Scrooge

• Scrooge [BEFORE][S1] - "He was as solitary as an oyster"

  • Simile shows us that he is lonely and doesn't want to associate or communicate with anyone.
  • This is also telling us that Scrooge traps his feelings inside - Not opening up to anyone
  • Additionally, its also foreshadowing change, as there are pearls inside oysters. Hints at a change and journey of redemption in the bildungsroman novella
  • Dicken wants the audience to identify with some of Scrooge's characters and make necessary changes.
• scrooge [BEFORE][S1] - "I cant afford to make idle people merry"

  • Refuses to give charity
  • Adjective "idle" implies that Scrooge believes the poor are lazy and to blame for their own situation. This mirrors the Victorian rich's attitude to the poor. Malthusian attitude.
  • Workhouses were deliberately bad as poor people were though to be lazy
• Scrooge [BEFORE][S1] - "he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone" | " a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner!"

  • The adjective 'tight' shows how harsh he is - doesn't like to give his hand elsewhere
  • Dickens uses a continuing asyndetic list of verbs mirroring how Scrooge continues being unpleasant. The adjectives are connected with hands + synonymous to show how "tightly" he holds on to his belongings
  • Cacophony of harsh consonants reflects on Scrooge's unpleasant + immoral actions to humans
  • However, the term "old" hints that these ways will come to an end?
• Scrooge [BEFORE][S1] - "Oh!" | "Scrooge!" | "Hard and Sharp as flint" | "Even the blind men's dogs appeared to know him".

  • Exclamation shows that even the narrator is shocked at how unpleasant scrooge is
  • Simile hard and sharp as steel compared Scrooge to a material The hardness of his heart towards others and his miserly sharpness - quickness to be ware of money wasted.
  • Anthropomorphism of dogs which "know" scrooge and deliberately avoid him to protect their owners from his aggression, despite dogs typically being affectionnate
• Scrooge - [BEFORE][S1] - "The treadmill and the Poor Law are in full vigour, then?" | "I'm very glad to hear it" | "If they would rather die ... "they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population."

  • Context: Malthus law/Malthusian attitude
  • The poor law was changed for the better in 1834 to reduce the cost of helping the poor.
  • Adjective "surplus" shows that scrooge finds the poor to be in excess and no place in society for them - they are worthless. Horrifying imagery.
• Scrooge - [BEFORE][S1] - "Darkness is cheap, and Scrooge liked it" | "very-low fire indeed"

  • adjective 'cheap' reflects Scrooge's cold and miserable personality. Could also imply that he enjoys to be alone. He is very money-cantered and looks for profit whenever possible
  • Scrooge's miserly nature extends to himself. Dickens uses fire imagery through the novella to symbolize true spirit, so this is symbolising the lack of this that Scrooge has
• Scrooge / Marley's ghost [S1] "Scrooge fell upon his knees, and clasped his hand before his face"

  • Verbs 'fell' and 'clasped' show how terrified Scrooge truly is despite his attempts to deny any existence of the ghost.
  • Perhaps he is covering his face because he is ashamed?
  • Extent of his fear is so immense he cant stand straight or bare to look
  • Could be a sort of turning point of where he begins to abandon his scepticism of the supernatural. He is attempting to re-find his religion
  • We see him trembling and falling many times
• Scrooge / Marley [S1] "went straight to bed, without undressing, and fell asleep upon the instant."

  • The adverb "straight" shows how the whole proceeding does not bother him and he instantly falls asleep.
  • Alternatively, could be because he is so bothered by it that he cannot perform the necessary daily tasks like undressing and the supernatural occurrence has mentally drained him to exhaustion
• Scrooge [S2] - "He could scarcely distinguish the transparent window from the opaque walls of his chamber"

  • Imagery used to set the tone for the second stave, but also is used on an associative metaphorical notion; before the visits of the three ghosts Scrooge cannot distinguish between the good and the bad. He does not understand what he is doing wrong.
• Ghost P[S2] "voice between laughing and crying" "heightened and excited face" "I wish, Scrooge muttered"

  • occur when Scrooge recognises things in his past [parrot and ali baba]
  • Scrooge cant seem to device on his emotions - showing his vulnerable side - childlike
  • His business friends would be flabbergasted at Scrooge.
  • Verb "wish" shows regret. "Muttered" - not the first time Scrooge has said something barely audible. He is ashamed of his ways or doesn't want people to see him vulnerable. "Scrooge muttered, with an unusual catching in his voice
• Scrooge [S2][Start of Change][Fezziwig's party] - "Acted like a man out of his wits"

  • Out of his wits because he was enjoying himself. Every part of him was sucked into the enjoyment - it is unnatural for him. Contrast - Scrooge preferred isolation adn refuses to go to any occasion - Fred's party
• Scrooge [Ghost of Past][S2][Start of Change] - "I should like to be able to say a word or two to my clerk just now! That's all."

