Scrooge Flashcards
(14 cards)
What did Dickens use scrooge to criticize?
Class divide.
Repetition at start of the novella: ‘scrooge was his sole executor, his sole administrator, his sole assign, his sole residual legatee..
his sole friend and sole mourner’
The repetition of sole emphasizes the solitary nature of life led by both men, Scrooge and Marley.
Start of novel : dickens describes scrooge as ‘hard and..
sharp as flint’
adjectives
Hard; describes he lacks warmth , empathy and compassion.
Sharp; suggests pain, implying his lack of mercy towards others.
Flint; used to light fire. Dickens could be implying there is a potential spark of warmth in scrooge, who could change.
Start of novella; described as ‘as solitary as an..
oyster’
Has a touch, hard exterior and is closed to others.
Effective as it shows how he has chosen to isolate himself outside of society, in the dark depths of it.
Could also suggest there is more to be discovered where scrooge is concerned.
Like when forced open, an oyster contains a pearl, Dickens suggests there may be something worthwhile to be found within Scrooge.
Foreshadowing the change in his character.
Humour when he meets Marley’s ghost;
‘there’s more of gravy..
than of grave about you, whatever you are!’
Used word play with ‘grave and gravy’ to make scrooges character less two dimensional.
This makes the reader more likely to engage with scrooge and celebrate his transformation, at end of novella.
Makes it feel more relatable - humanizes him.
When Scrooge is shown his school with a ghost of christmas past; Ghost described him as ‘solitary child, neglected..
by his friends.’
Reminds us of the solitary as an oyster, except the child scrooge was literally alone and it wasn’t his choice.
Juxtaposition of ‘neglected’ with ‘friends’ develops empathy towards scrooge, as scrooge sobbed.
Emotional response signifies the start of his transformation.
How did the ghost of christmas past affect him?
He was emotionally moved when he saw his old school, his sister, fizzing and belle.
The GOCP makes scrooge begin to realise relationships, not money, bring happiness.
By bringing empathy to reader, it gives them an interest in his transformation and celebrate with him at end of novella.
When the ghost of christmas present appears, scrooge states i went forth last night on compulsion..
and I learnt a lesson which is working now. Tonight if you have aught to teach me, let me profit by it’
- He is prepared for the lesson.
- Still have imagery including money
Verb ‘ profit’ links to financial transactions, so we are reminded that his transformation is not yet completed..
Empathy towards tiny tim, when ghost of christmas present takes scrooge to cratchits house. Scrooge states;
‘Tell me if..
tiny tim will live’
use of imperative signifies scrooge genuinely cares about tiny tim’s fate.
Contrasts his previous quote ‘decrease the surplus population’ and ‘are there no workhouses? are there no prisons?’ to the portly gentlemen. Shows the changes from his malthusian view
Hard rational view to poor is being replaced with genuine care.
Climax ; Scrooge reads his own name on gravestone when with Ghost of Christmas yet to come.x
He realises he is the one everyone had been talking about.
Scrooge states
‘ I will honour christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the past, the present, and the future. The spirits of all three shall strive within me…
I will not shut out the lessons that they teach’
Use of statements emphasizes the significance of this moment and adds a tone of solemnity.
End of novella;
‘I am as light as a feather..
I am as happy as an angel, i am as merry as a school boy.’
Heightens contrast with ‘oyster’ and ‘flint’ similes from earlier in novel.
‘Light as a feather’ infers he has cast off the chains of earlier way of life.
Feather also connotes freedom and flight - he is closer to heaven,
Angel connotation contrasts his earlier connotation as a sinner.
What is scrooge like at the start of the play?
Why is this presented early in the text? (structure)
Villain.
Doesn’t want to put coal on fire, doesn’t want to spend time with his nephew
To write off his character as overwhelmingly negative at beginning is there to make us be aware he is a bad character quickly.
Start of text;
‘a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping …
..clutching, covetous, old sinner!’
Overwhelms us with the negative impression.
One of dickens paradoxes -
Pleasure in thinking of sarcastic, funny dialogue for Scrooge.
‘“merry christmas” on his lips should be boiled with his own pudding..
, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart’
Funniest lines given to the villain -
The reader needs to be drawn to him in some way- if not, we won’t care for his transformation. His lesson is also what we need to learn - won’t let it apply to us if we don’t like him.
