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‘his sole friend and sole mourner’
‘friend’ establishes a connection between Marley + Scrooge.
The repetition of ‘sole’ suggests that Marley had no one but Scrooge who cared about him (and it’s debatable if care is even the correct term)
‘I wear the chain I forged in life’
‘chain’ is a symbol of the consequence of sin, which is also religious imagery.
‘forged’ suggests Marley created this chain himself which therefore implies he acknowledges that the consequences of his actions and has taken responsibility, but only in death (where it does not matter as much because he still is punished)
‘on my own free will’
‘own’ suggests Marley knows its his fault for his punishment and therefore takes responsibility.
‘‘I cannot rest, I cannot stay, I cannot linger anywhere’
‘I cannot’ is anaphora which emphasises how he can never be at peace. ‘cannot’ is also not a contraction which emphasises that he accepts responsibility.
‘rest’ symbolises peace, suggesting that he can never feel peace due to his actions in life.
‘linger’ suggests he is not welcomed anywhere
‘incessant torture of remorse’
‘incessant’ means without stopping which suggests Marley will be forever accountable for his actions in his past life.
‘torture’ suggests he will forever be in pain which means he can never be at rest or peace, never being able to escape his purgatory
‘remorse’ suggests Marley has deep guilt for what he did in life, suggesting he has changed but it was too late. It also suggests he accepts responsibility.
‘Mankind was my business’
‘Mankind’ relates back to humanity which suggests Marley believes he should of cared more about other people than himself suggesting he regrets being so greedy in life.
‘charity, mercy, forbearance and benevolence were all my business!’
‘benevolence’ is a word that people often describe the Christian God as which links to the fact that in Dicken’s time, most people in Britain were Christian. It also suggests that Marley was very unchristian-like in his life and many readers would see him as a bad person.
‘benevolence’ means kind and helpful
‘charity’ is a Christian virtue which emphasises how unchristian-like Marley was in his life and also suggests he is trying to repent now, but it is far too late for him (while Scrooge still has time to change)
‘business’ suggests money or income which emphasises how greedy Marley was in life and how he wishes he could have changed his ways sooner, how he wishes he focused on those instead of greed.
‘to that blessed star which led the Wise Men’
‘star’ and ‘Wise Men’ are biblical allusions which suggests that Marley wished he had taken knowledge from the Bible’s teaching on goodness and charity rather than his own greed.
Readers at the time may feel sympathy for him due to his shown regret of his past deeds.
‘like a child’ ‘like an old man’
(Ghost of Christmas Past)
These are smiles and ‘child’ and ‘old man’ are juxtapositions which could explain that to have a past you must be older but you remember yourself being younger when reflecting on the past.
It could also represent Scrooge growing up faster than others.
‘a tunic of the purest white’
‘white’ is a symbol for youth and innocence.
‘purest’ is religious imagery and relates to heaven, suggesting that the Ghost of Christmas Past is a representation of the Christian God.
‘It held a branch of fresh green holly in its hand’
(Ghost of Christmas Past) ‘Holly’ is a symbol for everlastingness and the cycle of life. Because of its evergreen nature, it suggests that thoughts of the past can keep us youthful even in old age, like the ghost.
It is also a symbol for Christmas and protection.
‘fresh’ suggests something that is ripe and new, which juxtaposes with the past and maybe could suggest that Scrooge looking into his past is new because before he took no mind to it.
‘one leg’ ‘one arm ‘twenty legs’ ‘without a head’
Together show that the spirt is constantly changing which is a symbol for the past being unreliable because memory isn’t perfect.
‘a great extinguisher for a cap’
‘extinguisher’ is a symbol for forgetting or ignorance.
‘Its light was burning… bright.’
‘light’ is a symbol for hope, goodness and memory which suggests that the Ghost of Christmas Past will shed light on Scrooge’s memory to force him to confront his past and acknowledge it.
‘burning’ suggests that the light was powerful which implies that the spirit will have a great impact on Scrooge and his path to redemption.
