Himself, always." Christmas had been a quiet, reverent Christian holiday, but A Christmas Carol helped transform it into a festive day of celebration with its vivid descriptions of food, drink, and fun. It was a remarkable quality of the Ghost (which Scrooge had observed at the bakers), that notwithstanding his gigantic size, he could accommodate himself to any place with ease; and that he stood beneath a low roof quite as gracefully and like a supernatural creature, as it was possible he could have done in any lofty hall. The Handsome Family's greatest gift lies in its tremendous talent for painting vivid, sometimes terrifying pictures with every word NPR. Dickens uses the scene when the ghost of Christmas past, "a child-like old man" uses flashbacks to show Scrooge of the memories he once made to show the nature of the much younger character. I am afraid I have not. Scrooges behavior in Stave 1 towards the two portly gentlemen and his rudeness displayed towards his ruddy nephew Fred, encapsulates all the attitudes. But they were happy, grateful, pleased with one another, and contented with the time; and when they faded, and looked happier yet in the bright sprinklings of the Spirit's torch at parting, Scrooge had his eye upon them, and especially on Tiny Tim, until the last. philadelphia parking authority customer service phone number. Gentlemen of the free-and-easy sort, who plume themselves on being acquainted with a move or two, and being usually equal to the time-of-day, express the wide range of their capacity for adventure by observing that they are good for anything from pitch-and-toss to manslaughter; between which opposite extremes, no doubt, there lies a tolerably wide and comprehensive range of subjects. Wouldnt you. I. cried the Spirit. A Christmas Carol in Prose : Being a Ghost Story of Christmas. His active little crutch was heard upon the floor, and back came Tiny Tim before another word was spoken, escorted by his brother and sister to his stool before the fire; and while Bob, turning up his cuffs as if, poor fellow, they were capable of being made more shabby compounded some hot mixture in a jug with gin and lemons, and stirred it round and round and put it on the hob to simmer; Master Peter, and the two ubiquitous young Cratchits went to fetch the goose, with which they soon returned in high procession. Course Hero is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university. B In time the bells ceased, and the bakers were shut up; and yet there was a genial shadowing forth of all these dinners and the progress of their cooking, in the thawed blotch of wet above each bakers oven; where the pavement smoked as if its stones were cooking too. The two young Cratchits laughed tremendously at the idea of Peter's being a man of business; and Peter himself looked thoughtfully at the fire from between his collars, as if he were deliberating what particular investments he should favor, when he came into the receipt of that bewildering Income. (x2), S5 Bob: worry that Scrooge will punish him for being late: 'it's only, S5 Bob: shock at a 'raised salary' / thinking Scrooge has gone mad: calling to the people in, the court for help and a strait-waistcoat, The Cratchits - 'A Christmas Carol' Quotes, Bob Crachit and the Cratchit Family Quotes, A Christmas Carol - Ghost of Christmas Present, Unseen Poetry - Conventions / Links to love /, Drama - Acting / Staging / Lighting notes, myPerspectives: English Language Arts, Grade 7, Harold Levine, Norman Levine, Robert T. Levine, Vocabulary for Achievement: Fourth Course. Dickens skillfully incorporates various pictures of family dynamics through all three of his spirits: The Ghost of, Interestingly, this scene powerfully portrays the overarching theme of the book by illustrating what can happen when we compromise our perspectives. The rest of mankind is unified through cheer and celebration. Later on in the novel we find out that the young son of the Cratchit family is going to end up dying and, because of the love that his family shows, we feel much more emotion towards him. "I wish I had him here. The idea of Scrooges transformation not being selfish can also be seen in his aspiration to contribute to the wider community that suffers from a poverty stricken way of life. R Fred is retelling the story of his invitation to Scroogewhich was met with a "Bah humbug! 2003-2023 Chegg Inc. All rights reserved. Have never walked forth with the younger members of my family; meaning (for I am very young) my elder brothers born in these later years. pursued the Phantom. The nephew, in explaining to his family why he faithfully invited Scrooge to the celebration, said, I mean to give him the same chance every. Outside Scrooge's door, the spirit lifts his robe to reveal two filthy, starving children hiding beneath: "This boy is Ignorance. Brett is regularly troubled by severe bouts of depression, while Rennie went through a particularly bad time a few years ago, when . Accessed March 4, 2023. https://www.coursehero.com/lit/A-Christmas-Carol/. P A great deal of steam. Bob held his withered little hand in his, as if he loved the child, and wished to keep him by his side, and dreaded that he might be taken from him. 10 terms. 