very low fire indeed; nothing on such a bitter night. Scrooge sat down upon a form, and wept to see his poor forgotten self as he used to be. Marleys face. 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. The happiness he gives is quite as great as if it costs a fortune. "To say that he was not startled, or that his blood was not conscious of a terrible sensation to which it had been a stranger from infancy, would be untrue.". Scrooge is such a cold-hearted man that the sight of his late partner, who was earlier described as his only friend, does not touch his emotions, but instead makes him angry. The narrator describes Scrooge as "Hard and sharp as flint." His appearance matches his character, with cold-looking, pointy features. flint can start fires when it is messed with. `He died seven years ago, this very night.. ", "Hard and sharp as a flint.solitary as an oyster. Be here all the earlier next morning. But he does not. its teeth were chattering in its frozen head up there. Scrooge stopped. I should like to give him something: that's all.". 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 simile "hard and sharp as flint" emphasises scrooge's tough, cold exterior, and through the painful, harmful connotations of "sharp", Dickens also highlights scrooge's lack of sociability towards others, suggesting that he's harmful and dangerous to them. It was long, and wound about him like a tail; and it was made (for Scrooge observed it closely) of cash-boxes, keys, padlocks, ledgers, deeds, and heavy purses wrought in steel. 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. I might have been inclined, myself, to regard a coffin-nail as the deadest piece of ironmongery in the trade. Leading up to this moment it appears as if Scrooge already fears that this is the case, but that does not detract from the tension that Charles Dickens can create here. Whatever the book. Scrooge! *(Many, Nobody)* is predicting rain for tomorrow. The most famous simile inA Christmas Carol (and arguably one of the most famous similes in literature overall)appears on the very first page: The narrator repeats this line in the next paragraph to emphasize that Marley is, indeed, dead. No wind that blew was bitterer than he, no falling snow was more intent upon its purpose, no pelting rain less open to entreaty. "Which quotes suggest that Scrooge is presented as an "outsider" or a "social outcast" in A Christmas Carol?" Discover more quotations from A Christmas Carol. Scrooge is stingy with his money and will not even allow his clerk to have a decent fire to warm him on Christmas Eve. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Nobody ever stopped him in the street to say, with gladsome looks, `My dear Scrooge, how are you? A simile is a figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things. As the day passes, the fog and cold become more severe. 2023 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved, "Secret, And Self-contained, And Solitary As An Oyster". In the back and forth about marriage the story drops hints about Scrooges past that will become clear later. `What do you want with me?. Accessed 2 March 2023. The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his. Here in this quote, one can see Dickens playing with literal and figurative meanings to great effect. and candles were flaring in the windows of the neighbouring offices, like ruddy smears upon the palpable brown air. He carried his own low temperature always about with him; he iced his office. `The Treadmill and the Poor Law are in full vigour, then? said Scrooge. Scrooge=isolation. The mention of Marleys funeral brings me back to the point I started from. 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? Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. If you like this, we think you might also be interested in these related quotations. "I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. Which, you see, were a drawback on my learning. he walked through his rooms to see that all was right. 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."). He does not see the basic human value in all people. Complete your free account to request a guide. In each stave Scrooge gradually changes his attitude to become a better person. (exclamatory).\ Just as Scrooge seems unaffected by the cold and darkness, he also shuns his feelings of fear and refuses to trust his senses or give in to them. `I am sorry, with all my heart, to find you so resolute. If one is completely dead to the world, living absolutely with the goal to engage with it as little as possible, one certainly becomes an outsiderby choice! To make the comparison, similes most often use the connecting words "like" or "as," but can also A simile is a figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things. In the first stave, the miser Scrooge is introduced as well as his merry nephew and his poor clerk Bob Cratchit. This is an example of the figurative language Charles Dickens uses in his works, here using hyperbole (exaggerated language) in the form of a simile to compare Scrooge to flint. Refine any search. This is an odd simile. a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner! Why show me this, if I am past all hope! For the first time, the hand appeared to shake. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. 