The use of ellipsis emphasises the word ‘bright’ which has the effect of emphasizing how great and grand this confronting will be and how it will change Scrooge’s life, forever.
‘he could not hide the light’
(GOCPA/SCROOGE)
‘hide’ suggests that Scrooge cannot escape anymore and that he can no longer forget his past, no matter how much he wants to do so.
‘light’ is a symbol for remembrance, emphasising how Scrooge can no longer be ignorant of his past.
‘living green’
(Ghost of Christmas Present) (This a description of the room) ‘green’ is a symbol for life, joy and health.
‘holly, mistletoe’
(Room Description) ‘holly’ and ‘mistletoe’ are associated with Christmas which implies the Ghost of Christmas Present is the most representative of the Victorian Christmas out of all of the spirits.
‘light’
(GOCPres) ‘light’ is a symbol of hope which suggests a chance for change and redemption.
‘jolly Giant’
(GOCPR)
‘Giant’ suggests largeness which paired with ‘jolly’ suggests the spirit is filled with so much joy and also links to abundance.
Torch described as a ‘Plenty’s horn’
‘Plenty’s horn’ is a symbol for abundance which suggests the Ghost has more than he need, which shows a similarity to Scrooge.
But unlike Scrooge, a ‘Plenty’s horn’ is also used for when there is a lot of people, such as Christmas, which suggests that the Ghost of Christmas Present is charitable and generous, which shows he is a foil to Scrooge.
‘Look upon me!’
‘Look’ is an imperative, showing that the Ghost of Christmas Present wants Scrooge to face the present and not live in ignorance.
‘holly wreath’
(GOCPR)
‘holly wreath’ could be a religious allusion to the crown of thorns that Jesus wore before he died, suggesting the ghost is a representation or symbol of Jesus Christ.
However, here it is used to be transformed into something beautiful rather than death, like how Jesus used his death to free everyone from sin.
‘antique scabbard’ ‘but no sword’
(GOCPR)
‘sword’ is a symbol for violence
‘antique’ suggests it has not been used in a long time which suggests that while the spirit may have potential for violence, he has changed his ways to be more merciful and peaceful.
This also relates back to the Ghost of Christmas Present being a representation of Jesus Christ as Jesus was often described as a symbol for peace.
‘he had better do it and decrease the surplus population’
The Ghost of Christmas Present is repeating what Scrooge said in the first Stave, forcing Scrooge to face his ignorance of poverty and change now, or he will have to deal with the consequences like Marley has to.
What does ‘Ignorance’ (the boy) represent?
‘Ignorance’ represents a wilful unawareness of poverty and suffering.
What does ‘Want’ (the girl) represent?
‘Want’ represents poverty.
‘wretched, abject, frightful, hideous, miserable’
‘wretched’ has connotations of something disgusting and repulsive which juxtaposes what children are normally associated with. It is also a similar description to what Scrooge is described as in Stave 1, as Scrooge is also ignorant of poverty.
‘abject’ means completely without pride or dignity
‘miserable’ suggests that both people who are living in poverty and people who are ignorant of it are suffering, either in life or after death.
'Yellow, meagre, ragged, scowling, wolfish but prostrate too.’
‘Yellow’ suggests disease which implies weakness.
It is also a metaphor for fear, suggesting that we shouldn’t like these ‘children’ and therefore suggesting we should avoid being ignorant of poverty.
‘ragged’ gives an image of ripped clothes which suggests these ‘children’ cannot take care of themselves, which suggests poverty (and the girl is a metaphor for poverty too).
‘wolfish’ suggests a wild, feral and animalistic nature but predators do what they need to survive which suggests these ‘children’ are desperate, due to poverty.
‘prostrate’ means completely helpless which shows that poverty is not a choice.
‘They are Man’s’
(GOCPR + THE CHILDREN IGNORANCE AND WANT)
‘Man’s’ suggests that humans alone are responsible for poverty and the ‘Ignorance’ of such issues.
