A Christmas Carol Quote Analysis
Scrooge:
“Squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner.”
● Overall, this quote establishes Scrooge as an archetypal villain- someone who is seen as
evil, typically self-centred and power hungry- in the context of an impoverished society.
● Dickens aims to critique, from the offset, that social injustice is synonymous with the
avariciousness and frugality of the upper classes.
● Alternatively, the use of 7 negative adjectives mirrors how there are 7 deadly sins- these
are called cardinal sins and were seen in the bible as the root of all evil. This may be
implied in order to personify the misanthropic and irreligious qualities of Scrooge as he
embodies all 7 of the deadly sins. As he is microcosmic for the Victorian upper echelon,
Dickens may utilise their fears of eternal damnation in order to elicit thought and change
within his readership.
● In particular the adjectives, “squeezing" and "wrenching" connote ideas of struggle or
hardship. This may perhaps serve to reinforce how Scrooge struggles to assimilate
(blend) into society, due to his desire to ostracise and isolate himself in the depths of his
own avariciousness and wealth.
● Alternatively, this idea may be emblematic of Dickens' criticism of how Scrooge does not
endure any struggles, as he is protected by his social class, yet perpetuates struggle and
suffering amongst the poor.
● Furthermore, this quote is plagued with sibilance (e.g. squeezing… grasping… scraping
… sinner.) which almost develops a harrowing and sinister tone- which is perhaps used
as a tool to signify the harrowing impacts of Scrooge’s avariciousness.
● Alternatively, the ‘hushing’ effect of this sibilance may be emblematic of how Scrooge’s
qualities almost silence the impoverished poor, denying them of any hope.
● As the foundations of Victorian morality was religion, the parallels between Scrooge and
the sins are used by Dickens to highlight how the rich, symbolised by Scrooge, are more
sinful than the poor. At the time, laws such as the 1834 Poor Law were put in place to
combat the "laziness” of the poor.
● This law meant the poor, including children as young as 5, were subject to these hubs of
squalor which wholly dehumanised them as people.
● Dickens is inverting this idea that the poor are sinners, instead highlighting the rich are
more immoral, perhaps with the intention of catalysing reform amongst the religious
upper echelon.
,“The cold within him froze his old features.”
● Overall, this quote presents Scrooge as successful in his ostracization and isolation from
society; Dickens uses the The of the relentless cold to illuminate how Scrooge's internal
apathy and yearning for isolation is so omnipotent, it even has an impact on his physical
appearance.
● Scrooge is the epitome of misery in Staive 1 as he wilfully ostracises himself from society
to avoid joy and happiness: "the cold within him froze his old features"
● The conceit of the relentless cold reinforces his alikeness to the bitter weather- his cold
and apathetic attitude makes him hostile, particularly unwelcoming to any happiness or
joy. This vilifies the apathetic and avaricious nature of the Victorian upper class,
highlighting how these traits lead to a loss of happiness and joy.
● In Particular, the adjective "old", paired with the "cold" freezing this, shows how his
internal apathy and detachment is so omnipotent, it has altered his physical appearance
and preserved him in this ageing melancholic state.
● Alternatively, the idea that these traits have ‘froze’ may develop the false impression
that Scrooge is incapable of reform as he is frozen in his melancholic and misanthropic
state. Perhaps this serves to illustrate the impression of limited capability of the upper
class, thus to encourage his Victorian aristocratic readership to reform as they are
frightened by the social faux pas.
● To a Victorian readership, this quote aids in their understanding of the harsh and
heartless nature of pursuing material wealth, and thus may serves as an allegorical
cautionary tale against avarice and greed.
● For a contemporary reader, however, this quote merely reflects our disappointment and
anguish at the attitudes and actions of the Victorian aristocracy—and their lack of social
conscience.
● Contextually, Scrooge’s cold-hearted and misanthropic nature may be reminiscent of the
common ignorant views of the victorian aristocracy- which was personified through that
of Thomas Multhus.
● Thomas Multhus, a British economist, upheld the belief that poverty was an inevitable
consequence of an increasing population.
● Therefore, Dickens constructs scrooge as a mouthpiece for these malthusian beliefs by
presenting them as synonymous with internal apathy and coldness, thus encouraging his
readership to consider their own miserly attitudes and behaviours.
, “Are there no prisons? Are there no union workhouses?”
