Hard and sharp as flint Shows Scrooge's inability to harness any other views that arent his. A squeezing, wrenching, grasping,scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner!" "Hard and sharp as flint." BEFORE CHANGE Shows his personality. Marley is not saying business is inherently bad, but he is saying that it is terrifically small and narrow in comparison to the rest of life, and certainly that business success is not enough to right any wrongs one commits in life. 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 . Indeed, Scrooge has become a new man. 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 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'. Latest answer posted January 12, 2021 at 5:08:54 PM. I revise four hours a day. It was cold, bleak, biting weather: foggy withal: and he could hear the people in the court outside, go wheezing up and down, beating their hands upon their breasts, and stamping their feet upon the pavement stones to warm them. In this way Dickens makes Scrooge's own coming punishment loom extremely large. `I am sorry, with all my heart, to find you so resolute. If you like this, we think you might also be interested in these related quotations. that's all.". "A merrier Christmas, Bob, my good fellow, than I have given you for many a year! Be here all the earlier next morning. Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. For characters like Fred and Bob Cratchit, Christmas represents the Christian ideal of goodness and moral prosperity, but Scrooge is at his. The mention of Marleys funeral brings me back to the point I started from. This is a great quote for highlighting the sort of character that Scrooge was in ' A Christmas Carol '. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. It was not in impenetrable shadow as the other objects in the yard were, but had a dismal light about it, like a bad lobster in a dark cellar. `What right have you to be dismal? 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. Dickens again uses temperature as a metaphor for degrees of goodwill here, with scrooge being "cold" reflecting his lack of goodwill towards himself and others around him, and the description of his decrepit features such as his "shriveled" cheek and "stiffened" gait suggests that Scrooge's unsociable, miserly attitudes of ill damage himself, in contrast to his nephew Fred (a foil to scrooge) who is "ruddy and handsome", emphasising through their appearances how holding the values of the Christmas spirit are beneficial to ones self, and as developed on throughout the novella, the whole of society as well. "No," said scrooge, "no. He carried his own low temperature always about with him; he iced his office in the dog-days; and didnt thaw it one degree at Christmas. Each adjective is also connected with the hands to show how he holds tightly to everything he has. He does not see the basic human value in all people. He did it all, and infinitely more; and to Tiny Tim, who did not die, he was a second father. He is smug and condescending about the poor, and refuses to listen to the gentlemens reasoning. When Jack Cade leads a rebellion against the king, he declares that "if I do not leave you all as dead as a doornail, I pray God I may never eat grass more." `Because, said Scrooge, `a little thing affects them. "Scrooge had a very small fire, but the clerk's fire was so much smaller that it looked like one coal". "Nothing" said scrooge "nothing. 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. No wind that blew was bitterer than he, no falling snow was more intent upon its purpose, no pelting rain less open to entreaty." Through Scrooges transformation in this allegorical tale, we also see his attitude to using fuel change. Oh, no, no! The finger was still there. A Christmas Carol in Prose, Being a Ghost-Story of Christmas, commonly known as A Christmas Carol. The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shriveled his cheek, stiffened his gait; made his eyes red, his thin lips blue; and spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice. Again, he's very much an outsider and is treated as an outcast as a result. He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew, or any other old city, town, or borough, in the good old world.". A slight disorder of the stomach makes them cheats. But the wisdom of our ancestors is in the simile; and my unhallowed hands shall not disturb it, or the Countrys done for. Yet such was I! He keeps his office cold, not even heating it at Christmas time. That, and its livid colour, made it horrible; but its horror seemed to be in spite of the face and beyond its control, rather than a part or its own expression. Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. In each stave Scrooge gradually changes his attitude to become a better person. The brightness of the shops where holly sprigs and berries crackled in the lamp heat of the windows, made pale faces ruddy as they passed. The narrator sets Scrooge up as the quintessential sinner, the most miserable man in the whole city. -Graham S. Scrooge sees "good" as referring solely to profits. The hair was curiously stirred, as if by breath or hot air; and, though the eyes were wide open, they were perfectly motionless. What reason have you to be morose? What projects have you done related to STEM? No wind that blew was bitterer than he, no falling snow was more intent upon its purpose, no pelting rain less open to entreaty. "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". In Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge is presented as a miserly old man, who is a social outcast and is quite happy to be one, at least in the beginning. Scrooge could have family, if only he would allow himself to. A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner! Oh! This almost prompts a realization in Scrooge as he catches on to the fact that his wealth provides him (and indeed Fezziwig) with the power to make people happy. The door of Scrooges counting-house was open that he might keep his eye upon his clerk, who in a dismal little cell beyond, a sort of tank, was copying letters. On this page, readers can explore the quotes, they are broadly separated into a few sub-categories. 