Scrooge describes himself now as a "school-boy", in contrast to his earlier statement from his younger self that "I was a boy" (in which he criticized his younger self, believing to have grown wiser) from stave 2. The passage clearly states that Scrooge is "a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone" and is "hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel struck out a generous fire." Furthermore, the passage continues to show more detail by saying that he's "a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner" and . Youre quite a powerful speaker, sir, he added, turning to his nephew. But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! If you like this, we think you might also be interested in these related quotations. Flint and oysters are not very palatable things to be compared to. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. Though he never speaks this way about Marley, the reader can infer that Scrooge has similar thoughts. `A merry Christmas, uncle! His nephew left the room without an angry word, notwithstanding. he walked through his rooms to see that all was right. His stash of money could afford him a rich, luxurious Christmas but he avoids these traditions. A squeezing, wrenching, grasping,scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner!" Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. Spirit! he cried, tight clutching at his robe, hear me! School Memberships, 2023 OwlEyes.org, Inc. All Rights Reserved. What have recent studies shown about a spirit of cooperation in nature? The protagonist of A Christmas Carol, Scrooge is a cold-hearted and mean-spirited accountant. How is the theme of isolation presented in A Christmas Carol? Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. Join for Free It was double-locked, as he had locked it with his own hands, and the bolts were undisturbed. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights. What reason have you to be merry? a time for finding yourself a year older, but not an hour richer; a time for balancing your books and having every item in em through a round dozen of months presented dead against you? The cold became intense. Refine any search. It is also a fact, that Scrooge had seen it, night and morning, during his whole residence in that place; also that Scrooge had as little of what is called fancy about him as any man in the city of London, even including -- which is a bold word -- the corporation, aldermen, and livery. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. No warmth could warm, no wintry weather chill him. Scrooge had a very small fire, but the clerks fire was so very much smaller that it looked like one coal. `Christmas a humbug, uncle! said Scrooges nephew. `Mr. Marley has been dead these seven years, Scrooge replied. And yet, though the removal of such doornails is difficult, it is not impossible, and this slyly hints atthe return of Marley's ghost. But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! But Scrooge sees any such human sentimentanything that interferes with the accumulation of moneyas foolishness. 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. Whatever the book. Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. What right have you to be merry? You will therefore permit me to repeat, emphatically, that Marley was as dead as a door-nail. "I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. A Christmas Carol is a widely studied book filled with memorable quotes. Though Fred is poor (though not as poor as Cratchit), his attire is colorful and he is generous and sociable with his Christmas provisions. I have sat invisible beside you many and many a day., Couldnt I take `em all at once, and have it over, Jacob? hinted Scrooge. -Graham S. Scrooge sees "good" as referring solely to profits. Oh, tell me I may sponge away the writing on this stone!". Given that Scrooge is so stingy, sharp, and antisocial, the reader does not have much sympathy for him at this point. Generally speaking, nails can usually be used more than once. He becomes nearly inebriated with joy. `I am sorry, with all my heart, to find you so resolute. Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. Scrooge sees the senses as pointless, as easily fooled or manipulated. At the beginning of the tale in Stave 1, Dickens uses negative similes to establish Scrooge's character. Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. Learn how your comment data is processed. Whether these creatures faded into mist, or mist enshrouded them, he could not tell. He prefers his own miserable company to that of anyone else. Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and . He prefers to keep to the edges of society, away from the crowds or anyone who might reach out to him and away from the likelihood of having to speak to or engage with another person. -, "The ancient tower of a church whose gruff old bell was always peeping slily down at Scrooge", Click here to study/print these flashcards. Instant PDF downloads. This is not just a tale of one man's redemption; it is a kind of call to arms for all people to take to heart. Scrooge stopped. It swung so softly in the outset that it scarcely made a sound; but soon it rang out loudly, and so did every bell in the house. Scrooge had a very small fire, but the clerks fire was so very much smaller that it looked like one coal. 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. Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. Youre poor enough., `Come, then, returned the nephew gaily. A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner! "Which quotes suggest that Scrooge is presented as an "outsider" or a "social outcast" in A Christmas Carol?" This is fitting because it is traditionally colder at Christmas but also because the cold is an apt metaphor for Scrooges personality. The exclamation mark drawsthe readersattention to the description that follows, alist of adjectives to emphasise how awful he is. The heaviest rain, and snow, and hail, and sleet, could boast of the advantage over him in only one respect. Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. What is the theme of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens? Here in this quote, one can see Dickens playing with literal and figurative meanings to great effect. Becoming immediately sensible of the impropriety, he poked the fire, and extinguished the last frail spark for ever. I was afraid, from what you said at first, that something had occurred to stop them in their useful course, when Want is keenly felt, and Abundance rejoices, I dont make merry myself at Christmas and I cant afford to make idle people merry. I defy himif he finds me going there, in good temper, year after year, and saying, Uncle Scrooge, how are you? If it only puts him in the vein to leave his poor clerk fifty pounds, thats something. This is an odd simile. In other words, Scrooge is stingy and tough: he has no sympathy, generosity, or compassion. I want to be an Architect, what GCSEs should I do? 1 / 4. This shows how he is a practical man not pretty and is a simile for his loneliness. Let it also be borne in mind that Scrooge had not bestowed one thought on Marley, since his last mention of his seven years dead partner that afternoon. Fuel was an expensive commodity for many at the time the novella was written so the amount burnt, reflected by the size of a fire, reflected the generosity of a character. ", "Hard and sharp as a flint.solitary as an oyster. Scrooge does not believe in Christmas and reluctantly allows Crachit a day off on Christmas Day and then returns to his house. The word 'analysis' literally means to loosen something up. Marley is a figure of both terror and kindness it will become clear that instead of wanting revenge on Scrooge, he has come to protect him. Scrooge's "penitence and grief" caused by the shame in his own words emphasises the progress made on Scrooge's transformation and redemption as he realizes the harm and suffering that his miserly attitudes and beliefs allow to happen as he refuses to support others in society and prevent such tragedies as the death of Tiny Tim. Dickens makes it very clear that Scrooge is mean both with his money and in his dealings with others. Humbug!" It suggests that even though cruelty seems to reign, the goodness embodied by the Christmas message can always find a way through, through the fog, through the keyhole. No wind that blew was bitterer than he, no falling snow was more intent upon its purpose, no pelting rain less open to entreaty. Foul weather didnt know where to have him. Scrooge's logic is somewhat consistenthe sees money as being the sole important thing in the world, and therefore sees anyone lacking money as being unimportant. "Hard and sharp as flint" Scrooge=simile, flint brings fire-harmful and burns but also suggests potential of warmth and light. How is Scrooge portrayed as an outsider in Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol? A simile is a figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things. Refine any search. 1. Christmas Carol - Generosity Quotes. Which, you see, were a drawback on my learning. "I am as light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I am as merry as a school-boy. It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade. Scrooge represents the ignorant attitude of the wealthy classes that Dickens despised in his own society. Scrooge and he were partners for I dont know how many years. Many thousands are in want of common necessaries; hundreds of thousands are in want of common comforts, sir., `And the Union workhouses demanded Scrooge. 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. as if that were the only one thing in the world more ridiculous than a merry Christmas. `Youll want all day to-morrow, I suppose? said Scrooge. Through a visit one Christmas Eve by the ghost of Marley and three subsequent spirits, Scrooge is awakened to his meanness and the impact it has on others. He. As Scrooge looked fixedly at this phenomenon, it was a knocker again. Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster." In other words, Scrooge is stingy and tough: he has no . Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. Current Year 11 Official Thread (2022-2023)! not to know, that ages of incessant labour, by immortal creatures, for this earth must pass into eternity before the good of which it is susceptible is all developed. Term. But you were always a good man of business, Jacob, faltered Scrooge, who now began to apply this to himself. science pearson edexcel end of unit test higher. Further, he is "self-contained," meaning that he never reaches out to other people for any reason, and "solitary as an oyster"all packed up in his own little shell, so to speak. , Inc. all Rights Reserved the advantage over him in only one respect he... Could warm, no wintry weather chill him own miserable company to that of anyone else and antisocial the., covetous old sinner! fire was so very much smaller that it looked like one.! Not tell readersattention to the description that follows, alist of adjectives to emphasise how he... One thing in the world more ridiculous than a merry Christmas studied book with. 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