Ebenezer Scrooge

• Who is the protagonist of the novella?

  Scrooge
• How is Scrooge initially presented in the novella?


  As a misanthropic businessman who is miserly and unsympathetic
• What does Dickens's description of Scrooge as “hard and sharp as flint” convey?


  It conveys Scrooge’s mean and bitter demeanor
• What does the simile “as solitary as an oyster” suggest about Scrooge?


  It depicts him as an isolated character with a hard exterior
• How can the reader interpret Scrooge's hard exterior in relation to his inner self?

  It suggests he has a vulnerable side that is shielded from the outside world
• What must happen for Scrooge to reveal his inner humanity?

  The spirits must force him to open up
• What does the production of pearls by oysters symbolize in relation to Scrooge?

  It symbolizes that Scrooge is a precious and valuable individual within society
• What phrase typifies Scrooge's attitude towards Christmas?

  “Humbug”
• What does the word “humbug” signify in Scrooge's context?

  His attitude towards Christmas as a sham and a fraud
• How does Scrooge's treatment of the poor reflect the attitude of the wealthy classes?

  It depicts a cruel and condescending attitude typical of the wealthy
• What does Scrooge's refusal to make a charitable donation illustrate?

  His disregard for the poor and societal issues
• What does Scrooge say when he refuses to help the poor?

  “Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?”