Essential ‘A Christmas Carol’ quotes - Revision 2022.
Stave 1 - Introduction to Scrooge and Stave 2 - Ghost of Christmas Past - Stave 3 - Ghost of Christmas Present - visit
Marley’s Ghost Scrooge’s past - school days, Fezziwig, Belle. Cratchit, Fred and others on Christmas day.
● ‘Marley was a dead as a doornail’ ● ‘Unearthly visitor’ (ghost of ● ‘Jolly giant’ (Ghost of Christmas Present)
● ‘Tight-fisted’ Christmas Past) ● ‘Come in and know me better man’ (Scrooge is
● ‘Squeezing, wrenching, grasping’ (Scrooge) ● ‘Like a child, yet not so like a invited to meet and know Christmas)
● Hard and sharp as flint’ (Scrooge) child as an old man’ (Ghost ● ‘Its sparkling eye, its open hand, cheery voice’
● ‘Solitary and self contained as an oyster’ of Christmas past) (Ghost of Christmas present)
(Scrooge) ● ‘Tunic of pure white’ (Ghost ● ‘Why to a poor one most?’ asked Scrooge.
● ‘The cold within him froze his old features’ of Christmas past) ‘Because it needs it most’ (Ghost explains about
(Scrooge) ● ‘From it's head a bright giving)
● ‘Edge his way along the crowded paths of life’ clear jet of light’ (Ghost of ● ‘Mrs Cratchit…brave in ribbons’ (Mrs C has
(Scrooge) Christmas past) made the best of her old clothes.)
● ‘Cold, bleak, biting weather’ (Pathetic fallacy) ● ‘Ghost of ….your past’ ● ‘Tiny Tim, … his limbs supported by an iron
● ‘Fog came pouring in at every chink and (Ghost of Christmas past) frame’
keyhole’ (Pathetic fallacy) ● ‘Arms long and muscular.. ● ‘As good as gold… and better’ (Bob describes
● ‘Dismal cell’ (where Bob has to work) Hold of uncommon strength’ (Ghost of Tiny Tim)
● ‘All in a glow, face was ruddy and handsome; Christmas Past - power of the past) ● ‘..Scrooge with an interest he had had never
his eyes sparkled’ (Fred - warm - contrast with ● ‘The voice was soft and gentle’ (Ghost of felt before.’Tell me if Tiny Tim will live’ (Scrooge
Scrooge)) Christmas past - kindly, caring) cares about Tiny Tim - he is changing)
● ‘A kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time’ ● ‘A solitary child, neglected by his friends’ ● ‘If he be like to die, he had better do it, and
(Fred - Christmas) (Scrooge at school) decrease the surplus population’ (Ghost
● ‘Open up their shut-up hearts freely’ (Fred - ● ‘A lonely boy reading…’ reminds Scrooge of his cruel attitude towards
Christmas) ● ‘Scrooge wept to see his poor, forgotten self’ the poor.)
● ‘Can’t afford to make idle people merry’ ● ‘Father is so much kinder than he used to be’ ● ‘Scrooge was the Ogre of the family’ (what the
(Scrooge attitude towards the poor.) (Change is possible) Cratchits feel about Scrooge)
● ‘Many thousands are in want of common ● ‘He has the power to make us happy or ● ‘A place where miners live, who labour in the
necessaries’ (Portly gentlemen - desperate lives unhappy’ (Scrooge about Fezziwig - a good bowels of the earth.. Singing a Christmas song.’
of the poor) boss) (How Christmas is celebrated even in bleak
● ‘Decrease the surplus ● ‘Another idol has displaced me… A golden places.)
population’ (Scrooge - one’ (Belle about Scrooge’s love of money) ● ‘His wealth is of no use to him. He don’t do any
attitude towards the ● ‘You fear the world too much’ (Belle sees that good with it’. (Fred about Scrooge.)
death of the poor) Scrooge’s love of money comes from fear.) ● ‘They were a boy and a girl.
● ‘Darkness is cheap and ● ‘Might have called him father and been a Yellow, meagre, ragged,
Scrooge liked it.’ springtime in the haggard winter of his life’ scowling, wolfish’ (Ignorance
● ‘I wear the chains I forged (regret that he didn’t have a family) and Wan - symbol of poverty -
in life, I made them link by hiding under the skirts of
link’ (Marley’s ghost) Christmas)
● ‘No rest, no peace. ● ‘They are Man’s’ (Ignorance
Incessant torture of remorse’ (Marley’s death) and Want are created by
● ‘Mankind was my business’ mankind’s selfishness.)
