When Jack Cade leads a rebellion against the king, he declares that "if I do not leave you all as dead as a doornail, I pray God I may never eat grass more." "Every idiot who goes about with "Merry Christmas" on his lips should be boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart". No, Spirit! Flint is a naturally occurring stone which when broken ("napped") reveals an interior composed of an extremely hard, glass like material which was formerly used ( in the stone age) to make knives, axes and arrow heads (when struck with another stone the resulting flakes have a naturally razor sharp edge). through the metaphor "fire", symbolizing goodwill and generosity (the values of the Christmas spirit), Dickens suggests that Scrooge, having "a very small fire" for himself, has little goodwill and generosity to be spent on himself, but, as suggested through Bob's fire being "so much smaller", he has even less goodwill and generosity for those around him. Marley represents a kind of family for Scrooge, even though they are not blood-related. Indeed, Scrooge has become a new man. ragged men and boys were gathered: warming their hands and winking their eyes before the blaze in rapture. Latest answer posted December 11, 2020 at 10:52:15 AM. Scrooge refuses to believe in Marley, just as he refuses to believe in Christmas. Home Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol Best Quotes. Marley's questions and Scrooge's answers about the senses are important. It was with great astonishment, and with a strange, inexplicable dread, that as he looked, he saw this bell begin to swing. In other words, Scrooge is not alone; many people, while perhaps less obviously awful than Scrooge, share his sinful failings. Refine any search. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. The protagonist of A Christmas Carol, Scrooge is a cold-hearted and mean-spirited accountant. Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker, and the chief mourner. He. This suggests his ability to hurt others. `What do you want with me?. It is also a fact, that Scrooge had seen it, night and morning, during his whole residence in that place; also that Scrooge had as little of what is called fancy about him as any man in the city of London, even including -- which is a bold word -- the corporation, aldermen, and livery. Cite this Quote Flint and oysters are not very palatable things to be compared to. Discipline was harsh and. But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grind- stone, Scrooge! To make the comparison, similes most often use the connecting words "like" or "as," but can also A simile is a figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things. "He was so fluttered and so glowing with his good intentions, that his broken voice would scarcely answer his call.". Now, it is a fact, that there was nothing at all particular about the knocker on the door, except that it was very large. Scrooge has already, Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. To edge his way along the crowded paths of life, warning all human sympathy to keep its distance, was what the knowing ones call `nuts to Scrooge. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. What reason have you to be morose? a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner! The misery with them all was, clearly, that they sought to interfere, for good, in human matters, and had lost the power for ever. Fred is the opposite of Scrooge in appearance and spirit. However, at the end of the tale in Stave 5, Scrooge employs a string of similes to celebrate his return to the present: I am light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I am as merry as a school-boy. Latest answer posted January 12, 2021 at 5:08:54 PM. He becomes nearly inebriated with joy. It swung so softly in the outset that it scarcely made a sound; but soon it rang out loudly, and so did every bell in the house. never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket, I believe that it has done me good. You will therefore permit me to repeat, emphatically, that Marley was as dead as a door-nail. Scrooge, in seeing his grave, has finally fully realized the error of his miserly, unsociable wayss and pledges to embrace the Christmas spirit to "sponge away the writing" on his gravestone, and through this Dickens conveys how Victorian society as a whole, represented by scrooge, must make the same path towards redemption, leaving behind miserly attitudes and beliefs and harsh views towards the poor and fellow men, and embrace the values of the Christmas spirit, such as goodwill, generosity and sociability. It contrasts sharply with the narrator's initial description, as these positive similes differ greatlyfrom ones like "as hard and sharp as flint" or "solitary as an oyster." Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen and six, result happiness. Flint is a type of ground that makes it difficult for life to grow kind of like how scrooges character allows no imaginations to grow. very low fire indeed; nothing on such a bitter night. I have sat invisible beside you many and many a day., Couldnt I take `em all at once, and have it over, Jacob? hinted Scrooge. A squeezing, wrenching, grasping,scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner!" They often `came down handsomely, and Scrooge never did. `Because, said Scrooge, `a little thing affects them. The air was filled with phantoms, wandering hither and thither in restless haste, and moaning as they went. He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew, or any other old city, town, or borough, in the good old world.". If each smooth tile had been a blank at first, with power to shape some picture on its surface from the disjointed fragments of his thoughts, there would have been a copy of old Marleys head on every one. View further examples of the literary technique of. Foul weather didnt know where to have him. (Dickens 6). It was full as heavy and as long as this, seven Christmas Eves ago. A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner! `Mr. Marley has been dead these seven years, Scrooge replied. His only concern is the amount of money he can make for himself. Its the only way to make a boy sharp, sir. Through a visit one Christmas Eve by the ghost of Marley and three subsequent spirits, Scrooge is awakened to his meanness and the impact it has on others. Learn how your comment data is processed. In contrast, Scrooges routine is deliberately isolated and miserable. the weight and length of the strong coil you bear yourself? Note how Scrooge here condemns such fools to death, when over the next few nights it will be he who learns that he is condemned to a terrible death. God save you! cried a cheerful voice. