A Christmas Carol Quotes:
● “If they would rather die,they had better do it and decrease the surplus population.”Dickens uses
Mathusian’s views to suggest that Scrooge has been influenced by capitalism,implying that Scrooge
thinks that its poor people’s fault that their poor.Therefore,he treats the poor as inhuman and
desensitised creatures that he has no responsibility over.Also,Dickens uses irony as Scrooge is seen as
a victim as he thinks about “decreasing the surplus population”,but he leads an empty life and complains
about there being too much ‘population’ when he he’s a loner,a recluse.Furthermore,irony is used as he
has nobody and that he needs more population to feel that void but as he’s a capitalistic man,all he
cares about is money,not love or affection.
● “I wear the chain I forged in life.”The ‘chain’ is a symbol of his actions,so Marley is only wearing the
chain because of his actions in his past life.Also,it could suggest that it acts as a warning as the more
actions you do the heavier it gets and so it will drag you down,it’ll become like a disease that you have
to carry around.Therefore,it acts as a warning to Scrooge for the consequences he’ll face if he carries
on.
● “His wealth is of no use to him.He don’t do any good with it.”This suggests that others view his wealth as
being pointless and that it has no use.Furthermore,Scrooge is viewed as a victim and when your a
victim you only do what you think is right,that’s why Scrooge commits many sins.Additionally,it suggest
that nobody likes him and so he is isolated from society and when he changes it’s seen more of an
issue.Others think that this money will be useful for those,who actually need it and will use it and so
think that he doesn’t deserve to have money.
● “The boy is ignorance.This girl is want.”This ‘boy’ is symbolic of the ignorance of society meaning that
society,especially the wealthy are ‘ignorant’ of the struggles of the lower class,ignorant of the struggles
of young men and women growing up in a society;all this suffering has become cyclical as society is
unaware of it because it’s ignored.They’re only ignorant due to the capitalist system that creates
immense poverty,where it creates lives and benefits people like Scrooge.Whereas,others struggle to
make it.Additionally,”want” could suggest that people want basic needs.
● “Hard and sharp as flint.”Dickens is objectifying Scrooge by suggesting that he is
‘flint.’Also,’hard’,suggests that Scrooge has many barriers and so it’s hard to get through but it’s hard to
break through.This is because he is,’Sharp’,which suggests that when you go near Scrooge he hurts
other like his nephew.Also,it could suggest that he is isolated and stuck as he likes to be separated from
others and be by himself and that no one can change him as he’s ‘sharp’.
● “A churchyard,overrun by weeds,the growth of vegetation’s death not life-a worthy place!”This could
suggest that Scrooge is isolated and lonely as his grave is “overrun by weeds”suggesting that no one
has taken care of him due to his actions towards others and so is lonely.Furthermore,he is by himself in
his grave,so it could suggest that he’s isolated from others even after his death.
● “I am as light as a feather,I am as happy as an angel,I am as merry as a school boy,I am as giddy as a
drunken man.”This suggests that poor people are the happiest and content while the unhappiest people
are the wealthy.The Cratchit family are together while Scrooge is by himself,doing everything by himself.
● “Scrooge was conscious of a thousand odours floating in the air,each one connected with a thousand
thoughts and hopes and joys long long forgotten”This suggests the chains loosening of Scrooge and as
the novel develops,he slowly loosens every chain.This shows the actual process of Scrooge changing.
● “ The house-fronts looked black enough,and the windows blacker,contrasting with the smooth white
sheet of snow upon the roofs,and with the dirtier snow upon the ground”The “snow” is a metaphor that
represents the people.The “snow”on the top of the roof seems relaxed,untouched,almost as if no one
has stepped on it as there’s no dirt on it.Also,the white snow seems to look at the dirty snow on the
ground ,therefore it’s metaphorical and a symbolic of the rich upper class,just sitting there
relaxing,untouched while at the bottom,the dirty snow,which symbolises the poor,could suggest that
they’re struggling and suffering and that they’re doing all the hard work that allows those on the top of
the roof to relax.