● Overall, this quote exposes Scrooge’s strong malthusian beliefs, which paired with the
rhetorical questions, highlights the sheer ignorance of the victorian upper echelon
towards poverty. Scrooge is unable to see the poor with any humanity, and instead sees
them as mere numbers contributing to the “surplus population”.
● Alternatively, this quote may serve to foreshadow the doomed and suppressed
repercussions of Scrooge’s miser and avarice- perhaps hinting at the idea that he will
eventually be sent to a similar hub of imprisonment and squalor by the divine.
● In particular, the repetitive use of the rhetorical questions may almost be reminiscent of
his desire to shun the problems of the poor to one side- he does not necessarily aim to
pursue answers to these problems but rather erase his responsibility for them.
● Furthermore, the dual use of the common nouns, ‘prison,’ and ‘workhouses,’ directly
denote these ideas of imprisonment and entrapment- perhaps serving as the epitome of
the upper classes ignorant views. It is the perfect indictment of their desires to absolve
themselves from their social responsibilities in pursuit of material wealth; which
subsequently causes the poor to be plunged deeper into the depths of poverty.
● To us as a modern day reader, this simply evokes a deep sense of empathy for those
who are subject to this dismissive discrimination, whilst emmenating the helpless desire
for members of the Victorian upper class to reform.
● To a Victorian reader, however, this may have urged them to recognise the uncanny and
callous nature of these ignorant views and thus the importance of compassion,
empathy and addressing the issues of poverty in society.
● Contextually, the demonstration of Scrooge’s Malthusian beliefs may link to Dickens’
intention of writing his timeless novella as it strongly criticised the poor law of 1834.
● The introduction of workhouses, due to the belief that the poor were lazy, meant
children as young as five were subject to these hubs of squalor.
● Therefore, within Dickens political diatribe, he makes the ghost make Scrooge face the
disenfranchised poor, in order to change his attitude for a sense of justice. He shows the
reader that they must be accountable for their actions otherwise they will continue to
drive these citizens into the depths of poverty and destroy their innocence.
“He seized the extinguisher cap, and by a sudden action pressed it down upon his head.”
● Overall, this quote reveals Scrooge resistment to redemption, as the light symbolises
revelation and reminiscence, Scrooge wants to exterminate this due him unable to
confront his pain from the past.
Scrooge:
“Squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner.”
● Overall, this quote establishes Scrooge as an archetypal villain- someone who is seen as
evil, typically self-centred and power hungry- in the context of an impoverished society.
● Dickens aims to critique, from the offset, that social injustice is synonymous with the
avariciousness and frugality of the upper classes.
● Alternatively, the use of 7 negative adjectives mirrors how there are 7 deadly sins- these
are called cardinal sins and were seen in the bible as the root of all evil. This may be
implied in order to personify the misanthropic and irreligious qualities of Scrooge as he
embodies all 7 of the deadly sins. As he is microcosmic for the Victorian upper echelon,
Dickens may utilise their fears of eternal damnation in order to elicit thought and change
within his readership.
● In particular the adjectives, “squeezing" and "wrenching" connote ideas of struggle or
hardship. This may perhaps serve to reinforce how Scrooge struggles to assimilate
(blend) into society, due to his desire to ostracise and isolate himself in the depths of his
own avariciousness and wealth.
● Alternatively, this idea may be emblematic of Dickens' criticism of how Scrooge does not
endure any struggles, as he is protected by his social class, yet perpetuates struggle and
suffering amongst the poor.
● Furthermore, this quote is plagued with sibilance (e.g. squeezing… grasping… scraping
… sinner.) which almost develops a harrowing and sinister tone- which is perhaps used
as a tool to signify the harrowing impacts of Scrooge’s avariciousness.
● Alternatively, the ‘hushing’ effect of this sibilance may be emblematic of how Scrooge’s
qualities almost silence the impoverished poor, denying them of any hope.
● As the foundations of Victorian morality was religion, the parallels between Scrooge and
the sins are used by Dickens to highlight how the rich, symbolised by Scrooge, are more
sinful than the poor. At the time, laws such as the 1834 Poor Law were put in place to
combat the "laziness” of the poor.
● This law meant the poor, including children as young as 5, were subject to these hubs of
squalor which wholly dehumanised them as people.
● Dickens is inverting this idea that the poor are sinners, instead highlighting the rich are
more immoral, perhaps with the intention of catalysing reform amongst the religious
upper echelon.
,“The cold within him froze his old features.”
