ACC KEY QUOTES 2025

“I'll give you Mr Scrooge, the Founder of the Feast” (Stave 3)

What marks the beginning of Scrooge's self-awareness and moral awakening?

Scrooge's desire to connect with Bob Cratchit.

What does Scrooge's desire to connect with Bob Cratchit reflect?

A growing sense of responsibility.

What does the phrase 'just now' convey in Scrooge's transformation?

Urgency, emphasizing the impact of memory on moral clarity.

What does Dickens critique through Scrooge's character?

Unscrupulous employers during the Industrial Revolution who disregarded workers' welfare.

What does Scrooge's burgeoning remorse signal?

The potential for redemption through compassion and connection.

“I should like to be able to say a word or two to my clerk just now.” (Stave 2)

What does Bob call Scrooge during the feast?

The 'Founder of the Feast'

What does Bob's reference to Scrooge symbolize?

Altruism despite hardship

What does the situational irony in Bob's reference suggest?

Bob's compassion rather than Scrooge's worth

How does Bob's kindness contrast with Scrooge's character?

It emphasizes Scrooge's earlier selfishness

What does Bob's perspective foreshadow about Scrooge?

Scrooge's imminent redemption

What theme does Dickens advocate through Bob's perspective?

The importance of forgiveness and community

“Quite a baby” “merry as a schoolboy” (Stave 5)

What does Scrooge's transformation evoke?

Spiritual rebirth

How is Scrooge aligned in his transformation?

With a Christ-like figure of innocence and renewal

What does the imagery of infantile language signify in Scrooge's transformation?

A return to joy and moral innocence

What does Scrooge's previous apathetic detachment contrast with?

His transformation into a joyful and morally innocent character

What Victorian theme is highlighted by Scrooge's transformation?

Repentance and the potential for change

What does Scrooge's progression from a covetous figure illustrate?

The power of reflection and change in one's character

What central theme does Scrooge's transformation emphasize in Dickens' narrative?

Redemption

“A merry Christmas, uncle! God save you!” (Stave 1)

What does Fred symbolize in Dickens' work?

Dickens' anti-Malthusian ideals.

What lexical field does Fred create?

A lexical field of morality that underscores the importance of generosity.

How do Fred's words contrast with Scrooge's character?

They serve as a stark contrast to Scrooge's misanthropic detachment.

What does Fred's character emphasize in a capitalist society?

The value of selflessness.

What literary device does Dickens use to reflect the Victorian moral link between charity and redemption?

The repetition of positive adjectives.

How does Fred challenge the Poor Law?

By advocating for compassion towards the less fortunate.

What societal issue does Dickens critique through Fred's character?

Societal indifference.

What approach to social responsibility does Dickens advocate through Fred?

A more humane approach.

“Leave me! Take me back. Haunt me no longer!” (Stave 2)

What does Scrooge's use of imperative verbs reveal?

His desperate attempt to regain control amidst the ghostly intervention.

What effect do the monosyllabic words have in Scrooge's dialogue?

They create a staccato rhythm that mirrors his escalating panic and growing fear of the supernatural.

What does Scrooge's reaction signify in terms of his character development?

It signifies the early stage of his transmogrification as he begins to confront his past actions.

How does Scrooge's reaction reflect societal attitudes towards the Poor Law?

It illustrates the elite's refusal to acknowledge the Poor Law's cruelty, showing broader societal detachment.

What internal struggle does Scrooge illustrate by resisting the ghosts?

The struggle between self-preservation and the need for moral reckoning.

“Bah! Humbug!” (Stave 1)

What does the consonance in Scrooge's phrase encapsulate?

Scrooge's misanthropy and disdain for joy.

What does the repetition of the exclamation in Scrooge's line emphasize?

His selfishness.

What tone does Scrooge's character embody?

Bitterness.

What philosophical concept does Scrooge's line embody?

The Hegelian dialectic.

What do the ghostly visits challenge in Scrooge?

His selfish worldview.

What does Scrooge's dismissal of joy foreshadow?

His eventual transmogrification.

What critique does Dickens make through Scrooge's character?

Capitalist apathy prevalent in Victorian society.

“If they would rather die, they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.” (Stave 1)

What does the conditional clause in Scrooge's perspective illustrate?

It trivializes death and shows his emotional detachment and harsh worldview.

How does Scrooge view the poor?

He sees them as expendable statistics.

What does Scrooge's callousness reflect?

The Industrial Revolution's neglect of the impoverished.

Which beliefs does Scrooge's perspective echo?

Malthusian beliefs that dehumanized the lower classes.

What critique does Scrooge's attitude provide?

It critiques societal indifference towards poverty and highlights moral failings of those in power.

What does the quote ultimately underscore?

The need for compassion and responsibility in the face of suffering.

“squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner” (Stave 1)

What literary device creates a breathless rhythm that emphasizes Scrooge's relentless greed?

Asyndeton

What does the use of adjectives in Scrooge's description illustrate about his character?

His parsimonious nature and emotional emptiness

How is Scrooge positioned in relation to upper-class cruelty?

