Redemption and Change

• Beginning: "Covetous old sinner" "hard and sharp as flint"

  • increases suspense
  • Makes it difficult for readers to believe scrooge can redeem himself
  • "covetous old sinner" greedy, selfish, particularly in the desire for material possessions
  • Metaphor- describe character traits compares person to a sinner, suggesting moral wrongdoing. "flint" emphasises hardness and lack of empathy
  • Tone- critical and judgmental, suggesting disdain or disapproval
  • imagery- "covetous old sinner" images of an elderly person consumed by greed
• "solitary as an oyster" / " a solitary child"

  • repetition of solitary- emphasis isolated condition that's been bred into him from a juvenile age
  • Oyster- hard shell, contains a pearl: foreshadows inner purity and ability to change for the better
• A golden idle has displaced me

  • spoken by ghost of Christmas past representing scrooge's ex fiancee Belle
  • Reflects consequence of obsession with wealth and the missed opportunities
  • Suggests possibility of redemption
  • Metaphor: "Golden idle" hinting at material wealth and worldly pursuits
  • Personification- "Golden idle", has a will of it's own, ability to take speaker's place
  • Tone of regret and lamentation
  • Imagery- evoking allure of wealth/luxury
  • "Displaced" conjured imagery of being overlooked
• Temperature and weather

  • plethora of imagery
  • "cold, bleak, biting weather"
  • Presents hostile atmosphere- intrusive and uncontrollable allowing it to dominate the tone of the stave
  • Final stave- "No fog, no mist" the sky was "Clear, bright, jovial" "golden sunlight"
  • Pathetic fallacy- alters tone of the stave
  • Scrooge contributed to cold temperatures- "the cold within him"