● Overall, this quote presents Scrooge as successful in his ostracization and isolation from
society; Dickens uses the The of the relentless cold to illuminate how Scrooge's internal
apathy and yearning for isolation is so omnipotent, it even has an impact on his physical
appearance.
● Scrooge is the epitome of misery in Staive 1 as he wilfully ostracises himself from society
to avoid joy and happiness: "the cold within him froze his old features"
● The conceit of the relentless cold reinforces his alikeness to the bitter weather- his cold
and apathetic attitude makes him hostile, particularly unwelcoming to any happiness or
joy. This vilifies the apathetic and avaricious nature of the Victorian upper class,
highlighting how these traits lead to a loss of happiness and joy.
● In Particular, the adjective "old", paired with the "cold" freezing this, shows how his
internal apathy and detachment is so omnipotent, it has altered his physical appearance
and preserved him in this ageing melancholic state.
● Alternatively, the idea that these traits have ‘froze’ may develop the false impression
that Scrooge is incapable of reform as he is frozen in his melancholic and misanthropic
state. Perhaps this serves to illustrate the impression of limited capability of the upper
class, thus to encourage his Victorian aristocratic readership to reform as they are
frightened by the social faux pas.
● To a Victorian readership, this quote aids in their understanding of the harsh and
heartless nature of pursuing material wealth, and thus may serves as an allegorical
cautionary tale against avarice and greed.
● For a contemporary reader, however, this quote merely reflects our disappointment and
anguish at the attitudes and actions of the Victorian aristocracy—and their lack of social
conscience.
● Contextually, Scrooge’s cold-hearted and misanthropic nature may be reminiscent of the
common ignorant views of the victorian aristocracy- which was personified through that
of Thomas Multhus.
● Thomas Multhus, a British economist, upheld the belief that poverty was an inevitable
consequence of an increasing population.
● Therefore, Dickens constructs scrooge as a mouthpiece for these malthusian beliefs by
presenting them as synonymous with internal apathy and coldness, thus encouraging his
readership to consider their own miserly attitudes and behaviours.
, “Are there no prisons? Are there no union workhouses?”
● Overall, this quote exposes Scrooge’s strong malthusian beliefs, which paired with the
rhetorical questions, highlights the sheer ignorance of the victorian upper echelon
towards poverty. Scrooge is unable to see the poor with any humanity, and instead sees
them as mere numbers contributing to the “surplus population”.
● Alternatively, this quote may serve to foreshadow the doomed and suppressed
repercussions of Scrooge’s miser and avarice- perhaps hinting at the idea that he will
eventually be sent to a similar hub of imprisonment and squalor by the divine.
● In particular, the repetitive use of the rhetorical questions may almost be reminiscent of
his desire to shun the problems of the poor to one side- he does not necessarily aim to
pursue answers to these problems but rather erase his responsibility for them.
● Furthermore, the dual use of the common nouns, ‘prison,’ and ‘workhouses,’ directly
denote these ideas of imprisonment and entrapment- perhaps serving as the epitome of
the upper classes ignorant views. It is the perfect indictment of their desires to absolve
themselves from their social responsibilities in pursuit of material wealth; which
subsequently causes the poor to be plunged deeper into the depths of poverty.
● To us as a modern day reader, this simply evokes a deep sense of empathy for those
who are subject to this dismissive discrimination, whilst emmenating the helpless desire
for members of the Victorian upper class to reform.
● To a Victorian reader, however, this may have urged them to recognise the uncanny and
callous nature of these ignorant views and thus the importance of compassion,
empathy and addressing the issues of poverty in society.
● Contextually, the demonstration of Scrooge’s Malthusian beliefs may link to Dickens’
intention of writing his timeless novella as it strongly criticised the poor law of 1834.
● The introduction of workhouses, due to the belief that the poor were lazy, meant
children as young as five were subject to these hubs of squalor.
● Therefore, within Dickens political diatribe, he makes the ghost make Scrooge face the
disenfranchised poor, in order to change his attitude for a sense of justice. He shows the
reader that they must be accountable for their actions otherwise they will continue to
drive these citizens into the depths of poverty and destroy their innocence.
“He seized the extinguisher cap, and by a sudden action pressed it down upon his head.”
● Overall, this quote reveals Scrooge resistment to redemption, as the light symbolises
revelation and reminiscence, Scrooge wants to exterminate this due him unable to
confront his pain from the past.