1. Bob's wife does her best to make the home festive with ribbons, holly, and tasty food. A Christmas Carol quotes and analysis. Come in. exclaimed the Ghost. There is. It was the first of their proceedings which had no heartiness in it. S As he and spirit leave, Scrooge finds himself unable to look away from poor Tiny Tim smiling by the fire. Tiny Tim drank it last of all, but he didn't care twopence for it. Because it's Christmas, a time of kindness and forgiveness, the others begrudgingly raise their glasses to Scrooge's health. Course Hero, Inc. As a reminder, you may only use Course Hero content for your own personal use and may not copy, distribute, or otherwise exploit it for any other purpose. Not coming upon Christmas Day. Martha didnt like to see him disappointed, if it were only in joke; so she came out prematurely from behind the closet door, and ran into his arms, while the two young Cratchits hustled Tiny Tim, and bore him off into the wash-house, that he might hear the pudding singing in the copper. Even though Fred and his guests tease Scrooge, Fred's invitation is warm and genuine. However, change as it is presented in this play is a manifestation of the human desire to experience quick and instantaneous transformation, even with someone's character which has formed over a period of decades. Eked out by apple-sauce and mashed potatoes, it was a sufficient dinner for the whole family; indeed, as Mrs Cratchit said with great delight (surveying one small atom of a bone upon the dish), they hadnt ate it all at last. There was nothing of high mark in this. God love it, so it was. When Scrooge finally experiences a family celebration at Fred's, he finds that he enjoys himselfso much so that, like a child, he begs the spirit to let him stay longer. T It was succeeded by a breathless pause, as Mrs Cratchit, looking slowly all along the carving-knife, prepared to plunge it in the breast; but when she did, and when the long expected gush of stuffing issued forth, one murmur of delight arose all round the board, and even Tiny Tim, excited by the two young Cratchits, beat on the table with the handle of his knife, and feebly cried Hurrah. The sight of these poor revellers appeared to interest the Spirit very much, for he stood with Scrooge beside him in a bakers doorway, and taking off the covers as their bearers passed, sprinkled incense on their dinners from his torch. Wed a deal of work to finish up last night, replied the girl, and had to clear away this morning, mother. Well. The reality is that most transformation and change takes years of hard work. But, they were happy, grateful, pleased with one another, and contented with the time. This shows the readers that to be a happy family you dont need money. I have endeavoured in this ghostly little book, to raise the ghost of an ideaMay it haunt their houses pleasantly, and. Tiny Tim's family didn't have a lot of money or extra means, yet they loved each other and had a sense of gratefulness for what they have. Theres such a goose, Martha. Why, bless your heart alive, my dear, how late you are. said Mrs Cratchit, kissing her a dozen times, and taking off her shawl and bonnet for her with officious zeal. This would affect the Victorian society as it would cause everyone to aspire to have a harmonious family like the Cratchits and especially around Christmas time. Through quick-fire questions, it's revealed that Fred is thinking of "a rather disagreeable animal, a savage animal, an animal that growled and grunted sometimes, and talked sometimes, and lived in London, and walked about the streets ." The guests laugh uproariously as they determine that the "animal" is, in fact, Fred's Uncle Scrooge. A person that didn't agree with the love and joy of Christmas was Mr. Scrooge. Its dark brown curls were long and free; free as its genial face, its sparkling eye, its open hand, its cheery voice, its unconstrained demeanour, and its joyful air. Tune in Monday for the sixth part of this inspiring story. When he opens the door to the adjoining room to investigate, he sees that the room has been transformed: it is decked floor to ceiling in decorations, "so hung with living green that it looked a perfect grove": glistening berries, holly, mistletoe, and ivy hang festively from the greens, glistening in the light of thousands of tiny mirrors. The mention of his name cast a dark shadow on the party, which was not dispelled for full five minutes. These aberrations touched him deeply and forced him to undergo change for the good of himself and others. precious father. Himself, always." work ethics activities for high school students . In addition to this, Scrooge also reforms his way of life in order to feel love and care from family, which satisfied his nephew Fred aswell as himself. "A Christmas Carol Study Guide." Scrooge was the Ogre of the family. Never mind so long as you are come, said Mrs Cratchit. Firstly, we discussed the Cratchit family and found out more about their respect for one another. Why, wheres our Martha. cried Bob Cratchit, looking round. "They were not a handsome family; they were not well dressed; their shoes were far from being water proof; their clothes were scanty; and Peter might have known, and very likely did, the inside of a pawnbroker's. But they were happy, grateful, pleased with one another, and contented with the time" answer choices Somehow he gets thoughtful, sitting by himself so much, and thinks the strangest things you ever heard. The mention of his name cast a dark shadow on the