Scrooge Stave 5 Flashcards
How does Scrooge use simile to describe how he feels after he finds he has time to redeem himself?
“I am as light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I am as merry as a school-boy.”
Similes to put across no one has experienced these emotions before - even the omniscient narrator can’t describe it.
Angel - religious connotations implying purity and goodness: a cleansed and redeemed soul.
Asyndetic list implies a sense of emotional maturity.
What act of kindness does Scrooge do towards the Cratchit’s?
“I’ll send it (the prize turkey) to Bob Cratchit’s! whispered Scrooge”
Expected to be an exclamation (due to the exclamation mark) but is then juxtaposed given it is described as a whisper. It emphasises Scrooge’s contrasting mood/attitude and highlights his newfound selflessness.
Use of pronoun instead of turkey further carries his selfless attitude.
The verb “whispered” precedes the subject of the sentence, and proper noun, “Scrooge”. This implies Scrooge’s actions are more important than who he is which carries the theme of redemption and Dickens’ message.
What does Scrooge say?
“A merry Christmas to everybody!”
Parallels to beginning
Metafiction - speaking to the audience as Dickens’ mouthpiece.
Exclamation mark shows he has lost his “solitary (as an oyster)” ways.
What is the reference to fire in Stave Five?
“Frisking round the fire-place”
Present tense verb used to convey his newfound excitement and energy also implies that this emotion will stay with him.
Fire represents life and Christmas/Holy Spirit.
Fricatives show a light and airy tone to his actions.
How does scrooge claim the ghosts have changed him?
'’The spirit of all three shall strive within me’’
Verb strive - suggests struggle and hardship
Pun - showing his character arc - parallel to beginning where he makes jokes out of fear.
Dickens puts this feeling towards the audience by Scrooge declaring it.
How does Scrooge describe the sky after his redemption?
Golden sunlight: heavenly sky
Adjective: ‘Golden’ has connotations of rich in spirit rather than material goods. His wealth in Christmas spirit surrounds him as opposed to him surrounding his wealth - idea of sharing.
Noun: ‘sunlight’ - pathetic fallacy - suggests clarity and purity just as the weather has now improved, so has scrooge’s personality/ character
Adjective: ‘Heavenly’ - pure biblical connotations of goodness.