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights, A doornail was a kind of nail or stud that was often used in Dickens's time tobothaesthetically adorn, The simile first appeared in Shakespeare's. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. It beckoned Scrooge to approach, which he did. "So surely as the clerk came in with the shovel, the master predicted that it would be necessary for them to part. This girl is Want. Name the six places the second spirit takes Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart. Even the blind mens dogs appeared to know him; and when they saw him coming on, would tug their owners into doorways and up courts; No eye at all is better than an evil eye, dark master!. This has a double meaning both as a sympathetic term of endearment and also the fact that thanks to Scrooge the man is literally poor. When he gets home, Scrooge would rather save money and live in discomfort, keeping a very low fire for himself, described as nothing on such a bitter night to which he is forced to lean over just to extract the least sensation of warmth from such a handful of fuel. Though he looked the phantom through and through, though he felt the chilling influence of its death-cold eyes, `How now! said Scrooge, caustic and cold as ever. PDF downloads of all 1699 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. Hot and Cold Extensive imagery describes Scrooge as cold because of his cold heart; in contrast, his nephew is described as warm because he is merry and loving. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. `Merry Christmas! On this page, readers can explore the quotes, they are broadly separated into a few sub-categories. Scrooge fell upon his knees, and clasped his hands before his face. 2023. Who are the experts?Our certified Educators are real professors, teachers, and scholars who use their academic expertise to tackle your toughest questions. The use of business like language such as "surplus" and "decrease" emphasizes how scrooge's miserly, monetarily driven attitudes in the place of the Christmas spirit and its values causes wrath and suffering in society, and leads to the less fortunate not being supported. These cover themes like wealth, poverty, Christmas, and kindness. The truth is, that he tried to be smart, as a means of distracting his own attention, and keeping down his terror; for the spectres voice disturbed. `Let me leave it alone, then, said Scrooge. Date: First published in London by Chapman & Hall on 19 December 1843. A Christmas Carol is a widely studied book filled with memorable quotes. Scrooge signed it. There it stood, years afterwards, above the warehouse door: Scrooge and Marley. Scrooge knew he was dead? a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner! wherefore the clerk put on his white comforter, and tried to warm himself at the candle; in which effort, not being a man of strong imagination, he failed". `He died seven years ago, this very night.. similarly when other characters talk to Scrooge he often shouts at them. Oh! Oh! Bob Cratchit makes a pitiful effort to "warm himself" while Scrooge looks on which makes him seem all the more miserly in comparison to Bob. `A merry Christmas, uncle! the other rooms being all let out as offices. Come! My students love how organized the handouts are and enjoy tracking the themes as a class., Requesting a new guide requires a free LitCharts account. I dont mean to say that I know, of my own knowledge, what there is particularly dead about a door-nail. The dark, wintry night, and the approach of Christmas Day, should provide the conditions for some seasonal camaraderie between Scrooge and his clerk, but Scrooges misery wins out over all. "No warmth could warm, no wintry weather chill him", Dickens uses "warmth" as a metaphor for goodwill and inversely "cold" as a metaphor for ill will throughout the novella, so here it suggests that no good will or ill will from others in society are able to affect scrooge as he's become totally impervious to and disconnected from interactions with society, "The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shriveled his cheek, stiffened his gait". Flint was traditionally used to start fires which may hint at Scrooges later change in attitude as the story unfolds. Much good it has ever done you!, There are many things from which I might have derived good, by which I have not profited, I dare say, But I am sure I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round. He is cold and greedy, not the kind of man people want to befriend. To sit, staring at those fixed glazed eyes, in silence for a moment, would play, Scrooge felt, the very deuce with him. - Narrator. What have recent studies shown about a spirit of cooperation in nature? Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. `Dont be cross, uncle! said the nephew. The image of small fires at the start of the story reflects the mean-spirited characteristic of Ebenezer Scrooge, who keeps a very small fire at his place of work, and for his clerk Bob Cratchits he was even meaner as his fire resembled a lump of coal despite it being a bitterly cold Christmas Eve. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. Let him make a tool of me afresh and again? A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner! At this time of the rolling year, the spectre said `I suffer most. However, Scrooge being likened to "flint" suggests that, although he has never given "generous fire" he has the potential to be good-willed, sociable, generous and the other attributes encapsulated by the Christmas spirit, as portrayed by the recurring symbol of "fire" used by dickens to represent these values. "Hard and sharp as a flint.solitary as an oyster." The word 'analysis' literally means to loosen something up. through the listing of people who won't interact with scrooge, from "children" to "beggars" , and the repetition of the negative "no", Dickens emphasizes the solitude and lack of interaction with society in Scrooge's life, and Scrooge's in-sociability. Exam focus: Writing about Scrooge. I took a good deal o pains with his eddication, sir; let him run in the streets when he was wery young, and shift for hisself. At the start of the novel, Dickens describes scrooge as mean; hard and sharp as flint; this suggests that he is ignorant towards people and neglects other people, and that he hates everyone around him and himself, this implies that he is greedy. I will not be the man I must have been but for this intercourse! PDF downloads of all 1699 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. This almost prompts a realization in Scrooge as he catches on to the fact that his wealth provides him (and indeed Fezziwig) with the power to make people happy. Scrooge bends over his weak fire. Dine with us tomorrow.. Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster." In other words, Scrooge is stingy and tough: he has no . This must be distinctly understood, or nothing wonderful can come of the story I am going to relate. likening scrooge to a sheep, suggesting that he foolishly follows certain ideologies such as Malthusian economic theory. `Are they still in operation?, `They are. He thinks he sees the dead Marley in his door knocker. But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! Term. `The Treadmill and the Poor Law are in full vigour, then? said Scrooge. as if that were the only one thing in the world more ridiculous than a merry Christmas. The fog came pouring in at every chink and keyhole, and was so dense without, that although the court was of the narrowest, the houses opposite were mere phantoms. Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and . Discover more quotations from A Christmas Carol. (meaning rubbish or nonsense) suggesting that scrooge is dismissive of Christmas and the values that come with it, and the animalistic onomatopoeia of "bah!" A merry Christmas to everyone.". Complete your free account to request a guide. A slight disorder of the stomach makes them cheats. This is evident in his early relationship with his nephew Fred. Owl Eyes is an improved reading and annotating experience for classrooms, book clubs, and literature lovers. Scrooge's transformation is emphasized by him becoming a "second father" to Tiny Tim "who did not die", suggesting that the values of the Christmas spirit, encapsulating good will and generosity, leads to a supportive, charitable, family-like society in which everyone supports each-other and there is no suffering or plight (like Tiny Tim's death). A solitary child, neglected by his friends, is left there. He went the whole length of the expression, and said that he would see him in that extremity first. A doornail is notably small and insignificant, but it can be used to build things. Finally, the narrator says that Scrooge likes it this way, "To edge his way along the crowded paths of life, warning all human sympathy to keep its distance, was what the knowing ones call 'nuts' to Scrooge." Download. The Spirits of all three shall strive within me. By contrast, scenes of happiness and generosity are represented by large fires, such as that of a party in a scene from the past held by Fezziwig, where fuel was heaped upon the fire, so much so that the generous host had a positive light appeared to issue from Fezziwigs calves which shone like moons. Stave One. `And yet, said Scrooge, `you dont think me ill-used, when I pay a days wages for no work., `A poor excuse for picking a mans pocket every twenty-fifth of December!, But I suppose you must have the whole day. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shriveled his cheek, stiffened his gait; made his eyes red, his thin lips blue; and spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice. When they were within two paces of each other, Marleys Ghost held up its hand, warning him to come no nearer. The narrator describes Scrooge as "Hard and sharp as flint." His appearance matches his character, with cold-looking, pointy features. -, "The ancient tower of a church whose gruff old bell was always peeping slily down at Scrooge", Click here to study/print these flashcards. This is an odd simile. "Nothing" said scrooge "nothing. Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster". Oh! Many's the hard day's walking in rain and mud, and with never a penny earned. Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. Note also Marley's disgust at the connection of the words "good" and "business", which Scrooge also used earlier in his conversation with Fred. The heaviest rain, and snow, and hail, and sleet, could boast of the advantage over him in only one respect. | (interrogative), or exc. Design changes: Please bear with us if you come across anything that may look a little disjointed. Click the card to flip . Who is Belle in A Christmas Carol, and why was she important to Scrooge? Flint and oysters are not very palatable things to be compared to. In 1861, 35,000 children under 12 lived and worked in workhouses in Britain. Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. 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