Stave 5

• "Really, for a man who had been out of practice for so many years, it was a splendid laugh, a most illustrious laugh. The father of a long, long line of brilliant laughs"

  • Even though he was out of practice, he always had the potential in him but he didn't express it - "solitary as an oyster" - there was always hope.
  • Scrooge used to never show his emotions but now he's laughing with everyone. - echoes Fred's infectious laughter from earlier in the novella and now Scrooge will continue to laugh like Fred
  • "a long line of brilliant laughs" - generations to come will laugh like Scrooge.
• "The chuckle with which he said this, the chuckle with which he paid for the Turkey,..."

  • anaphora - "the chuckle" - it's a new beginning for Scrooge because it evidences his change - finally finding happiness in spending money - contrast to Stave 1 where he was a frugal miser who didn't like to spend money.
  • polysyndetic list - "and" - emphasises Scrooge's transformation because Scrooge doesn't show his emotions - "chuckle" dominates the sentence. => chuckles aren't limited to this list, they go on and on. He's been laughing for so long because he had a lot to make up for - been holding it in for so long.
• "It's I. Your Uncle Scrooge. I have come to dinner. Will you let me in, Fred?"

  • short sentences - he's quite uncomfortable and doesn't know what to say.
  • "uncle Scrooge" - he refers to himself as uncle to show how he's finally accepting the affection he rejected at the start of the novella.
  • direct contrast to earlier in the novella where Scrooge says "I have no family; no one to care for."
  • He finally realises what he's done - how dismissing Fred's invitation to his Christmas party was wrong.
• "he was a second father"

  1. Family - even though Scrooge isn't blood related to Tiny Tim, eh still considers himself as having a parental role - to protect, provide and take car of Tiny Tim.
  2. Redemption and Change - at first, Scrooge didn't recognise the importance of family but now he does.
• "He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man"

  • rule of three - friend, master, man - building to a climax - in the end, scrooge became the best version of himself
  • "a good man" is better than "a good friend" because it means you're good to everyone.
  • stave 1 - parallelism of the "sole executor" (Marley)
• "he knew how to keep Christmas well."

  • links back to stave 4 - "I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year."
  • Being generous, putting family first should be kept all year round - reminder of didactic message