or Father Christmas, who has more recently come to symbolise the holiday period.

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