Marley Flashcards
Who is Marley and what role does he play in the novella?
Scrooge’s dead busines partner
His role is to warn Scrooge what will happen after he dies.
He is now doomed to roam the world forever
What does the text tell us about Marley now?
Terrifying & disturbing - his voice “disturbed the very marrow in his bones”, he has “death-cold eyes”, when he removes his bandage from his head his lower jaw drops down
Exhausted - he tells Scrooge he cannot rest or linger anywhere
He is direct about his role - “I am here tonight to warn you”
What does Marley’s chain signify?
His obsession with money - it is made of money-related objects.
He cared more about money than people.
Fear for Scrooge - Marley tells Scrooge that he will bear a similar but larger chain
How are Marley and Scrooge similar to each other?
Similar personalities “two kindred spirits”
Scrooge lives in Marley’s old rooms and even answers to Marley’s name “it was all the same to him”
Both have misused their lives. Marley’s punishment is the consequence of a self-centred “misused” life.
This has the effect of showing that Marley’s fate illustrates what will happen to Scrooge if he doesn’t change.
How does Marley’s appearance contribute to the theme of redemption?
He implies that most people are already doomed to their fates but Scrooge will get one last chance at redemption.
His presence is a “chance and hope” of his own “procuring” (i.e. he’s tried to help Scrooge so he’s acting selflessly even though he’s past hope of redemption himself)
role appearance
2 Marley quotes to illustrate his role and his appearance
“I am here tonight to warn you”
“death-cold eyes”