  • Regret - scrooge has reflected + realised how poorly he has treated his clerk and is ready to make amends.
• The Cratchits [S3][Scrooge's Transformation] - "with an interest he never felt before" | "Oh, no, kind spirit, say he will be spared"

  • Scrooge is uncharacteristically moved be the scene of real family life, and is especially concerned by the fate of Tiny Tim. He asks the spirit to tell him if Tiny Tim will live. When the spirit tells him that if the conditions do not change for the family he will indeed die, Scrooge is truly saddened, begging the spirit
  • Dickens uses the plight and poverty of the Cratchit family to shed light on the lives of the poor, in contrast to the rich aristocrats.
• Ghost of the CP [S3] - "Will you decide what men shall live, what men shall die?"

  • Rhetorical question to make scrooge realise that the ignorance and parsimonious behaviour that he had previously was wrong, and he has a responsibility as a wealthy man to care for the poor: (like fezziwig)
• Phantom [S4] - "Scrooge feared the silent shape so much that his legs trembled beneath him" "giving him time to recover"

  • Ghost doesn't directly speak to Scrooge and this makes him confused and scared. Perhaps it shows the reactions of others after his death: they will remain 'silent' about the 'covetous old sinner'.
  • Despite Scrooge's unjust and corruptive nature, the spirit shows him compassion even in death. Perhaps this shows that everyone to be given a chance to redeem despite your past.
• Phantom - "Lead on" x3 "it is precious time for me"

  • Repetition shows his willingness to change and take in these lessons. He lets the spirit have power over him
  • Contrasts with stave 2 where the first spirit has that authority and power over scrooge - "rise and walk with me". However Scrooge exerted his own power as he 'seized the extinguisher-cap ... and pressed it down upon its head'
  • As a business man, Scrooge at the beginning would see the meaning of 'precious time' to make as much money as possible. However, now his 'precious time' is to take in and use the lessons from the spirit.
• Scrooge [S4] - "Oh tell me I may sponge away the writing on the stone!"

  • 'Sponge' is acting as a metaphor for absorption - he has taken on board all of the lessons. He is in extreme urgency and desperation to wipe his name off the gravestone as he begins to fall in despair in front of the Phantom
• Scrooge [S5] - "I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future!" "He had been sobbing violently in his conflict with the Spirit, and his face was wet with tears"

  • Scrooge's awakening from this deep, strange sleep is a moment of enlightenment, a complete transformation, a bit like a baptism or birth itself.
  • Scrooge cries like a baby as shown through the adverb 'violently' and verb 'sobbing' purified like a newly baptized disciple through his tears
• Scrooge [S5] - "I am as light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I am as merry as a schoolboy."

  • Anaphora of similes
  • Simile of 'school boy' suggests scrooge is redeeming what he lost as a 'solitary' child and has an element of excitement in his changed personality. Noun 'schoolboy' implies a naive happiness without any worries or restrictions. The first similes also alludes to this.
  • Alternatively, like a school boy, he has learned from the spirits teachings
• Scrooge [S5] - "I'd rather be a baby. Hallo! Whoop! Hallo here!

  • Contrasts with "Bah!" - and shows his excitement and eagerness to celebrate Christmas. Informal.
  • Baby also alludes to new fresh life
• Scrooge [S5] "That is my name, and I fear it may not be pleasant to you. Allow me to ask your pardon."

  • Evident that he has acknowledged his cruel and unjust treatment of the poor - he is ashamed and asks for forgiveness.
  • Previously, his hard exterior caused 'blind men's dogs appeared to know him"
• Scrooge [S5] - "Not a farthing less. A great many back-payments are included in it" | "Patted children on the head, and questioned beggars"

  • Truly understands the value of charity he is willing to donate money.
  • 'Decreasing the surplus population' 'I wish to be left alone'
  • Verb 'patted' shows that Scrooge has finally come out of his shell ('Solitary as an oyster')
  • The fact he's 'questioning' the poor highlights how he's curious and cares about their wellbeing - he's now more aware of their situations.
• Scrooge [S5] - "It's I. Your uncle Scrooge. I have come to dinner. Will you let me in, Fred?"

  • Seen this moment before when they were mocking him. He's come to apologise.
  • "Will you let me in" is metaphorical for Scrooge asking to be let back in the family. The question is not demanding and shows uncertainty, he behaved badly in the past and doesn't know if he will be let in