‘most of all beware the boy’
‘beware’ suggests a warning which suggests that ‘Ignorance’ is the worst out of the two as being ignorant is a choice, whereas poverty is not.
‘scatter gloom and mystery’
‘gloom’ suggests death as everyone’s future contains death.
‘mystery’ suggests that the future is not certain and therefore Scrooge can still change.
‘gravely, silently approached’
(Ghost of CYTK)
‘gravely’ could be a double meaning, suggesting death as death is in everyone’s future but could also suggest a serious nature, showing how that this spirit is not going to make this easier for Scrooge due to Scrooge’s unwillingness to change.
‘shrouded’ ‘concealed’ ‘nothing of it visible’
(GOCYTC) Lexical field of concealment which suggests how the future is not certain yet and that Scrooge still has time to change in the present.
‘deep black garment’
‘black’ is a symbol for death which suggests that the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is a grim reaper-like figure.
‘of the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come’
(GOCYTC/SCROOGE)
‘Yet’ suggests uncertainty or viability to change which emphasises how the future is not certain and is subject to change, showing Scrooge how he can still change.
‘tried to warm himself at the candle’
‘tried’ suggests failure which could cause the reader to pity Bob Cratchit.
‘warm’ suggests that Bob lacks warmth which suggests he cannot afford to be warm which suggests he is poor
The word ‘candle’ suggests a poor source of light and heat which suggests he is not able to warm himself properly which suggests that he is forced to work in a unpleasant environment which may cause the reader to pity him.
Since the word ‘candle’ suggests a poor source of light and heat, it could also suggest that Bob is not brave enough to ask for something better which emphasises the divide between working and upper classes.
‘The clerk smiled faintly’
‘smiled’ suggests that Bob is warm-hearted and kind
‘faintly’ suggests weakness, which suggests a struggle. This suggests that Bob is struggling to work under Scrooge but that he won’t let Scrooge dampen too much of his mood and kindness.
In Act 1 and Act 2, Bob is only ever called Scrooge’s ‘clerk’. This suggests that he is seen only as his title to Scrooge, a worker, and not a person until Act 3. It also suggests that Scrooge is marginalising the working class through the character of Bob Cratchit, who is a representation of the impoverished.
‘Alas for Tiny Tim, he bore a little crutch’
‘Alas’ has connotations of concern and pity which suggests that Tiny Tim’s circumstances are unfortunate and that the reader should feel bad for him, and by association, the poor and the disabled.
‘crutch’ suggests that Tiny Tim is disabled, which would cause a lot of readers at the time to feel pity for him.
‘little’ emphasise how small Tiny Tim is, which suggests he is frail and helpless, which suggests the reader should feel sympathy for him.
‘God bless us everyone!’
‘God bless’ is a blessing which suggests that Tiny Tim is a saint-like figure, which would make the reader feel pity for him even more as they might feel that he is too pure to be suffering so much.
‘everyone’ suggests that Tiny Tim isn’t marginalising anyone, no matter if they are poor or rich, which suggests he is good-hearted. It also suggests that he wants ‘everyone’ to feel God’s love which suggests he is generous which suggests unwavering compassion which suggests Tiny Tiny is a saint-like figure.
‘dressed out but poorly, in a twice-turned gown’
The phrase 'twice-turned’ refers to clothes that have been wearing thin and so have been turned in and sown to hide that. However it is said that Mrs Cratchit did this ‘twice’ which suggests she cannot afford nice clothes which suggests that the Cratchit family is poor.
‘dressed out’ suggests that Mrs Cratchit is trying to look nice which suggests she is trying to make the best out of their situation which suggests that the Cratchits are resourceful.
‘thread-bare clothes’
‘thread-bare’ suggests that Bob Cratchit, and the Cratchit family as a whole, are poor which suggests sympathy.
‘eked out by the apple-sauce and mashed potatoes’
‘eked’ means to make something last longer which suggests that the Cratchit family is so poor that they cannot afford to eat properly.
