Scrooge's Initial Characterization
In Stave 1, Dickens introduces Ebenezer Scrooge as a miserly, isolated character through vivid descriptions and interactions. The author employs various literary techniques to emphasize Scrooge's cold nature and disconnection from society.
Quote: "Solitary as an oyster"
This simile compares Scrooge to an oyster, highlighting his closed-off nature while hinting at the potential for change. Just as an oyster can contain a pearl, Scrooge may have hidden goodness within.
Highlight: Dickens uses pathetic fallacy to describe Scrooge's appearance, reflecting his inner coldness.
Phrases like "the cold within him froze his old features" and "a frosty rime was on his head" create a semantic field of winter, emphasizing Scrooge's harsh and bitter personality.
Example: "No wintry weather chill him"
This description, along with others like "his thin lips blue" and "hard and sharp as flint," further reinforces the idea that Scrooge's internal coldness manifests physically.
The text also explores Scrooge's interactions with others, particularly the portly gentlemen collecting for charity and his nephew Fred. These encounters reveal Scrooge's attitudes toward social responsibility and human connection.
Quote: "Are there no prisons? And the Union workhouses?"
Scrooge's callous responses to requests for charity demonstrate his lack of empathy and ignorance of societal issues. This dialogue serves to make Scrooge an unlikable character initially, setting the stage for his eventual transformation.
Vocabulary: Malthusian theory
The text references this economic theory, which argued against helping the poor. Dickens uses Scrooge's adherence to such beliefs to critique Victorian attitudes toward poverty and social inequality.
