loneliness and isolation

• Isolation big idea

  sense of irony as scrooge lives in largest population center in england yet is isolated. self absorbed and self imposed isolation. dickens critical of self imposed isolation from wider society
• Paragraph 1 - How theme/character first presented

  Scrooge's estrangement from humanity leads him to reject opportunities for charitable giving “i wish to be left alone”. he imposed own isolation- is hostile and rejecting of attempts to reintegrate him. preoccupied with own affairs + confined to counting house. markets behaviour in life reinforced his own isolation- his isolation in the afterlife mirrors what he experienced in life. caused him to lose a sense of own morality.
• Paragraph 2 - How theme/character develops

  no real genuine attempt to reintegrate scrooge into society. dickens highlights fragmented nature of society, each person is concerned for their own wellbeing. fragmentation reinforces individual isolation. Scrooge's isolation in his childhood caused by friends, family and relationship with Belle dictates the nature of his relationships with others, fragmentation of society reinforces isolation
• Paragraph 3 - How theme/character ends

  dickens communicates that isolation is not a sustainable approach towards life. Reintegration into society facilitates Scrooge's sense of happiness and salvation, religious imagery, opportunity to fulfil societal moral obligations
• Scrooge: '"My spirit never wandered beyond our counting-house - mark me - in my spirit never wandered beyond the narrow limits of our money-changing hole"'
• Scrooge: '"Nobody ever stopped him in the street to say, with gladsome looks, 'My dear Scrooge. How are you? When will you come to see me?' No beggars implored him to bestow a trifle, no children asked him what it was o'clock, no man or woman ever once in all his life inquired the way to such and such a place, of Scrooge."'
• Scrooge: '"Why do you delight to torture me?"'
• Scrooge's isolation in childhood

  Dictates the nature of his relationships with others (Fred) and further isolates him
• Bell's rejection of Scrooge


  Amounts to a severing of his final connection to society, engagement with society amounts to a painful and detrimental experience
• Scrooge's reintegration into society

  Facilitates his sense of happiness and salvation, religious imagery, opportunity to fulfil societal moral obligations