Essay Plan For Social Responsibility

Question 1

Thesis points

Answer 1

• develops Cratchits/Ignorance and Want as tragic constructs to highlight the doom of neglecting social responsibility
• Scrooge’s immense control and power is reminiscent of change that can happen in society if social responsibility is taken
• ignorance is a choice which protects capitalism in order to neglect social responsibility

Question 2

Stave 2. - ‘seized the extinguisher cap’

Answer 2

• metaphor for personal truth of Scrooge’s misanthropy
• dynamic verb shows he actively rejects this - Dickens believes there is a lack of social responsibility due to the rejection of moral integrity in place for capitalism, invest in the Malthusian theory for personal gain

Question 3

‘I see something strange. Is it a foot or a claw’

Answer 3

• initial depiction presents them as strange and bestial. Anthropomorphism is used to emphasise they are not human (shows against human nature to exploit and punish our community this way due to the Poor Law) and are somewhat supernatural in appearance with grotesque features
• this also links to the deterioration of health/appearance/their body from malnutrition, leaving a ghostly appearance/leaving only a soul
• also the child deaths from poverty and hunger
• links to story role
devastating effect

Question 4

‘monsters half so horrible and dread
‘

Answer 4

• Dickens uses hyperbole to emphasise how appalling and evil these creatures are - challenging the common acceptance of capitalism, implementing integrity to make the audience question their own mindset in the hope for a morally stronger country

Question 5

‘ where angels might have sat, Devils lurked’
‘Doom’
‘stale and shrivelled hand like that of age’

Question 6

Bob cratchit

Answer 6

• models paternity to Scrooge, which must be adopted to be socially responsible
• puts Cratchits in ‘Camdentown’ where Dickens lives before he went to the work house
• associated with impending disaster
• describes tiny Tim’s death as a ‘first parting’ - preparing for more tragedy
• death was common - 30% of 1-5 year olds died in 1843
• tiny Tim’s death is not sentimental - description of Victorian England

Question 7

‘second father’

Answer 7

• ‘microchosm’
• power wielded by the rich when social responsibility is taken