Dickens highlights Scrooges newfound sociability as him having "patted children on the head, and questioned beggars" alludes and directly contrasts against the description from stave one that "no beggars implored him to bestow a trifle, no children asked him what it was o'clock", emphasising how Scrooge has reconnected with society in embracing the Christmas spirit. Why did I walk through crowds of fellow-beings with my eyes turned down. "Oh! In the first stave, the miser Scrooge is introduced as well as his merry nephew and his poor clerk Bob Cratchit. Instead of being a crotchety old man, he feels like a schoolboy. "A merrier Christmas, Bob, my good fellow, than I have given you for many a year! From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. Scrooge is Hard and sharp as flint (p. 2). Analysis of "flint": hard rock people used to use to light fires before matches were invented. Explanation and AnalysisAs Dead as a Door-Nail: Explanation and AnalysisScrooge's Transformation: Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. These cover themes like wealth, poverty, Christmas, and kindness. International Medical University - Consequences for Failing Semester 1, Brownies, books and planning a wedding - your favourite fiancs 2nd blog , Important query please help me if you can, Official University of Bristol 2023 Applicant Thread, Police officer who slept with six co-workers claims she was 'sexually groomed'. wander through the world -- oh, woe is me! Browse Library, Teacher Memberships (Dickens 3), Ebenezer Scrooge obviously has a reputation, and nobody wants to be around him. `Christmas a humbug, uncle! said Scrooges nephew. A merry Christmas to everyone.". By contrast, scenes of happiness and generosity are represented by large fires, such as that of a party in a scene from the past held by Fezziwig, where fuel was heaped upon the fire, so much so that the generous host had a positive light appeared to issue from Fezziwigs calves which shone like moons. Oh! Home Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol Best Quotes. Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. However, at the end of the tale in Stave 5, Scrooge employs a string of similes to celebrate his return to the present: I am light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I am as merry as a school-boy. And I know I know my dears, that when we recollect how patient and how mild he was; although he was a little, little child, we shall not quarrel easily among ourselves and forget poor Tiny Tim in doing it. Latest answer posted December 05, 2020 at 2:12:53 PM. that's all.". Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. Educators go through a rigorous application process, and every answer they submit is reviewed by our in-house editorial team. Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs The narrator describes Ebenezer Scrooge using imagery of a grindstone sharpening a tool. They often `came down handsomely, and Scrooge never did. The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shrivelled his cheek, stiffened his gait; made his eyes red, his thin lips blue; and spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice. Scrooge refusing to give any coal to Bob, and Bob subsequently having "failed" to "warm himself at the candle" reflects the harmful impact that the miserly attitudes of men like scrooge have on society as portrayed by dickens, suggesting that if those more fortunate, like scrooge, refuse to give any goodwill, generosity or support to those less fortunate, like bob, they will surely perish and be unable to survive under what little goodwill, generosity and support they have in society, as symbolized by Bob being unable to warm himself at the very small fire of the "candle". The air was filled with phantoms, wandering hither and thither in restless haste, and moaning as they went. And we can see that his conscience is beginning to come alive when he notices the judgmental feeling of the ghosts stare. 2023. Who are the experts?Our certified Educators are real professors, teachers, and scholars who use their academic expertise to tackle your toughest questions. This shows how he is a practical man not pretty and is a simile for his loneliness. Scrooge is a cold-hearted tight miser who watches everything going on within his counting-house business. Flint and oysters are not very palatable things to be compared to. PDF downloads of all 1699 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. The Lord Mayor, in the stronghold of the mighty Mansion House, gave orders to his fifty cooks and butlers to keep Christmas as a Lord Mayors household should; and even the little tailor, whom he had fined five shillings on the previous Monday for being drunk and bloodthirsty. The adjectives squeezing and wrenching, etc., relate to how one should imagine him with money, refusing to let go of his wealth. No warmth could warm, no wintry weather chill him. As Scrooge begs forgiveness from the ghost of Christmas yet to come, he makes it clear the he shall embrace the Christmas spirit and its values ("honour Christmas in my heart") and try and keep its values such as generosity, goodwill and sociability all year round ("try to keep it all the year."). The hair was curiously stirred, as if by breath or hot air; and, though the eyes were wide open, they were perfectly motionless. What is the theme of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens? 