| "Solitary as an oyster" (Stave 1) | . shows that Scrooge is lonely and doesn't want to communicate or be associated with someone
. This suggests scrooge traps his feeling up and doesn't open up to anyone
. also implies when Scrooge decides to open up he is pure and valuable to be around, this is shown as an oyster has pearls in it, and are seen as valuable and beautiful |
| "I cant afford to make idle people merry" (stave 1 - Scrooge) | . This is what Scrooge says to the charity workers, as he refuses to give to charity
. Adjective "idle" reveals scrooge believes the poor are to lazy and that's why they are in the position which they are in
. This was also the rich peoples views on the poor in Victorian times, because poor people were made to look to be lazy and as a punishments workhouse environments were bad |
| "A solitary child, neglected by his friends" (Stave 2) | . Description of Scrooge when he was a young boy, he was left alone at school, while others enjoyed their holidays
. The adjectives "solitary" and "neglected" indicate his feelings of loneliness and isolation, therefore we feel sympathy for Scrooge |
| "Have they no refuge or resource?" (Stave 3 - the ghost of Christmas present) | . showing the change and redemption that scrooge has gone through, directly contrasting to scrooges words in stave 1 to charity workers "are there no prisons?" and "are there no workhouses?"
. |
| "I wear the chains i forged in life" (Stave 1 - Marley's ghost) | .This declaration holds a double meaning as it is meant both literally and figuratively.
Literally, in that Marley was the modern-day equivalent of an accountant or bookkeeper.
This meant that his work involved writing “deeds” and “ledgers” and so he physically
made these things in his life. The phrase is also meant figuratively as he is now held
captive for eternity because of the way he acted in his life.
. The use of the pronoun "i" suggests that Marley has known the mistakes he's made in life and that there is no one else to blame except himself. However it's to late for Marley to be changed and has to live with torture for eternity, this is why Marley is trying to get scrooge to change so he does not live like him, this also shows more change in Marley as he is helping others to chnage and become a better person |
| "This boy is ignorance, the girl is want … most of all beware the boy" (Stave 3- ghost of Christmas present) | . Metaphor
. The two children Ignorance and want represent the attitudes of the rich to the poor in victorian soceity.
. Dickens considers ignorance the worst, because it leads to want |
| "Are there no workhouse?" ... "Are there no prisons?" (Stave 1 - Scrooge talking to the charity workers and refusing to give to charity) | . The rhetorical questions suggest what scrooge believes where the poor should be, as the poor were seen as lazy and animals
. This also suggests that the problem with the poor is nothing to do with him, and he is nothing to do with the matter, as the poor have bought it on themselves |