party, which was not dispelled for full five minutes. By pulling back the curtains and waiting, Scrooge thinks he has the situation figured outthat he can control it in the same way he controls business ventures. God bless us every one. said Tiny Tim, the last of all. Web. The Waltons they ain't. Both have a history of mental illness. Joy is a choice, and that choice is made easier when we are surrounded by the ones we love. Nobody knows it better than you do, poor fellow. My dear, was Bobs mild answer, Christmas Day. Ill drink his health for your sake and the Days, said Mrs Cratchit, not for his. She doesn't understand why Fred continues to engage with his nasty uncle. It was the first of their proceedings which had no heartiness. Martha and Peter, the eldest Cratchit children, are forced out of school and into the workforce to help support their large family. For they said, it was a shame to quarrel upon Christmas Day. At last, however, he began to think as you or I would have thought at first; for it is always the person not in the predicament who knows what ought to have been done in it, and would unquestionably have done it too at last, I say, he began to think that the source and secret of this ghostly light might be in the adjoining room, from whence, on further tracing it, it seemed to shine. It was the first of their proceedings which had no heartiness. That 's all." He obeyed. The Handsome Family is an American music duo consisting of husband and wife Brett and Rennie Sparks formed in Chicago, Illinois, and as of 2001 based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. W Instead consider, this would have appeal to Dickens Victorian readers sense of). Tiny Tim drank it last of all, but he didn't care twopence for it. But, they were happy, grateful, pleased with one another" . Scrooge was the ogre of the family. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. Although Bob is serious, his family scoffs at the toast. I But soon the steeples called good people all, to church and chapel, and away they came, flocking through the streets in their best clothes, and with their gayest faces. Even though the Cratchits are poor and dont have much wealth, they manage to still maintain their happiness. . He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew Discuss Scrooges transformation in A Christmas Carol. It can be seen that his new found way of life is derived from the desire to be a good man of the community and to assist others such as Tiny Tim. A Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!he'll be very merry and very happy I have no doubt!". Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter so you dont miss any of the story! Bob inquires whether Martha, his eldest child, has come home from her job as apprentice to a milliner. The Cratchit family symbolises real family and love throughout the novel, this is shown clearly from the quote, They were not a handsome family; they were not well dressed; their shoes were far from being water-proof; their clothes were scanty; and Peter might have known, and very likely did, the inside of a pawnbrokers. They were not a handsome family; they were not well dressed; their shoes were far from being waterproof; their clothes were scanty; and Peter might have known, and very likely did, the inside of a pawnbroker's. But, they were happy, grateful, pleased with one another, and Mr. Scrooge, the Founder of the Feast! If you havent already, be sure to give Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4 a read before continuing to the story below. Tiny Tim is disabled and carries a crutch, but it does not dampen his joyful spirit. It would have been flat heresy to do so. This garment hung so loosely on the figure, that its capacious breast was bare, as if disdaining to be warded or concealed by any artifice. As good as gold, said Bob, and better. Perhaps this is because he sees, for the first time, that he would be welcome. A South Carolina jury has found once-prominent attorney Alex Murdaugh guilty on all counts in the deaths of his wife and son. As Scrooge and the spirit travel across the country, traveling farther and farther away from civilization, they are able to find the Christmas spirit everywhere: in a mining village, in a lighthouse, even on a ship in the middle of the ocean. However, on Christmas Eve, Scrooge gets a start that begins to jolt him into seeing the errors of his ways. But, they were happy, grateful, pleased with one another, and contented with the time; and when they faded, and looked happier yet in the bright sprinklings of the Spirits torch at parting, Scrooge had his eye upon them, and especially on Tiny Tim, until the last. The author illustrates that Scrooge who is depicted as "hard and sharp as a flint" is a greedy miser whom is so old and coldhearted that nothing other than his profits will phase him. Heres Martha, mother. cried the two young Cratchits. He didn't understand what Christmas meant, and how people could enjoy the holiday season without any money. A M Any Cratchit would have blushed to hint at such a thing. Page 31, STAVE IV. Five minutes, ten minutes, a quarter of an hour went by, yet nothing came. Dickens presents the poor, hard working Cratchit family in a very positive light. And this makes him feel better, because the spirits surprise him at every turn, leaving him vulnerable and nervous: "he