● “If they would rather die,they had better do it and decrease the surplus population.”Dickens uses
Mathusian’s views to suggest that Scrooge has been influenced by capitalism,implying that Scrooge
thinks that its poor people’s fault that their poor.Therefore,he treats the poor as inhuman and
desensitised creatures that he has no responsibility over.Also,Dickens uses irony as Scrooge is seen as
a victim as he thinks about “decreasing the surplus population”,but he leads an empty life and complains
about there being too much ‘population’ when he he’s a loner,a recluse.Furthermore,irony is used as he
has nobody and that he needs more population to feel that void but as he’s a capitalistic man,all he
cares about is money,not love or affection.
● “I wear the chain I forged in life.”The ‘chain’ is a symbol of his actions,so Marley is only wearing the
chain because of his actions in his past life.Also,it could suggest that it acts as a warning as the more
actions you do the heavier it gets and so it will drag you down,it’ll become like a disease that you have
to carry around.Therefore,it acts as a warning to Scrooge for the consequences he’ll face if he carries
on.
● “His wealth is of no use to him.He don’t do any good with it.”This suggests that others view his wealth as
being pointless and that it has no use.Furthermore,Scrooge is viewed as a victim and when your a
victim you only do what you think is right,that’s why Scrooge commits many sins.Additionally,it suggest
that nobody likes him and so he is isolated from society and when he changes it’s seen more of an
issue.Others think that this money will be useful for those,who actually need it and will use it and so
think that he doesn’t deserve to have money.
● “The boy is ignorance.This girl is want.”This ‘boy’ is symbolic of the ignorance of society meaning that
society,especially the wealthy are ‘ignorant’ of the struggles of the lower class,ignorant of the struggles
of young men and women growing up in a society;all this suffering has become cyclical as society is
unaware of it because it’s ignored.They’re only ignorant due to the capitalist system that creates
immense poverty,where it creates lives and benefits people like Scrooge.Whereas,others struggle to
make it.Additionally,”want” could suggest that people want basic needs.
● “Hard and sharp as flint.”Dickens is objectifying Scrooge by suggesting that he is
‘flint.’Also,’hard’,suggests that Scrooge has many barriers and so it’s hard to get through but it’s hard to
break through.This is because he is,’Sharp’,which suggests that when you go near Scrooge he hurts
other like his nephew.Also,it could suggest that he is isolated and stuck as he likes to be separated from
others and be by himself and that no one can change him as he’s ‘sharp’.
● “A churchyard,overrun by weeds,the growth of vegetation’s death not life-a worthy place!”This could
suggest that Scrooge is isolated and lonely as his grave is “overrun by weeds”suggesting that no one
has taken care of him due to his actions towards others and so is lonely.Furthermore,he is by himself in
his grave,so it could suggest that he’s isolated from others even after his death.
● “I am as light as a feather,I am as happy as an angel,I am as merry as a school boy,I am as giddy as a
drunken man.”This suggests that poor people are the happiest and content while the unhappiest people
are the wealthy.The Cratchit family are together while Scrooge is by himself,doing everything by himself.
● “Scrooge was conscious of a thousand odours floating in the air,each one connected with a thousand
thoughts and hopes and joys long long forgotten”This suggests the chains loosening of Scrooge and as
the novel develops,he slowly loosens every chain.This shows the actual process of Scrooge changing.
● “ The house-fronts looked black enough,and the windows blacker,contrasting with the smooth white
sheet of snow upon the roofs,and with the dirtier snow upon the ground”The “snow” is a metaphor that
represents the people.The “snow”on the top of the roof seems relaxed,untouched,almost as if no one
has stepped on it as there’s no dirt on it.Also,the white snow seems to look at the dirty snow on the
ground ,therefore it’s metaphorical and a symbolic of the rich upper class,just sitting there
relaxing,untouched while at the bottom,the dirty snow,which symbolises the poor,could suggest that
they’re struggling and suffering and that they’re doing all the hard work that allows those on the top of
the roof to relax.
