ACC

• ''The phantom slowly, gravely, silently approached'' - Description of Ghost Yet To Come


  Change in tone

  Suggests it's close to the end
• Repetition of ''good'' and ''I will honour Christmas in my heart'' - Scrooge


  Repetition emphasises the drastic change

  He will change his ways
• ''Hilli-ho!'' and ''shaking hands with every person'' - Fezzwig 


  Contrasts with Scrooge's ''humbug''

  Foreshadows his change

  He cares and is involved with people

  Has Christmas spirit
• ''Ignorance'' and ''Want'', ''Yellow, meagre, ragged, scowling, wolfish'', ''glowing torch'' - Ghost of Christmas Present

  Represents the poor in society

  Metaphor showing the affects of greed/hatred

  Feel pity for them - everyone is responsible to help them

  Suggests revelation of light (change)
• ''Jet of light'' - Ghost of Christmas Past


  Represents how the ghosts will change Scrooge

  Light is going to guide him to the right path

  Revelation, to teach him - light is a symbol of knowledge
• ''An idol has replaced me, a golden one'' - Belle 


  Religious imagery

  Forbidden to have idols

  Suggests Scrooge put money over his lover
• ''I wear the chain I forged in life'' and ''No rest, no peace. Incessant torture of remorse'' - Marley 


  Metaphor - shows that his guilt is following him around and dragging him down

  Warning to Scrooge that everyone is held accountable for their actions

  Short/simple sentence creates tension by increasing pace - makes the reader uncomfortable/uneasy

  Religious imagery - suffering in hell

  Catalyst for Scrooge's transformation
• ''a solitary child'' and ''wear it low upon my brow'' - Scrooge


  Links to ''solitary as an oyster'' - he chooses to be alone now

  Can help the readers understand why he is this way

  He doesn't have any positive relationships

  Painful past/miserable
• ''Like a child: yet not so like a child as like an old man'', ''wintry emblem'', ''summery flowers'' - Ghost of Christmas Past 


  Juxtaposition - ghost embodies Scrooge from his youth to his old age

  Confusing comparison implies the lack of clarity Scrooge has about his past

  The ghost covers all aspects of the past

  Winter suggests white snow - purity
• ''but it's too late now'' and ''say a word to my clerk '' - Scrooge


  He doesn't see a point in changing

  Foreshadows his change - he's regretting his actions
• ''if they would rather die they'd better do it'' - Scrooge 


  Suggests he thinks there's too many poor people (Malthus's theory)

  No sympathy - ''they'' dehumanises the poor

  Suggests he thinks the poor are useless and have no value

  ''better do it'' emphasises cruelty and uncaring qualities
• ''deserve to be buried with a stake of holly through his heart'' - Scrooge 


  Violent imagery - conveys Scrooge's pessimistic view of Christmas

  Makes him unlikeable
• ''solitary as an oyster'' - Scrooge 


  Simile - conveys his loneliness

  Imagery of oyster could suggest he has willingness to open up (he has good hidden in him similar to a pearl)
• ''there's more gravy than of grave about you'' - Scrooge 


  Saying he ate something dodgy - making jokes to forget his fear, showing his discomfort

  Rejecting the ghosts existence
• ''hard and sharp as flint'' - Scrooge 


  Simile to say he lacks emotion

  Adjective ''sharp'' implies he can hurt people with his words/actions however, also suggests he's intelligent which is how he gained wealth

  ''flint'' suggests he has potential to spark light which reinforced his transformation at the end
• ''Merry Christmas uncle! God save you!'' - Fred ''Humbug!'' - Scrooge


  Shows Scrooge's lack of emotions - could suggest he doesn't believe in God

  Fred is shown as a caring person making Scrooge more unlikeable
• ''Are there no prisons?'' - Scrooge 


  Rhetorical question - asks as if the answer is obvious (ironic because he knows the answer)

  Shows he has no sympathy and dismisses the responsibility to help
• ''A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching covetous old sinner!'' - Scrooge (SWGSCC)


  Asyndetic list of aggressive adjectives

  Shows his harsh, selfish character

  Connotes to pain, suggests he can cause people pain
• ''Bob'', ''Dismal little cell'', ''tried to warm himself at the candle, he failed'', ''wonderful pudding!'' - Bob Crachit 


  ''Bob'' is a short name and it emphasises how little he earns

  ''dismal'' suggests gloomy confinement - he can't escape, symbol of poverty

  Verb ''tried'' conveys cruel treatment he faces, helplessness - illustrates dismissive attitude of rich towards poor