was powerless to make out what [the light] meant," leaving him "taken with a violent fit of trembling." ^They were not a handsome family but they were happy, grateful, pleased with one another _ On the other hand, Dickens presents the greedy, miser Ebenezer Scrooge in a negative light. He urges Scrooge to "Come in! F Theres father coming, cried the two young Cratchits, who were everywhere at once. Chemolithoautotrophic Campylobacterota are widespread and predominant in worldwide hydrothermal vents, and they are key players in the turnover of zero-valence sulfur. We will share this classic Christmas story in 10 parts every weekday for the next two weeks. Scrooge seeks redemption through the many lessons taught by the Spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. "Do you have many siblings spirit?" said Scrooge "Well over eighteen hundred" replied the spirit - the huge amount of brothers and sisters that the spirit has put emphasis on the importance of family. Also, how she had seen a Countess and a Lord some days before, and how the Lord "was much about as tall as Peter"; at which Peter pulled up his collars so high, that you couldn't have seen his head if you had been there. The way Dickens has structured the quote in small short sentences could show that small little things are just as good as huge expensive things. Never, Scrooge made answer to it. Girded round its middle was an antique scabbard; but no sword was in it, and the ancient sheath was eaten up with rust. "A Christmas Carol Study Guide." The Grocers. Before Scrooge knows it, they are back on the London streets, standing outside Fred's apartment, where the room is filled with laughter. In this passage, the tone of the paragraph is a tone of what Christmas is supposed to mean, gratefulness for what we are blessed with, and not having greed for more. The spirit mentions his "more than eighteen hundred" brothers, referencing the number of Christmases since Christ's birth (the first Christmas). Can you link this to harmony?). But, finding that he turned uncomfortably cold when he began to wonder which of his curtains this new spectre would draw back, he put them every one aside with his own hands, and lying down again, established a sharp look-out all round the bed. Page 17, STAVE III. The books main character, Scrooge, finds himself on a journey guided by three spirits, a journey which eventually serves to forever change his perspective on life. Once again time is twisted, as Ebenezer Scrooge awakens at nearly the same time he fell asleep. Other sets by this creator. Scrooge had no friends when he went to school and his family where the ones that betrayed his trust and sent him there anyway, so who could he trust? In, The journey to his childhood results in visible signs of emotion in Scrooge, which we do not associate with him to start with, as this one of the first ways that Dickens presents the change in Scrooge. Z, Terms of use I dont think I have, said Scrooge. Despite making him the butt of the joke, Fred, like Bob Cratchit, insists on raising a glass and toasting his uncle's health. Our essays show how Dickens promoted love and peace in his novel a Christmas carol. Ebenezer Scrooge is a hard-hearted businessman who thinks that the less attention he pays to mankinds problems the better. Spirit, said Scrooge, with an interest he had never felt before, tell me if Tiny Tim will live. I see a vacant seat, replied the Ghost, in the poor chimney-corner, and a crutch without an owner, carefully preserved. (Teachers response: consider also the rhythm created by the alliteration. In fact, the novella was groundbreaking for its lack of Christian themes, instead highlighting the secular themes of generosity and good will. Mrs. Cratchit and her daughter, both wearing threadbare dresses but bedecked in cheap ribbons to look festive, prepare the house for their Christmas dinner, a goose, which the children eagerly anticipate. All this time the chestnuts and the jug went round and round; and bye and bye they had a song, about a lost child travelling in the snow, from Tiny Tim, who had a plaintive little voice, and sang it very well indeed. The sky was gloomy, and the shortest streets were choked up with a dingy mist, half thawed, half frozen, whose heavier particles descended in shower of sooty atoms, as if all the chimneys in Great Britain had, by one consent, caught fire, and were blazing away to their dear hearts content. They were not a handsome family; they were not well dressed; their shoes were far from being water-proof; their clothes were scanty; and Peter might have known, and very likely did, the inside of a pawnbrokers. Fred says, "His wealth is of no use to [Scrooge]. The mention of his name cast a dark shadow on the party which was not dispelled for full five minutes. Upload them to earn free Course Hero access! Holly, mistletoe, red berries, ivy, turkeys, geese, game, poultry, brawn, meat, pigs, sausages, oysters, pies, puddings, fruit, and punch, all vanished instantly. Dickens also uses his characters to endorse other lessons that he believed were essential in keeping Christmas well. When Scrooge and the spirit first step onto the streets, the reader is given a long description of busy shops and bustling shoppers: These descriptions create a mood of indulgence and gluttony. This idea taking full possession of his mind, he got up softly