As a microcosm of upper-class cruelty

What societal issues does Scrooge's character illustrate?

Broader societal issues of exploitation

What biblical concept is alluded to in relation to Scrooge's need for salvation?

The seven deadly sins

How is Scrooge's character arc framed?

As one of potential redemption

What critique does Dickens offer through Scrooge's portrayal?

The moral decay of the wealthy elite during the Victorian era

“such a bustle ensued that you might have thought a goose the rarest of all birds; a feathered phenomenon” (Stave 3)

What effect does hyperbole have in the context of Scrooge's impact on the Cratchits?

The hyperbole elevates the ordinary to a state of celebratory joy, reflecting Scrooge's positive impact on the Cratchits.

What critique does the moment with the Cratchits provide regarding class disparity?

It emphasizes that true wealth lies in warmth and gratitude, rather than material possessions.

What does the phrase 'feathered phenomenon' contribute to the scene?

It adds a whimsical tone, contrasting with the earlier parsimony of Scrooge's life.

What theme does the joyful scene with the Cratchits underscore?

It underscores the significance of family and togetherness during Christmas.

What message does Dickens convey through the scene with the Cratchits?

It reinforces the spirit of giving and highlights the transformative power of generosity and community.

“overrun by grass and weeds” (Stave 4)

What does graveyard imagery symbolize in relation to Scrooge?

Moral and emotional neglect, reflecting Scrooge's misanthropic disregard for human connection.

What does the overgrown grave represent in Scrooge's character?

An emblem of his spiritual decay, emphasizing the consequences of a life lived in selfishness.

What does the graveyard imagery suggest about the possibility of change?

It indicates that renewal is possible even from decay.

How does the neglect of the grave relate to societal issues in Dickens' work?

It parallels the Poor Law's treatment of the impoverished, critiquing societal indifference.

What warning does Dickens convey through the symbolism of the graveyard?

The dire consequences of ignoring one's moral responsibilities.

“Scrooge feared the silent shape so much that his legs trembled beneath him.” (Stave 4)

What effect does sibilance create in the context of Scrooge's character?

It creates a haunting tone that mirrors Scrooge's fear of mortality and the supernatural.

What does the silent shape symbolize in relation to Scrooge?

It symbolizes death, compelling Scrooge to confront the consequences of his unchecked covetousness.

What marks a critical turning point for Scrooge?

Scrooge begins to recognize the weight of his past actions.

What does Scrooge's trembling signify?

It signifies the internal struggle between self-preservation and the necessity for moral reckoning.

What critique does Dickens make through Scrooge's fear?

He critiques the elite detachment from the suffering of others, emphasizing the need for compassion.

“and who do their deeds of passion, pride, ill-will, hatred, envy, bigotry, and selfishness in our name” (Stave 3)

What does the syndetic listing in Dickens's work emphasize?

Cumulative corruption within society.

What criticism does the ghost in Dickens's narrative convey?

Remorseless attitudes and a call for altruism and social responsibility.

What does the mention of vices in Dickens's work serve as a condemnation of?

The wealthy who exploit their status to justify covetous control.

What does the narrative urge the audience to reflect on?

Their own actions.

What societal values does Dickens advocate for through his critique?

A more compassionate society that prioritizes human connection over greed.

“kind, generous, hearty nature” (Stave 3)

What does the ghost symbolize in relation to Scrooge's redemption?

The ghost symbolizes the moral ideal Scrooge must emulate to achieve redemption.

How does the ghost's presence contrast with Scrooge's character?

The ghost's hearty presence contrasts sharply with Scrooge's coldness, exposing the emotional void in his past behavior.

What didactic message does Dickens convey through the ghost?

Dickens conveys the importance of Christian charity and moral duty.

What values does the ghost embody?

The ghost embodies the values of compassion and generosity.

What mindset does the ghost challenge Scrooge to confront?

The ghost challenges Scrooge to confront his parsimonious mindset.

What does the moment with the ghost signify for Scrooge?

The moment signifies the potential for transformation through the embrace of altruism.

“A solitary child, neglected by his friends, is left there still.” (Stave 2)

What does the isolated clause in the text reflect?

Emotional abandonment and Scrooge's remorseless detachment from others.

What does the moment of Scrooge's childhood neglect suggest?

It has stunted his emotional growth.

What does the phrase foreshadow in Scrooge's character?

His future isolation and moral decay.

What does Dickens suggest is necessary for Scrooge's moral growth?

Confrontation of the past.

What societal issue does Dickens critique through Scrooge's reflection?

The neglect of vulnerable children.

What does Dickens emphasize through the imagery of Scrooge's past?

The importance of addressing one's past to achieve redemption.

"It was a strange figure—like a child: yet not so like a child as like an old man.” (Stave 2)

What does the grotesque personification in the story symbolize?

It symbolizes fragmented memory and the complexity of Scrooge's past.

How does the duality of the grotesque personification affect Scrooge?

It challenges his apathetic neglect of his employees and compels him to reevaluate his values.