A Christmas Carol Flashcards
(26 cards)
Context - His father went to debtors’ prison
Dickens was writing from personal experience as he had to work from age to 12 to provide for his family. He had empathy with the poor.
Context -1834 New Poor Law.
The Government provided help if the poor worked for free in workhouses. The accommodation was just the factory floor. Dickens objected to the exploitation of the poor in this way.
Context - Thomas Malfis’ Theory
Overpopulation led to poverty & disease. Disease and pandemic addressed this problem by reducing the number of the poor. Dickens disliked this insensitive point of view and felt it let the Government off their responsibilities.
Context - Industrial Revolution.
In the Victorian age this meant progress with factory working but Dickens thought his made the social divide between rich and poor worse.
Theme - Christmas
Dickens audience was deeply religious. The theme of Christmas reminds people of charitable giving, the way God gave his son Jesus, and it reminds them of the importance of family time.
Theme - Redemption
Scrooge wasn’t a character created just to scare the audience of what happens to bad people going to hell. The story is about redemption and forgiveness. If you change, second chances are possible
Theme - Charity
The story reminds us of the importance of giving to the poor. The book is aimed at upper-class rich readers reminding them that they can be generous and pay higher wages to their workers.
Theme - Social Injustice
The book highlights the differences between the rich and the poor. Dickens is critical of wealthy businessman and also the Government trying to protect the rich through the 1834 Poor Law.
Theme - Family
Family provides strength and support through hardship. Scrooge is isolated and has no family, unlike Fred, Belle and Bob Cratchit.
Quote from Scrooge - “Solitary is an oyster”
This simile is the essence of Scrooge at the beginning of the book. He is alone and greedy and miserable.
Quote from Scrooge - “Bah humbug”
This shows Scrooges dislike of Christmas and changes.
Quote from Scrooge - “Are there no prisons …. no workhouses?”
These two rhetorical questions demonstrate how greedy and uncharitable Scrooge is. He views the poor as being inhuman.
Quote from Scrooge - “Happy or unhappy”
This oxymoron (opposites) shows how businessman have the power to change workers’ lives through their actions.
Quote from Scrooge - “I will live in the past, present, future”
This is an example of the rule of three. Scrooge has given the chance of redemption. He has genuinely changed, which is what Dickens wants for all of his readers.
Quote from Bob Cratchit - “The fire was so very much smaller”
The comparative adjective smaller shows how mean Scrooge was but at the pool we used to be treated badly by employers.
Quote from Bob Cratchit - “A small pudding for a large family”
This oxymoron (opposites) shows how Scrooge underpaid Bob Cratchit but Bob was still happy with his lot.
Quote from Bob Cratchit - “My little, little child”
The repetition of little in this exclamation shows the direct impact of Scrooge’s behaviour on the working poor.
Quote from Ghost of Christmas Past - “Like a child… like an old man.”
This powerful simile symbolises the spirit taking Scrooge bank to his innocent childhood and then onto his current state of greed, unhappy and bitterness.
Quote from Ghost of Christmas Past - “A small matter… to make these silly folks so full of gratitude.”
The ghost sarcastically makes fun of Fezziwig’s party. He is trying to make Scrooge realise the power he has over the poor.
Quote from Ghost of Christmas Past - “Its light was burning … bright”
The alliteration of the plosive B sounds shows how Scrooge is actually changing as a person.
Quote from Ghost of Christmas Present - “A jolly giant”
The ghost is a friendly and fun figure, unlike the usual depiction of ghosts as being frightening.
Quote from Ghost of Christmas Present - “Yellow, meagre, ragged.”
Young people are robbed off their innocence by poverty. The rich create suffering for them.
Quote from Ghost of Christmas Present - “This boy is ignorance. This girl is want.”
Children who don’t get educated remain ignorant, cannot get jobs and go into lives of crime. They become a menace to society and to people like Scrooge. Girls won’t have the basic necessities in life
Quote from Ghost of Christmas Future - “Deep black garment”
His sinister appearance and black clothing foreshadow Scrooge’s death.