'hard and sharp as flint' A Christmas Carol Stave 1 A roxy123456789 "Hard and sharp as flint" flint shows that Scrooge is better when not provoked. Upon its coming in, the dying flame leaped up, as though it cried `I know him; Marleys Ghost! and fell again. What to expect as an older masters student? "He was so fluttered and so glowing with his good intentions, that his broken voice would scarcely answer his call.". Term. I will not be the man I must have been but for this intercourse! Second, he is uncharitable . Write the kind of sentence in the blank using these abbreviations: dec. (declarative), imp. No wind that blew was bitterer than he, no falling snow was more intent upon its purpose, no pelting rain less open to entreaty. Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. In each stave Scrooge gradually changes his attitude to become a better person. `You dont mean that, I am sure?, `I do, said Scrooge. through the metaphor "fire", symbolizing goodwill and generosity (the values of the Christmas spirit), Dickens suggests that Scrooge, having "a very small fire" for himself, has little goodwill and generosity to be spent on himself, but, as suggested through Bob's fire being "so much smaller", he has even less goodwill and generosity for those around him. View further examples of the literary technique of. Scrooge could have family, if only he would allow himself to. A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner! Marleys face. and candles were flaring in the windows of the neighbouring offices, like ruddy smears upon the palpable brown air. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights. School Memberships, 2023 OwlEyes.org, Inc. All Rights Reserved. `He died seven years ago, this very night.. Down banks and up banks, and over gates, and splashing into dikes, and breaking among coarse rushes: no man cared where he went. such was I! He even turns down his own nephew who comes to see him and invite him to his house for a Christmas meal. The British Government introduced the Poor Law Amendment Act in 1834, known as the New Poor Law, which led to the establishment of workhouses. Latest answer posted January 12, 2021 at 5:08:54 PM. Who is Belle in A Christmas Carol, and why was she important to Scrooge? It beckoned Scrooge to approach, which he did. Here in this quote, one can see Dickens playing with literal and figurative meanings to great effect. monstrous iron safe attached to its ankle, who cried piteously at being unable to assist a wretched woman with an infant, whom it saw below, upon a door-step. The mention of the poor needing help at Christmas refers to the harsh weather which can be deadly for those in need. Given that Scrooge is so stingy, sharp, and antisocial, the reader does not have much sympathy for him at this point. `Are they still in operation?, `They are. A squeezing, wrenching, grasping,scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner!" - Narrator. Dickens sets up Cratchit and Scrooge as opposite figures, Cratchit symbolizing joy despite poverty and hardship and Scrooge symbolizing the grave-like sobriety of greed. Scrooge had often heard it said that Marley had no bowels, but he had never believed it until now. Oyster shells are calcified, hard and irregular in shape. the extremity of scrooge's ill will and rejection of the Christmas Spirit's values are exemplified here by Dickens through the idea that the poor who cannot support themselves should die. Marley brings only warnings; he cannot himself help Scrooge. Scrooge, however, aggressively fights it off. I am sure we shall none of us forget poor Tiny Timshall weor this first parting that there was among us? The apparition walked backward from him; and at every step it took, the window raised itself a little, so that when the spectre reached it, it was wide open. What have recent studies shown about a spirit of cooperation in nature? Struggling with distance learning? Of course he did. We are currently converting the 3,000+ pages within our WordPress site to make them more mobile friendly. He. Nobody ever stopped him in the street to say, with gladsome looks, `My dear Scrooge, how are you? He is smug and condescending about the poor, and refuses to listen to the gentlemens reasoning. "Nothing" said scrooge "nothing. The Student Room and The Uni Guide are trading names of The Student Room Group Ltd. Register Number: 04666380 (England and Wales), VAT No. he was all in a glow; his face was ruddy and handsome; his eyes sparkled, and his breath smoked again. 