  ''!'' highlights his appreciation/gratefulness - represents his families unity
• ''as snug and warm and as dry and bright'' - Fezziwig 


  Syndetic list, exaggerates his comfort

  Opposite to Scrooge's workplace - foil character to him
• ''I'm quite a baby'' - Scrooge 


  He's been reborn as a better person

  Similar to baptism - past sins are forgiven
• ''God bless us, everyone!'' - Narrator 


  Similar to Tiny Tim

  Addresses the reader - wants them to learn from the message
• ''made of cash boxes, keys, padlocks....'' and ''charity, mercy, forbearance and benevolence'' - Marley 


  Asyndetic list - illustrates ongoing torture

  Signifies Marley's obsession with business and money while he was alive

  Becomes a list of things he should've done - signifies Scrooge's change later - Marley is remorseful for his actions
• ''was not so dreadfully cut up by the sad event'' - Scrooge


  Illustrates shallow relationship

  Lack of affection for anyone - ''cold'' character
• ''cold'', ''foul weather'', ''heaviest rain'' - Narrator 


  Semantic field of bad weather - connotes to scrooge's dismal personality

  Suggests he has a negative effect on people the same way bad weather does

  Metaphor for Scrooge's actions
• ''every bell'', ''ding dong!'', ''the chime of the neighbouring church'' - Narrator 


  Warning sound to tell Scrooge his time is up

  Builds tension - exaggerates passing of time (creates an eerie atmosphere)

  Suggests God is watching
• ''Tiny Tim, who did not die, he was like a second father'' - Scrooge 


  Scrooge kept his promise to change

  Reminds people that they have to look after the vulnerable in society - reinforces the moral
• ''he shan't know who sends it'' and ''don't say anything'' - Scrooge 


  Learnt to be generous

  Doesn't care about recognition
• ''no fog, no mist, heavenly sky'' and ''laughing and crying in the same breath'' - Scrooge 


  Contrasts to the beginning - change in weather also represents his change

  Reflects his mood - can't contain his excitement
• ''a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time'' - Fred 


  Foil character, Fred's view contrasts Scrooges- emphasises Scrooge's cruelty

  Triplet - more memorable for readers (aim to make Christmas better)

  Idealises being charitable - unites people
• ''...in came..'' - Fezziwig 


  Repetition of the phrase shows the amount of people coming

  He's well liked - contrasts to Scrooge
• ''Darkness is cheap and Scrooge liked it'' - Scrooge


  Emphasises Scrooges love of saving money

  The ''darkness'' symbolises the lack of hope, generosity in his life
• ''very low fire'' and ''gloomy suite of rooms'' - Scrooge


  His house mirrors his self

  ''low fire'' could represent the lack of Christmas spirit as well as the lack of warmth in Scrooge and his home

  Shows he's miserly and avaricious
• Context in ACC

  • Industrial revolution began
  • People lived in cheap/overcrowded housing
  • Children worked in terrible conditions for long hours
  • Most upper class were Christians
  • Poor law: Anyone who is unemployed goes to the workhouse (leading to families splitting up)
  • Dangerous machinery in workhouses
  • Conditions put in place to stop the poor relying on society
• Structure of ACC

  • Written as a novella so can be read in one evening (enables the audience to grasp the full cycle of redemption Scrooge undergoes)
  • Written in staves (like music)
  • Christmas story - like a carol sung (reminds us about giving to others)
  • 3 Ghosts showing the past, present and future until Scrooge finally transforms - leaves the reader with a feeling of completion
• Moral of ACC

  All people have the opportunity to act kinder and everyone should be treated equally
• Words to describe Scrooge 


  Indifferent, harsh, callous/nasty, unfeeling, avaricious, miser, microcosm for the upper class, transmogrifies (changes surprisingly), parsimonious (stingy), detrimental (harmful), entrenched (stuck in his ways), misanthrope (disliking people)
• Words to describe Fred


  Benevolent, compassionate, understanding, sympathetic, magnanimous (kind), gratitude
• ''Let him in! It's a mercy he didn't shake his arm off'' - Fred


  Shows how he has gratitude and forgives Scrooge for his callousness
• ''I'll give you Scrooge! The founder of the feast!'' - Bob Crachit


  Although Scrooge doesn't give him a good wage he still remembers him on Christmas Day, and is grateful for him