However, ‘apple-sauce’ and ‘mashed potatoes’ are both things that are available for cheap in large quantities which suggests that the Cratchit family are resourceful and try to make the best out of their situation.
‘a merry Christmas, uncle! God save you!’
‘merry’ is often only ever used for people you somewhat like which shows that at least someone cares about Scrooge.
‘merry’ also contrasts with Scrooge, as Scrooge actively hates Christmas (‘Bah! Humbug!’)’ and presents Fred as a foil to Scrooge.
‘uncle’ introduces Fred as Scrooge’s nephew.
‘God save you!’ is religious context and ‘save’ suggests that Scrooge is in need of saving which suggests he is damned to hell, (emphasised by the ‘old sinner’ quote’). Fred saying this could imply that maybe Fred has the power to ‘save’ Scrooge, which suggests Fred is a saint-like figure or the Christian ideal.
‘so heated himself with rapid walking’
‘heated’ suggests warmth which contrasts with Scrooge who is shown to have a distaste for warmth. 'heated’ suggesting warmth also suggests goodness which presents Fred as a good person.
‘all in a glow’
‘glow’ is a metaphor which suggests that Fred is a source of hope for Scrooge
‘to give him the same chance each year’
‘give’ suggests charity which suggests that Fred is generous which presents him as a good person.
‘chance’ means to give someone the opportunity to change which suggests that Scrooge needs to change which suggests that he is damned to hell if he doesn’t.
‘chance’ also symbolises the Christian idea of hope that people can be changed and be better people.
This also presents Fred as the Christian ideal and symbol of goodness and charity.
‘I pity him’
‘pity’ suggests to feel bad for someone which suggests that Fred doesn’t hate Scrooge but wants him to be better which presents Fred as the true Christian ideal.
‘I defy him’
‘defy’ suggests stubbornness which suggests that Fred will keep being good to Scrooge no matter what which suggests that he is forgiving.
‘the pleasantest-spoken gentleman’
(Said by Bob Cratchit about Fred in Stave 4)
‘pleasantest’ suggests goodness which emphasises Fred as a symbol for goodness.
‘gentleman’ suggests someone who is polite and honourable which emphasises Fred as a symbol of goodness.
‘heartily sorry’
‘heartily’ means from the heart which suggests that Fred means everything he says which suggests he is kind and empathetic which emphasises him as a symbol for goodness.
-1824, Dicken’s father was arrested and sent to a debtor’s prison → 7 of Dicken’s siblings were also sent there due to his father
-Dickens lived alone and worked ten hours a day at the age of 12 → personal experience of poverty
-Dickens believed in the importance of family (having ten children himself)
Dicken’s Personal Life - CONTEXT
-The workhouse was a constant threat due to the 1834 New Poor Law
-About the time ACC was written about 25% of England’s population was living in poverty.
Poverty - CONTEXT
-growth of population > production of food
-people needed to stop having children to balance these two things
-stop governments from helping the poor (as they produced more children due to higher death rates at birth → Scrooge aligns with this
Malthus’ Theory - CONTEXT
‘clutching, covetous, old sinner!’
(STAVE 1) - ‘Clutching’ means to grab which suggests selfishness which suggests Scrooge is greedy.
‘covetous’ suggests greed which suggests Scrooge is wealthy from that greed
‘old’ suggests age which could foreshadow Stave 4 where Scrooge is taken forward a year in time and shown his death.
‘sinner’ is religious imagery which suggests that Scrooge is going against God and that he is damned to hell if he doesn’t change.
‘Hard and sharp as flint’
(STAVE 1) ‘hard’ and ‘sharp’ are harmful and dangerous imagery which presents Scrooge as a villain and emphasises that the reader should not like him at this point in the novella.
‘solitary as an oyster’
(STAVE 1)
This is a simile
‘oyster’ are creatures that are in their own shell which suggests a reserved nature which suggests isolation and that Scrooge isolates himself from others.
‘oyster’ can also create pearls which foreshadows the hidden goodness in Scrooge that he’s kept hidden.