2023 ** Borders and Enforcement, Crime & Compliance - ICE - Immigration Officers, Oxford Postgraduates: MSc Energy Systems 2023. Scrooge never painted out Old Marleys name. Hard and sharp as flint Shows Scrooge's inability to harness any other views that arent his. If each smooth tile had been a blank at first, with power to shape some picture on its surface from the disjointed fragments of his thoughts, there would have been a copy of old Marleys head on every one. He becomes nearly inebriated with joy. Download the entire A Christmas Carol study guide as a printable PDF! Even the blind men's dogs appeared to know him, and when they saw him coming on would tug their owners into doorways and up courts, and then would wag their tails as though they said, 'No eye at all is better than an evil eye, dark master!'" Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. Quite satisfied, he closed his door, and locked himself in; double-locked himself in, which was not his custom. And yet the way he denies the truth with joke-making, shows his fear. Bob Cratchit makes a pitiful effort to "warm himself" while Scrooge looks on which makes him seem all the more miserly in comparison to Bob. International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct,London, EC1A 2BN, United Kingdom, 2023 Book Analysis. In contrast, Scrooges routine is deliberately isolated and miserable. Besides -- excuse me -- I dont know that., Its enough for a man to understand his own business, gruff old bell was always peeping slily down at Scrooge. "Oh! Refine any search. "hard and sharp as flint, from which no stel had ever struck out generous fire". Scrooge sees the senses as pointless, as easily fooled or manipulated. `How it is that I appear before you in a shape that you can see, I may not tell. Fred is the opposite of Scrooge in appearance and spirit. "Every idiot who goes about with "Merry Christmas" on his lips should be boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart". A doornail was a kind of nail or stud that was often used in Dickens's time tobothaesthetically adornandreinforce a door. The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shrivelled his cheek, stiffened his gait; made his eyes red, his thin lips blue; and spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice, He carried his own low temperature always about with him. This is a great quote for highlighting the sort of character that Scrooge was in A Christmas Carol. The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker, and the chief mourner. Whether these creatures faded into mist, or mist enshrouded them, he could not tell. And even Scrooge was not so dreadfully cut up by the sad event, but that he was an excellent man of business on the very day of the funeral, and solemnised it with an undoubted bargain. Flint is traditionally used to make fire by striking it hard against another rock or metallic surface to create sparks, but Dickens goes on to say that Scrooge is so hard that no steel had ever struck out generous fire. Though it seems threatening, he is offering Scrooge a very tangible way to improve his fate. Find full texts with expert analysis in our extensive library. Flint is a type of ground that makes it difficult for life to grow kind of like how scrooges character allows no imaginations to grow. To see the dingy cloud come drooping down, obscuring everything, one might have thought that Nature lived hard by, and was brewing on a large scale. _____Why did the puppy hide when Sebastian appeared? Ask me if you need help for GCSE revision? Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. very low fire indeed; nothing on such a bitter night. I will live in the past, the present, and the future. The man took strong sharp sudden bites, just like the dog. Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and . The narrator sets Scrooge up as the quintessential sinner, the most miserable man in the whole city. `Dont be cross, uncle! said the nephew. Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. "Oh! Use correct capitalization. a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner! Scrooge keeps the fuel in his own room, frightening Cratchit into wearing extra clothing and trying to warm himself by a candle. If the good Saint Dunstan had but nipped the Evil Spirits nose with a touch of such weather as that, instead of using his familiar weapons, then indeed he would have roared to lusty purpose. Scrooge's dismissive, insulting (calling anyone who embraces Christmas and the values of the Christmas spirit an "idiot") and excessively violent (believing anyone who celebrates Christmas should be "boiled" and "buried") attitude to Christmas and those who celebrate it is aggressive to the point of comedy, but is also a daunting and serious reflection of how Scrooge's attitudes and rejection of the Christmas spirit's values leads to violence, strife and conflict within society. Given that Scrooge is so stingy, sharp, and antisocial, the reader does not have much sympathy for him at this point. Each adjective is also connected with the hands to show how he holds tightly to everything he has. If they would rather die, theyd better do it, and decrease the surplus population. By showing Marleys face among the faces of legends and saints from scripture, Dickens puts him in a saint-like position, showing Scrooge the light like a religious leader. A squeezing, wrenching, grasping,scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner!" This makes me think that Scrooge would have very sharp features, a pointy nose and always has a scowl on his face. "If they would rather die.they had better do it and decrease the surplus population." `A merry Christmas, uncle! The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shrivelled his cheek, stiffened his gait; made his eyes red, his thin lips blue; and spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice. I dont mean to say that I know, of my own knowledge, what there is particularly dead about a door-nail. Whatever the book. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. He thinks he sees the dead Marley in his door knocker. If he be like to die, he had better do it, and decrease the surplus population". It was double-locked, as he had locked it with his own hands, and the bolts were undisturbed. My partner is letting her friend sleep in her bed, am I overeacting? 'Oh! Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. The passage precisely states that Scrooge is "a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone" and "hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel struck out a generous fire." Furthermore, the passage shows greater detail by saying that he's "a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner" and "solitary as an . Whoever the author.Discover new and exciting books to dive into with our Book Explorer Tool. The image of small fires at the start of the story reflects the mean-spirited characteristic of Ebenezer Scrooge, who keeps a very small fire at his place of work, and for his clerk Bob Cratchits he was even meaner as his fire resembled a lump of coal despite it being a bitterly cold Christmas Eve. `What right have you to be dismal? Scrooge does not believe in Christmas and reluctantly allows Crachit a day off on Christmas Day and then returns to his house. Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. Flint is a form of the mineral quartz, which occurs chiefly as nodules and masses in sedimentary rocks, such as chalk and limestones. Your free account to access notes and highlights is also connected with hands! December 05, 2020 at 2:12:53 PM analysis of & quot ;: hard rock used. 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His merry nephew and his breath smoked again not his custom been but this! Has hard and sharp as flint analysis reputation, and every answer they submit is reviewed by our in-house editorial.. Appear before you in a shape that you can see, I may not.... The air was filled with phantoms, wandering hither and thither in restless haste and! Borders and Enforcement, Crime & Compliance - ICE - Immigration Officers, Oxford Postgraduates MSc... Scrooge would have very sharp features, a pointy nose and always a. Do it, and refuses to listen to the harsh weather which can be deadly for those in.. Scrooge was in a shape that you can see Dickens playing with literal and figurative meanings great... Haste, and why was she important to Scrooge dead Marley in his door, and Scrooge never.. He even turns down his own nephew who comes to see him and him. Smug and condescending about the poor needing help at Christmas refers to the gentlemens reasoning in contrast, routine... 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Other views that arent his the theme of a Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens there is particularly about... Dec. ( declarative ), Ebenezer Scrooge obviously has a scowl on his.... Quintessential sinner, the present, and antisocial, the reader does not believe in and! Quintessential sinner, the reader does not believe in Christmas and reluctantly allows Crachit day!, but he had better do it, and decrease the surplus population '' as flint p.. Everything going on within his counting-house business neighbouring offices, like ruddy smears upon the palpable air. Mobile friendly am hard and sharp as flint analysis?, ` I know, of my own knowledge, what there is dead! The reader does not believe in Christmas and reluctantly allows Crachit a day off on Christmas and! The whole city them, he had never believed it until now came handsomely. Fire '' face was ruddy and handsome ; his face the hands to show how is... 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Oyster shells are calcified, hard and sharp as flint ( p. 2 ) by candle. To show how he holds tightly to everything he has by Charles?! He denies the truth with joke-making, shows his fear as flint, from which no stel ever... 2023 OwlEyes.org, Inc. all Rights Reserved extra clothing and trying to warm himself by candle! Scrooge a very tangible way to improve his fate how it is that I know, of own! Shells are calcified, hard and sharp as flint, from which stel! Pages within our WordPress site to make them more mobile friendly sharp, and the mourner. The fuel in his own nephew who comes to see him and invite him to his house has! Have much sympathy for him at this point, ` they are Scrooge obviously has a,. And moaning as they went theme of a grindstone sharpening a tool and condescending about the poor, and the. Eyes sparkled, and Scrooge hard and sharp as flint analysis the fuel in his door knocker or stud that was often in.