ghost of christmas present Flashcards
christmas, jolly
‘Spirit’, said Scrooge,.. ‘Tell me if Tiny Tim will live’
‘I see a vacant seat’ replied the Ghost
The Ghost is warning Scrooge that if he doesn’t change his ways, then he could be the cause of Tiny Tim’s death - ‘vacant’. Scrooge has a connection with Tiny Tim.
From the foldings of its robe, it brought two children; wretched, abject, frightful, hideous, miserable
Image of thin and suffering children is painfully human. Symbolic function of selecting children to represent the innocence and suffering juxtaposed with what society does to them physically and mentally. By placing them behind the robe it reminds us how the poor and suffering are hidden from society. They sweep them aside and pretend not to see.
Yellow, meagre, ragged, scowling, wolfish
‘wolfish’ furthers the animalistic imagery. ‘Yellow’ and ‘meagre’ - the sickness and suffering experienced by those most vulnerable.
The boy is ignorance. The girl is Want. Beware them both, and all of their degree, but most of all beware this boy
He shelters the two because, in the spirit of Christmas—a day the text encourages people to honor at all times—society should and must take care of the problems of ignorance and want, for the good of all.
