Quotes & Analysis for A Christmas Carol Characters

• What does the quote "Bah! Humbug!" signify?

  Scrooge's cynicism and detachment from joy
• What does Scrooge's question about prisons and workhouses reflect?

  Harsh Victorian attitudes and social Darwinism
• What does Marley's ghost mean by "I wear the chain I forged in life"?

  It symbolizes moral responsibility and guilt
• What does Tiny Tim's quote "God bless us, every one!" represent?

  Hope for humanity and unrelenting optimism
• What does the phrase "Scrooge was better than his word" imply?

  Final redemption and capacity for change
• What critique does "Decrease the surplus population" convey?

  Critique of utilitarianism and Malthusian ideas
• What does "A solitary child, neglected by his friends" suggest about Scrooge?

  His emotional trauma stems from childhood abandonment