and shuffled in his slippers to the door. A Christmas carol key quotes. While the novella celebrates secular Christmas traditions like shopping, partying, and feasting, it also offers social critique of overconsumption. Dickens wants to highlight family and love in the novel and he does this cleverly through the Cratchits. S3 Bob: loyal / grateful to Scrooge: I'll give you. They were not a handsome family; they were not well dressed; their shoes were far from being water-proof; their clothes were scanty; and Peter might have known, and very likely did, the inside of . E These held the hot stuff from the jug, however, as well as golden goblets would have done; and Bob served it out with beaming looks, while the chestnuts on the fire sputtered and cracked noisily. Scrooge watches the family with curiosity, struggling to understand their happiness: "They were not a handsome family; they were not well dressed; their shoes were far from being waterproof; their clothes were scanty but they were happy, grateful, pleased with one another, and contented with the time." A smell like a washing-day. But, they were happy, grateful. It was clothed in one simple green robe, or mantle, bordered with white fur. As Dickens explains, They were not a handsome family; they were not well dressed; their shoes were far from being water-proof; their clothes were scanty But they were happy, grateful, pleased with one another, and contented with the times (page 54). All sorts of horrors were supposed. But they were happy, grateful, pleased with one another, and contented with the time, Repetition of not, the repeated semicolon prolongs the suffering, The scene at their home is a pivotal moment as it critises disconnected members of the upper class who are alone, And now 2 smaller Cratchits came tearing in, screaming that outside the backers they could smell a goosebasking In luxurious thoughts of sage and onions, these young Cratchits danced around the table, So middle class audience sympathise when the bad things happen to them. Tiny Tim drank it last of all, but he didnt care twopence for it. In this way, Fred, Bob, and even the lonely lighthouse workers are far richer than Scrooge. 2023. V There were great, round, round, pot-bellied baskets of chestnuts, shaped like the waistcoats of jolly old gentlemen, lolling at the doors, and tumbling out into the street in their apoplectic opulence. Remember that, and charge their doings on themselves, not us. Scrooge promised that he would; and they went on, invisible, as they had been before, into the suburbs of the town. Some of the key things we discussed are. They were not a handsome family; they were not well dressed; their shoes were far from being water-proof; their clothes were scanty; and Peter might have known, and very likely did, the inside of a pawnbroker's. Mrs Cratchit, `not for his. Echoing Scrooge's cruel words, the spirit fades into the night saying, "Are there no prisons? In Scrooges past and present, his actions had not been admirable. At last the dinner was all done, the cloth was cleared, the hearth swept, and the fire made up. Your lip is trembling. They were not a handsome family, they were not well-dressed.but they were happy, grateful, pleased with one another, and contented with the time There is a list embedded within here to highlight all the things that the Cratchits could be displeased about but they are completely immersed in the celebrations. He told me, coming home, that he hoped the people saw him in the church, because he was a cripple, and it might be pleasant to them to remember upon Christmas Day, who made lame beggars walk, and blind men see. Bobs voice was tremulous when he told them this, and trembled more when he said that Tiny Tim was growing strong and hearty. A Christmas Carol Study Guide. . L The Morgan Library & Museum is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10:30 am to 5 pm, and Friday from 10:30 am to 7 pm. say he will be spared. If these shadows remain unaltered by the Future, none other of my race, returned the Ghost, will find him here. My own. Would it apply to any kind of dinner on this day. asked Scrooge. A smell like an eating-house and a pastrycooks next door to each other, with a laundresss next door to that. Because Scrooge was able to experience the company of the ghosts of christmas past, present and future he positively changed his attitude and his outlook on life. Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol is a moral tale that depicts the protagonists Ebenezer Scrooges moral journey from selfishness to redemption. Even Tiny Tim, weak and disabled, has a pure heart, wishing everyoneeven cold Mr. Scroogea happy and blessed Christmas. Id give him a piece of my mind to feast upon, and I hope hed have a good appetite for it. My dear, said Bob, the children. There all the children of the house were running out Remember, short, precise quotations are best. Course Hero. Autograph manuscript signed, December 1843Page 40, "The Founder of the Feast indeed!" Play this game to review Literature. S3 Cratchits: grateful / poor but still happy: They were not a. handsome family [.] There was nothing of high mark in this; they were not a handsome family; they were not well dressed; their shoes were far from being waterproof; their clothes were scant; and Peter might have known, and very likely did, the inside of a Pawnbroker's.