A Christmas Carol - stave 1+2 key quotes

for November test; 2 flascards/quote: 1 for the context in the novel, another for analysis points

“decrease the surplus population" context

Stave 1, Scrooge tells the charity collectors that it would be better if the poor died so that it would “…”

“decrease the surplus population" analysis

quoting Reverend Thomas Malthus

structure - Ghost of Christmas present repeats these word back to Scrooge

links to context+message

“as hard and sharp as flint ... as solitary as an oyster” context

In Stave 1, Dickens introduces the character of Scrooge as a man who is “…” and “…”

“as solitary as an oyster” analysis

simile - shell hard to open=solitary, pearl possibly inside=potential for good, pearls take 7 years to form=marley died 7 years ago (now time to open), pearls = valuable = Scrooge ones kind valuable in helping society

“he was all in a glow … his eyes sparkled, and his breath smoked” context

When Fred visits Scrooge in his office in Stave 1, he arrives “…” with “…”

“he was all in a glow … his eyes sparkled, and his breath smoked” analysis

motifs of heat+light - come from inside Fred, from his core, his soul (goodness personified)

Fred = foil character for Scrooge

“I wear the chain I forged in life” context

When Scrooge asks Marley’s ghost about the chains he is wearing, he tells him: “…”

“I wear the chain I forged in life” analysis

Repetition of the pronoun “I”

chains = symbolic of the sins that a person commits in life (idea of selfishness/ignorance as a moral crime)

“Mankind was my business ... a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!” context

When Scrooge tells Marley’s ghost that he was a successful businessman at the end of Stave 1, the ghost replies that “…” and that work was merely …”

“Mankind was my business ... a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!” analysis

language from the semantic field of work to describe morality

‘business’ = work vs things one should be concerned with - link to didactic message

Metaphor - drop vs ocean = insignificance of money

“A solitary child, neglected by his friends… Scrooge said he knew it. And he sobbed.” context

When the Ghost of Christmas Past shows Scrooge his childhood self, “…”, Scrooge is shaken. “…” Dickens tells us. “...”

“A solitary child, neglected by his friends… Scrooge said he knew it. And he sobbed.” analysis

Repetition of the adjective “solitary” from Stave 1 - Scrooge’s adulthood stems from childhood

two short sentences in a short paragraph- emphasises each moment

“a spring-time in the haggard winter of his life” context

At the end of Stave 2, when Scrooge sees Belle with her children, he realises that her children could have been his, that they could have been “…”

“a spring-time in the haggard winter of his life” analysis

metaphor - ideas about the role of children and family; rebirth implied by “spring-time” is contrasted with the “haggard winter” reality of Scrooge’s life - he is tired, worn out (haggard) and he’s in the final stages of his life, but he could have had children and they would have given him solace at this time, they would have rejuvenated him, like the spring after winter = he could have grown his leaves back if he hadn’t chosen money over family

“Another idol has displaced me…A golden one” context

When Belle is explaining why she’s breaking up with Scrooge, she talks about how she feels “…” and that it’s “…”

“Another idol has displaced me…A golden one” analysis

idol = priority + gold = wealth - Belle feels Scrooge’s love for her has been replaced by desire for wealth

Biblical reference - when Moses saw people stop praying to the one true God, and instead to a golden cow statue + Ten /commandments saw idol worship is sinful = Dickens is saying being obsessed with (worshiping) wealth is sinful (+it’s a choice) = Christian audience understand dangers of false idol worship