● He tried to say ‘Humbug’ but stopped at the
first syllable.’ (The start of Scrooge’s
redemption (change))
Stave 1 - Introduction to Scrooge and Stave 2 - Ghost of Christmas Past - Stave 3 - Ghost of Christmas Present - visit
Marley’s Ghost Scrooge’s past - school days, Fezziwig, Belle. Cratchit, Fred and others on Christmas day.
● ‘Marley was a dead as a doornail’ ● ‘Unearthly visitor’ (ghost of ● ‘Jolly giant’ (Ghost of Christmas Present)
● ‘Tight-fisted’ Christmas Past) ● ‘Come in and know me better man’ (Scrooge is
● ‘Squeezing, wrenching, grasping’ (Scrooge) ● ‘Like a child, yet not so like a invited to meet and know Christmas)
● Hard and sharp as flint’ (Scrooge) child as an old man’ (Ghost ● ‘Its sparkling eye, its open hand, cheery voice’
● ‘Solitary and self contained as an oyster’ of Christmas past) (Ghost of Christmas present)
(Scrooge) ● ‘Tunic of pure white’ (Ghost ● ‘Why to a poor one most?’ asked Scrooge.
● ‘The cold within him froze his old features’ of Christmas past) ‘Because it needs it most’ (Ghost explains about
(Scrooge) ● ‘From it's head a bright giving)
● ‘Edge his way along the crowded paths of life’ clear jet of light’ (Ghost of ● ‘Mrs Cratchit…brave in ribbons’ (Mrs C has
(Scrooge) Christmas past) made the best of her old clothes.)
● ‘Cold, bleak, biting weather’ (Pathetic fallacy) ● ‘Ghost of ….your past’ ● ‘Tiny Tim, … his limbs supported by an iron
● ‘Fog came pouring in at every chink and (Ghost of Christmas past) frame’
keyhole’ (Pathetic fallacy) ● ‘Arms long and muscular.. ● ‘As good as gold… and better’ (Bob describes
● ‘Dismal cell’ (where Bob has to work) Hold of uncommon strength’ (Ghost of Tiny Tim)
● ‘All in a glow, face was ruddy and handsome; Christmas Past - power of the past) ● ‘..Scrooge with an interest he had had never
his eyes sparkled’ (Fred - warm - contrast with ● ‘The voice was soft and gentle’ (Ghost of felt before.’Tell me if Tiny Tim will live’ (Scrooge
Scrooge)) Christmas past - kindly, caring) cares about Tiny Tim - he is changing)
● ‘A kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time’ ● ‘A solitary child, neglected by his friends’ ● ‘If he be like to die, he had better do it, and
(Fred - Christmas) (Scrooge at school) decrease the surplus population’ (Ghost
● ‘Open up their shut-up hearts freely’ (Fred - ● ‘A lonely boy reading…’ reminds Scrooge of his cruel attitude towards
Christmas) ● ‘Scrooge wept to see his poor, forgotten self’ the poor.)
● ‘Can’t afford to make idle people merry’ ● ‘Father is so much kinder than he used to be’ ● ‘Scrooge was the Ogre of the family’ (what the
(Scrooge attitude towards the poor.) (Change is possible) Cratchits feel about Scrooge)
● ‘Many thousands are in want of common ● ‘He has the power to make us happy or ● ‘A place where miners live, who labour in the
necessaries’ (Portly gentlemen - desperate lives unhappy’ (Scrooge about Fezziwig - a good bowels of the earth.. Singing a Christmas song.’
of the poor) boss) (How Christmas is celebrated even in bleak
● ‘Decrease the surplus ● ‘Another idol has displaced me… A golden places.)
population’ (Scrooge - one’ (Belle about Scrooge’s love of money) ● ‘His wealth is of no use to him. He don’t do any
attitude towards the ● ‘You fear the world too much’ (Belle sees that good with it’. (Fred about Scrooge.)
death of the poor) Scrooge’s love of money comes from fear.) ● ‘They were a boy and a girl.
● ‘Darkness is cheap and ● ‘Might have called him father and been a Yellow, meagre, ragged,
Scrooge liked it.’ springtime in the haggard winter of his life’ scowling, wolfish’ (Ignorance
● ‘I wear the chains I forged (regret that he didn’t have a family) and Wan - symbol of poverty -
in life, I made them link by hiding under the skirts of
link’ (Marley’s ghost) Christmas)
● ‘No rest, no peace. ● ‘They are Man’s’ (Ignorance
Incessant torture of remorse’ (Marley’s death) and Want are created by
● ‘Mankind was my business’ mankind’s selfishness.)
● He tried to say ‘Humbug’ but stopped at the
first syllable.’ (The start of Scrooge’s
redemption (change))
