Christmas Carol Quotes

Marley, dead

Marley was as dead as a door-nail. 

Scrooge, description of himself

Top Ten Quote: No.1

Oh, but he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner!

Scrooge, simile

solitary as an oyster

Weather, freezing

It was cold, bleak, biting weather

Scrooge, iconic

“Bah!” said Scrooge, “Humbug!” 

Scrooge, surplus

Top Ten Quote: No.3

if they would rather die… they had better do it and decrease the surplus population

Scrooge, Christmas from business point of view

“A poor excuse for picking a man’s pocket every twenty-fifth of December!” said Scrooge

Marley, chain

Top Ten Quote: No.4

“I wear the chain I forged in life,” replied the Ghost. “I made it link by link, and yard by yard; I girded it on of my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it. Is its pattern strange to you?” 

Marley, business

Top Ten Quote: No.5

“Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business. 

Marley, torture

Incessant torture of remorse.”

Ghost of Christmas Past, old yet young

It was a strange figure—like a child: yet not so like a child as like an old man 

Ghost Of Christmas Past, light from head

from the crown of its head there sprung a bright clear jet of light

Young Scrooge, solitary

A solitary child, neglected by his friends,

Fan, home

“I have come to bring you home, dear brother.” 

Fan, delicate

Always a delicate creature… but she had a large heart.

Fezziwig, happiness

"His power lies in words and looks… The happiness he gives is quite as great as if it cost a fortune" 

Belle, another idol

Top Ten Quote: No.6

“another idol has displaced me… a golden one.” 

Scrooge, doesn’t want to see anymore

“No more!” cried Scrooge. “No more. I don’t wish to see it. Show me no more!” 

Fan, talking about her father

Top Ten Quote: No.7

Father is so mush kinder than he used to be,

Scrooge, Tiny Tim live

Top Ten Quote: No.8

“Spirit,” said Scrooge, with an interest he had never felt before, “tell me if Tiny Tim will live.” 

Ghost of Christmas Present, surplus population

…If he be like to die, he had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.” 

" Scrooge entered timidly and hung his head before the spirit."

Scrooge, about the Ghost’ family

“ A tremendous family to provide for!

Tiny Tim

“God bless us every one!”

Description of Ignorance and Want

“two children; wretched, abject, frightful, hideous, miserable” “yellow, meagre, ragged, scowling, wolfish.” 

Two children

This boy is Ignorance. This girl is Want. Beware them both, and all of their degree, but most of all beware this boy, for on his brow I see that written which is Doom, unless the writing be erased. 

Ghost of Christmas Future, moving towards Scrooge

‘The Phantom slowly, gravely, silently approached’ 

Scrooge, fear towards The Ghost of Christmas Future

"I fear you more than any spectre I have seen. But as I know your purpose is to do me good, and as I hope to live to be another man from what I was, I am prepared to bear your company, and do it with a thankful heart."

Mrs Dilber (Thief)

“Every person has a right to take care of themselves. He always did.” 

Scrooge, changing

“I am not the man I was… Assure me that I yet may change these shadows you have shown me by an altered life.” 

Scrooge, assuring that he would listen to the 3 ghosts’ advice

 “I will honour Christmas in my heart… I will live in the Past, the Present and the Future… I will not shut out the lessons that they teach.” 

Scrooge

"I am as light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I am as merry as a schoolboy, I am as giddy as a drunken man." 

Scrooge

"a splendid laugh, a most illustrious laugh. The father of a long, long line of brilliant laughs." 

"To Tiny Tim, who did not die, he was a second father." 

Scrooge, to Bob Crachit

"I'll raise your salary, and endeavour to assist your struggling family."