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christmas carol key quotes and meanings gcse grade 9
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Christmas carol (Charles dickens)Themes: Christmas , redemption , social injustice , greed , poverty/wealth , supernatural ,
Story : A Christmas Carol is a play about a mean-spirited and selfish old man, Ebenezer Scrooge, who hates
Christmas.
One cold Christmas Eve, Scrooge is unkind to the people who work for him, then refuses to give to charity, and then
is rude to his nephew when he invites him to spend Christmas with him.
When Scrooge gets home, he is visited by the ghost of his old business partner Jacob Marley – and then by three
ghosts! They are the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Future.
The Ghost of Christmas Past takes Scrooge on a journey through Christmases from his past, taking Scrooge to see
himself as an unhappy child and a young man more in love with money than his fiancée.
The Ghost of Christmas Present shows Scrooge his clerk, Bob Cratchit’s family. At Bob Cratchit’s house Scrooge sees
Tiny Tim, who is very ill, but full of spirit. The ghost then takes him to see his nephew Fred’s Christmas celebrations -
which he had been invited to, but rebuffed.
Finally, The Ghost of Christmas Future terrifies Scrooge by showing him visions of his own death…
The ghosts’ journey through time teaches Scrooge the error of his ways. When he wakes up on Christmas Day he is
full of excitement, and buys the biggest turkey in the shop for the Cratchit family before spending the day with his
nephew, full of the joys of Christmas.
Greed
Redemption The theme of greed is shown through a few characters
All events in this novella are following the in the novella - predominantly we see Scrooge’s greed
transformation of Scrooge’s miserable character at the regarding money and wealth as he refuses to part with
start to his kind and generous character at the end. In a single penny for any cause. We also see it through
order to escape the horrible fate of Marley, Scrooge Scrooge’s past that greed corrupted Scrooge and led to
must change and atone for his sins against mankind the end of his relationship with Belle, leaving him to
and redeem himself. Scrooge’s redemption is lead an isolated life. We also see the consequences of
foreshadowed by Dickens throughout the novella greed personified in Marley and his heavy chain.
through small hints such as Scrooge’s father’s Moreover, the poor people who rob Scrooge’s house
redemption and the transformation of Scrooge’s room after his death in Stave Four shows how greed leads to
in Stave three immoral and corrupt behaviour across all classes.
Family
Social Responsibility
The importance of family is central to the story.
Dickens wanted his readers to recognise that their
Dickens shows many examples of loving and
actions have consequences on others - particularly the
supportive families through the Cratchits, Fred, Fan
poor. Jacob Marley serves as a symbol for what happens
and even Belle’s family when she is older. Scrooge
when social responsibility is ignored and even abused.
must look upon all of these characters and recognise
Scrooge soon learns that he has a responsibility to be
that true happiness does not stem from love of
kind to others as a friend, uncle, employer and as a
money, but rather love of your fellow man. The
member of society. As an employer, Scrooge must learn
Cratchits, in particular, show that they are supportive
to treat his employees with kindness and dignity, just as
in spite of serious adversity such as a lack of money or
Fizziwig treated him. He learns he needs to accept Fred’s
the loss of a child.
invitations and be a loving and generous uncle to the
family he has left. Through Tiny Tim, we see how
Scrooge’s actions could mean the difference between
life and death for those who are in desperate need.
, The Cratchit family: Scrooge’s long suffering clerk. His family survive on very little but are close, supportive and
happy: emblematic, impoverished and debilitated & vulnerable
The Cratchits give us an insight into what life was like for poor in Victorian. Despite their poverty and ill-health (Tiny
Tim) they embody the Christmas spirit with their optimistic outlook and strong sense of family.
Bob Cratchit :
Scrooge's clerk, a kind, mild, and very poor man with a large family. Though treated harshly by his boss, Bob Cratchit
remains a humble, dedicated and loyal employee.
Key quotes:
Stave One
‘the clerk’s fire was so much smaller that it looked like one coal’ – the feeble fire represents Scrooge’s cold attitude
towards his clerk
‘he ran home to Camden Town as hard as he could pelt’ – this shows how excited Bob Cratchit is to be with his
family for Christmas, clear love for his family
Stave Three (Ghost of Christmas Present visits the Cratchits)
‘Tiny Tim rode upon his shoulder’ – Bob carries Tiny Tim everywhere and is completely devoted to his children
‘Oh what a wonderful pudding! Bob Cratchit regarded it as her greatest success’ – There is clear love between Mr
and Mrs Cratchit
About Scrooge: ‘I’ll give you Mr Scrooge, the founder of the feast’ – this shows his loyalty and gratitude to
Scrooge who he defends against Mrs Cratchit’s criticisms
Stave Four (the predicted death of Tiny Tim)
Peter Cratchit says about his father: “I think he’s walked a little slower than he used to” – this shows Bob is
mourning the death of his son Tiny Tim
Stave Five
Scrooge says to Bob Cratchit: ‘I’ll raise your salary and endeavour to assist your struggling family’ – this suggests the
fortunes of the Cratchit family will improve significantly now Scrooge has changed
Tiny Tim
Bob Cratchit's young son, crippled from birth. Tiny Tim is an emotive character who represents the poor health but
positive outlook of London’s poor
Stave Three
‘God bless us every one!’ – this demonstrates Tiny Tim’s positive attitude to life, a Christian belief in making the
best of your situation
‘tell me Tiny Tim will live’ – the fact Scrooge asks this shows how much of an impact Tiny Tim has on him. Of all the
visions that Scrooge sees, Tiny Tim has the biggest effect on him
Stave Four (the predicted death of Tiny Tim)
‘My little, little child! Cried Bob. “My little child!’ – this shows how much Bob loved Tiny Tim and how much he
mourned his death
Stave Five
‘to Tiny Tim, who did NOT die, he [Scrooge] was a second father’ – Tiny Tim symbolizes the health and state of
Victorian London’s poor. The fact he lives gives an optimistic ending to the novel – society can be a better place
Jacob Marley / Marley’s Ghost : Scrooge’s former business partner, now deceased. He appears as a ghost: remorseful,
repentant and tortured
In the living world, Jacob Marley was Ebenezer Scrooge's equally greedy partner. He died seven years before the narrative opens
but appears to Scrooge as a ghost condemned to wander the world bound in heavy chains. Marley hopes to save his old partner
from suffering a similar fate.
Key quotes (all from Stave One)
‘Marley was dead... There was no doubt about that’ – the novel opens exactly seven years since Marley’s funeral. Scrooge and
Marley were obsessed with making money and Scrooge was the only mourner at his business partner’s funeral.
‘I wear the chain I forged in life’ – This shows a key Christian message of the novel that Dickens wanted to communicate –
there will be consequences for our actions in life through punishment in the after-life
‘I am doomed to wander the world… and witness what it cannot share’ – this shows the constant torture Marley faces every
day, watching London’s poor suffer yet he can no longer help them
‘I made it link by link, and yard by yard’ – This shows Dickens’ key message of self responsibility. Marley’s chain is long and
heavy and he must now carry this great weight for eternity
‘I am here tonight to warn you, that you have a chance of escaping my fate’ – this shows Marley must care for his old business
partner Scrooge. He is there to help Scrooge even though Marley himself is doomed forever
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