‘blue’ ‘frosty’ ‘iced’ ‘froze’
(STAVE 1) This is a lexical field of cold and cold is often used a metaphor for someone who is distant and apathetic, suggesting that Scrooge is also these qualities. It also suggests he lacks a care for himself if he is apathetic.
‘Every idiot who goes around with a “Merry Christmas” on his lips should be boiled with his own pudding and buried with a stake of holly through his heart’
(STAVE 1) ‘boiled’ and ‘stake’ is violent imagery which juxtaposes the positive imagery of Christmas such as ‘holly’ and ‘pudding’. This suggests that Scrooge could hate anyone who enjoys themselves and is also quite wrathful to that joy.
‘idiot’ suggests that Scrooge has no respect for those who celebrate Christmas, or even people who enjoy life in general, emphasising how he deprives himself of joy.
‘and decrease the surplus population’
(STAVE 1) ‘surplus’ suggests disposability which suggests that Scrooge believes the poor to not be worth importance which links to Malthus’s theory.
Malthus's theory is that the government should stop helping the poor because the growth of population is higher the production of food, and the poor keep having children (due to the higher death rates at birth)
‘Darkness is cheap, and Scrooge liked it’
(STAVE 1) ‘Darkness’ is a symbol of evil which suggests that Scrooge is sinful which suggests he is damned to hell if he doesn’t change.
‘cheap’ suggests a lack of wealth, however, Scrooge is wealthy which suggests that Scrooge doesn’t like to share his wealth even for himself which suggests he is miserly (someone who likes to hoard money and not spend it, even on themselves)
‘and he sobbed’
(STAVE 2) ‘sobbed’ suggests that Scrooge is crying which suggests vulnerability which suggests that Scrooge is not as stoic as he presents himself to be which suggests that how is he presented in Stave 1 was a facade to keep himself safe.
‘windows broken’
(STAVE 2) ‘broken’ suggests that the windows have not been repaired which suggests that the School is underfunded which suggests that Scrooge did not have an easy early life and his greed was maybe birthed from not having enough when he was younger and then evolved into him hoarding everything.
‘a solitary child, neglected’
(STAVE 2) ‘solitary’ suggests aloneness and isolation and ‘neglected’ suggests that his aloneness was not by choice and that Scrooge as a child did not want to be alone.
This suggests that Present Scrooge may isolate himself from others because isolation is all he ever knew in childhood
‘his heightened and excited face’
(STAVE 2) Describing Present Scrooge’s reaction to his old books → juxtaposes Stave 1
‘excited’ suggests extreme joy which suggests childlikeness which suggests that Scrooge has not forgotten what pure happiness has felt like.
‘that’s all’
(STAVE 2) ‘all’ suggests finishing and doneness which suggests that Scrooge is trying to dismiss his feelings for wanting to change which suggests he still has a long way to go to redemption.
‘What idol has displaced you?’
(STAVE 2) ‘idol’ is religious imagery which suggests that Scrooge worships money rather than God, which suggests he is full of sin
The question mark suggests that Scrooge may be unaware that his obsession with greed affects others.
‘Remove me!’
'(STAVE 2) ‘Remove’ suggests to take someone away from something which suggests that Scrooge doesn’t want to see any of this which suggests he cannot accept that he has ruined his life and cannot accept the past for what it is.
This all suggests he is unwilling to change at this point and still has a long way to go on the path of redemption.
‘Tell me Tiny Tim will live’
(STAVE 3) ‘Tell me’ is a imperative which suggests a commanding nature, however the use of ‘will’ suggests that Scrooge is begging here and that he doesn’t want Tiny Tim to die which suggests he feels remorse for the boy.
‘was overcome with penitence and grief’
(STAVE 3) ‘overcome’ suggests to overwhelm which suggests the guilt is to much for Scrooge to handle which suggests he does feel empathy
‘penitence’ means to feel guilt which suggests that Scrooge feels responsible for Tiny Tim’s death-to-come which he should be which suggests that he can change.