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. Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. No beggars implored him to bestow a trifle, no children asked him what it was o'clock, no man or woman ever once in all his life inquired the way to such and such a place, of Scrooge. This poignant moment arrives when Scrooge is looking at Christmas yet to come. It is a dark, sad moment but Bob Cratchit handles the situation with grace and dignity. A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner! Scrooge signed it. 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. 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. 'Hard and sharp as a flint.' Flint is a hard stone that was used with iron to create sparks before people used matches. 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. These cover themes like wealth, poverty, Christmas, and kindness. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. ". Struggling with distance learning? 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. My students love how organized the handouts are and enjoy tracking the themes as a class., Requesting a new guide requires a free LitCharts account. A squeezing, wrenching, grasping,scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner! 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. Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs In 1861, 35,000 children under 12 lived and worked in workhouses in Britain. Scrooge and he were partners for I dont know how many years. "Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster" a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner! through the listing of people who won't interact with scrooge, from "children" to "beggars" , and the repetition of the negative "no", Dickens emphasizes the solitude and lack of interaction with society in Scrooge's life, and Scrooge's in-sociability. Through the two gentlemen, we get a glimpse into Scrooges past as half of the business duo Scrooge and Marley. My partner is letting her friend sleep in her bed, am I overeacting? He believes solely in money. Scrooge and Cratchit both live on routine. and candles were flaring in the windows of the neighbouring offices, like ruddy smears upon the palpable brown air. Current Year 10 Official Thread (2022-2023). eNotes Editorial, 17 Oct. 2017, https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/which-quotes-suggest-that-scrooge-is-presented-as-568005. 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. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. Scrooge took his melancholy dinner in his usual melancholy tavern; beguiled the rest of the evening with his bankers-book, He lived in chambers which had once belonged to his deceased partner, it must have run there when it was a young house, playing at hide-and-seek with other houses, and forgotten the way out again. Poulterers and grocers trades became a splendid joke; a glorious pageant, with which it was next to impossible to believe that such dull principles as bargain and sale had anything to do. You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. Even the blind mens dogs appeared to know him; and when they saw him coming on, would tug their owners into doorways and up courts; No eye at all is better than an evil eye, dark master!. Whereas Scrooge is described as hard and sharp, Freds features are round and healthy. When they were within two paces of each other, Marleys Ghost held up its hand, warning him to come no nearer. From this exchange, it sounds like Marley was at least somewhat generous. He went the whole length of the expression, and said that he would see him in that extremity first. But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! Though he never speaks this way about Marley, the reader can infer that Scrooge has similar thoughts. No warmth could warm, no wintry weather chill him. Why show me this, if I am past all hope! For the first time, the hand appeared to shake. . To say that Scrooge could be made neither warm nor cold by any outside influence again paints him as an outcast. With our Essay Lab, you can create a customized outline within seconds to get started on your essay right away. Ask me if you need help for GCSE revision? boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart. `We have no doubt his liberality is well represented by his surviving partner, said the gentleman, Scrooge frowned, and shook his head, and handed the credentials back, `At this festive season of the year, Mr. Scrooge, said the gentleman, taking up a pen, `it is more than usually desirable that we should make some slight provision for the Poor and Destitute, who suffer greatly at the present time. 1. His stash of money could afford him a rich, luxurious Christmas but he avoids these traditions. Christmas Carol - Generosity Quotes. Fred knows this, and counters that "good" means something else entirely. Marleys face. International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct,London, EC1A 2BN, United Kingdom, 2023 Book Analysis. Scrooge is a cold-hearted tight miser who watches everything going on within his counting-house business. But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! Refine any search. This is a great quote for highlighting the sort of character that Scrooge was in A Christmas Carol. And infinitely more ; and to Tiny Tim, who did not die, he 's very much an and! Flaring in the windows of the expression, and said that he would see him in the vein leave! Under 12 lived and worked in workhouses in Britain are broadly separated into a few sub-categories grace..., analysis, and buried with a stake of holly through his.. Of Marleys funeral brings me back to the point I started from is as! Christian ideal of goodness and moral prosperity, hard and sharp as flint analysis Scrooge is looking at Christmas to! 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