‘grief’ is a response to the death of something deemed of great importance, however, Scrooge doesn’t even know Tiny Tim which suggests that Scrooge can feel empathy for others and that he isn’t the heartless monster that he presents himself as.
‘unfeeling man as Mr Scrooge’
(STAVE 3) - Said by Mrs Cratchit about Scrooge
‘unfeeling’ suggests apathy which shows how others view Scrooge.
‘He’ll be very merry and very happy, I have no doubt!’
(STAVE 3) - Said by Mrs Cratchit about Scrooge
‘merry’ and ‘happy’ are both positive imagery which is dramatic irony as Scrooge is miserable and a miser.
‘Doubt’ suggests worry or concern but ‘no’ suggests that there isn’t any concern about Scrooge’s happiness from other people which suggests that people already have a predecided judgement on Scrooge just because of his facade of coldness.
‘Everybody has a right to take care of themselves. He always did.’
(STAVE 4) ‘care’ suggests love and thought, and the use of ‘he’ is in reference to Scrooge, suggesting that he cared about himself.
However, it is shown that Scrooge does not take consideration looking into after himself (‘darkness was cheap’) which makes this line ironic and suggests that no one really knows what Scrooge is truly like because of how much he isolated himself and his emotions from others.
‘unwatched, unwept, uncared for’
(STAVE 4) This line talks about the Dead Man’s body → Dramatic irony → a lot of readers would assume (and rightly so) that this is Future Scrooge
Asyndetic list → each pause/comma emphasises the other word → emphasizing how no one cares for Scrooge because he ostracised himself from others and kept his emotions to himself.
‘I will live in the Past, the Present and the Future!’
(STAVE 4)
‘Past’ is a symbol for remembrance and it suggests that he will reconcile and not forget his past like he once did → character arc.
‘Present’ is a symbol for change which suggests Scrooge will change his fate and become a better person because of the Spirits’ help → character arc
‘Future’ is a symbol for consequences of actions so this suggests that Scrooge be aware of the consequences of his actions and be weary of what choices he makes in the present.
‘I am as merry as a schoolboy’
(STAVE 5)
‘Merry’ suggests joy and happiness, it also relates back to Christmas, as Fred said to Scrooge in Stave 1 ‘Merry Christmas’. This suggests that Scrooge may now like Christmas which is a holiday of joy and charity, two traits he juxtaposed in Stave 1.
‘schoolboy’ suggests childishness, however, Scrooge never did get a ‘proper childhood’ so this suggests he is reclaiming his past and living the life that was taken from him at an early age.
‘I am as happy as an angel’
(STAVE 5)
‘angel’ is religious imagery juxtaposed with Stave 1’s Scrooge description of a ‘sinner’. This suggests that Scrooge is no longer damned to hell due to his redemption arc and that he is saved.
‘Angel’ also has connotations of God’s helper which suggests that Scrooge is generous and charitable now, juxtaposing his past greedy and misery attitude.
‘I am as giddy as a drunken man’
(STAVE 5)
‘drunken’ has connotations of alcohol which is often used for celebratory sense which suggests that Scrooge wants to celebrate and embrace life which suggests he is much happier now thanks to the Ghosts which emphasises his redemption arc.
‘giddy’ has connotations of silliness which suggests that Scrooge is no longer stoic but is opening up more and being less serious
‘sent a pang across his heart’
(STAVE 5)
‘pang’ means a sudden sharp pain in the heart which suggests he feels awful about his past actions which suggests he feels guilt which shows that he is redeemed
‘heart’ has connotations of emotions and pathos which juxtaposes Stave 1 Scrooge who only thought logically.
‘continued to shake very much’
(STAVE 5) This line refers to Scrooge’s hand when he is shaving
‘shake’ suggests erratic excitement which juxtaposes Stave 1 Scrooge, showing his character development, but also suggests he is acting childishly which suggests he is embracing his inner child, something he has neglected on doing for so long.