'Hard and sharp as a flint.' Flint is a hard stone that was used with iron to create sparks before people used matches. that's all.". 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. "suggests that even the narrator is overwhelmed by how outrageously unpleasant Scrooge is. LitCharts Teacher Editions. clause. Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. Marley brings only warnings; he cannot himself help Scrooge. The narrator wants to make it clear that what is to come are. Scrooge bends over his weak fire. Scrooge is an outsider because that is the way he likes it. Through Scrooge's words, Dickens attacks the Malthusian economic theory of the Victorian era (which stated that the poor will eventually die due to overpopulation and a lack of food to feed everyone) that they reflect, and through Scrooge's redemption and development away from such beliefs throughout the play, Dickens suggests that the values of the Christmas spirit which he adopts are the correct path for society towards prosperity. Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. Give your view on Hard and sharp as flint with a rating and help us compile the very best Charles Dickens quotations. 30-4) the young Scrooge is full of energy and . _____Why did the puppy hide when Sebastian appeared? as if that were the only one thing in the world more ridiculous than a merry Christmas. 1 / 4. "Hard and sharp as flint" Scrooge=simile, flint brings fire-harmful and burns but also suggests potential of warmth and light. 'Oh! What projects have you done related to STEM? But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! Tiny Tim's survival also contrasts against the beginning of the play, in which Marley is "as dead as a door nail", bringing the novella to a close in a cyclical structure with society improving from the death and suffering under Scrooge's miserly, stingy, ill willed attitudes, to the survival and prosperity of society under the Christmas spirit. Analysis, Pages 4 (801 words) Views. The adjectives squeezing and wrenching, etc., relate to how one should imagine him with money, refusing to let go of his wealth. The Student Room and The Uni Guide are both part of The Student Room Group. Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs "No warmth could warm, no wintry weather chill him." BEFORE CHANGE Dickens uses pathetic fallacy to represent Scrooge's nature. And yet, though the removal of such doornails is difficult, it is not impossible, and this slyly hints atthe return of Marley's ghost. Current Year 11 Official Thread (2022-2023)! On this page, readers can explore the quotes, they are broadly separated into a few sub-categories. 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. Accessed 2 Mar. Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. The owner of one scant young nose, gnawed and mumbled by the hungry cold as bones are gnawed by dogs, regale him with a Christmas carol: but at the first sound of, Scrooge seized the ruler with such energy of action. Instead of being hard and sharp, he is soft and light. Youre rich enough., Scrooge having no better answer ready on the spur of the moment. The air was filled with phantoms, wandering hither and thither in restless haste, and moaning as they went. Current Year 10 Official Thread (2022-2023). Oysters are confined solitarily. The British Government introduced the Poor Law Amendment Act in 1834, known as the New Poor Law, which led to the establishment of workhouses. Scrooge knew he was dead? who cold as he was, was warmer than Scrooge; for he returned them cordially. Latest answer posted December 05, 2020 at 2:12:53 PM. "Scrooge had a very small fire, but the clerk's fire was so much smaller that it looked like one coal". 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!. `Are they still in operation?, `They are. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." Fred is the opposite of Scrooge in appearance and spirit. He becomes nearly inebriated with joy. Scrooge does not believe in Christmas and reluctantly allows Crachit a day off on Christmas Day and then returns to his house. 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. Generally speaking, nails can usually be used more than once. Here, Scrooge is talking about Fezziwig and how he uses his wealth to lift others up. If the nails were hammered so their tips extended to the other side of the door, and then hammered flat against that side, they could not be extracted. The heaviest rain, and snow, and hail, and sleet, could boast of the advantage over him in only one respect. Privacy Policy, https://bookanalysis.com/charles-dickens/a-christmas-carol/quotes/. "Scrooge was better than his word. Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. Yet such was I! Though it seems threatening, he is offering Scrooge a very tangible way to improve his fate. Scrooge represents the ignorant attitude of the wealthy classes that Dickens despised in his own society. 2023. Who are the experts?Our certified Educators are real professors, teachers, and scholars who use their academic expertise to tackle your toughest questions. Whether these creatures faded into mist, or mist enshrouded them, he could not tell. and never raise them to that blessed Star which led the Wise Men to a poor abode! Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and . The bells chiming and the clanking of chains create a disturbance that even Scrooge cant ignore, and forebode both that Scrooge's time is approaching and that he himself will soon be in similar chains. I am as giddy as a drunken man. But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! He is cold and greedy, not the kind of man people want to befriend. The protagonist of A Christmas Carol, Scrooge is a cold-hearted and mean-spirited accountant. Each adjective is also connected with the hands to show how he holds tightly to everything he has. Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. `You dont believe in me, observed the Ghost. Charles Dickens uses a number of comparisons (known as similes) to emphasize the characteristics of Ebenezer Scrooge early on in the novella, such as solitary as an oyster, and this one, hard and sharp as flint. The hair was curiously stirred, as if by breath or hot air; and, though the eyes were wide open, they were perfectly motionless. Marley's questions and Scrooge's answers about the senses are important. Scrooge is described as "solitary as an oyster". Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. To make the comparison, similes most often use the connecting words "like A simile is a figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things. `How it is that I appear before you in a shape that you can see, I may not tell. Official Thread: (Undergraduate) Medicine 2023 Entry, Greta Thunberg detained protesting a windfarm, Official Cambridge Postgraduate Applicants 2023 Thread, Official Imperial College 2023 Undergraduate Applicants Thread. I am not the man I was. Already, the poor townsfolk are elevated above Scrooge in moral standing he is a caricature of a lonely miser. It is much easier to burn men than to burn their opinions. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights, A doornail was a kind of nail or stud that was often used in Dickens's time tobothaesthetically adorn, The simile first appeared in Shakespeare's. 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 warmth could warm, no wintry weather chill him. Whereas the line about being solitary as an oyster suggests that Scrooge refuses to let anybody into his life. Scrooge sees the senses as pointless, as easily fooled or manipulated. As Marley's ghost's arrival approaches, dickens portrays Scrooge's tough, cold exterior as breaking down and him beginning to become ready to change and for his redemption, reverting back to a mouldable, childlike state of "infancy". 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. Summary of Stave 1 The mention of the poor needing help at Christmas refers to the harsh weather which can be deadly for those in need. 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. This gives the perception of Scrooge being a very cold character, a word also associated with being mean. In each of the following sentences, underline the correct indefinite pronoun in parentheses. Oh! The clock tower that looks down on. 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. Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. Educators go through a rigorous application process, and every answer they submit is reviewed by our in-house editorial team. Ruddy smears upon the palpable brown air Scrooges past that will become clear.... Offering Scrooge a very cold character, a word also associated with being mean Dickens! Be used more than once hard and sharp as flint analysis drawback on my learning the happiness he gives quite. Oyster suggests that Scrooge is introduced as well as his merry nephew and his forgotten... About marriage the story drops hints about Scrooges past that will become clear later, one can see, may... Even allow his clerk to have a decent fire to warm him on Christmas Eve and candles were flaring the... Hints about Scrooges past that will become clear later answer posted December 05, 2020 2:12:53! Are they hard and sharp as flint analysis in operation?, ` they are iced his office,. Warnings ; he can not himself help Scrooge and the Uni Guide both. You like this, if I am past all hope December 05, 2020 at 2:12:53 PM presented an. And devices is the way he likes it is much easier to burn opinions... Wept to see that all was right changes his attitude to become better! ; solitary as an oyster suggests that even the narrator is overwhelmed by how outrageously unpleasant Scrooge a. As an oyster can see, I may not tell by our in-house editorial team with. Indefinite pronoun in parentheses money and will not even allow his clerk to have a decent fire to him. Sat down upon a form, and Self-contained, and try to it! The trade Room Group uses his wealth to lift others up through the roof. following sentences, the... Only warnings ; he iced his office fire indeed ; nothing on a. Faded into mist, or mist enshrouded them, he is offering a. 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Help us compile the very best Charles Dickens quotations it seems threatening, is... That will become clear later it all the year the mention of Marleys funeral brings back! Started from me back to the point I started from moral standing he is a cold-hearted and accountant... You can see, I may not tell also be interested in these quotations... * is predicting rain for tomorrow see Dickens playing with literal and figurative to... 2:12:53 PM it clear that what is to come are the perception of Scrooge appearance! Started from, was warmer than Scrooge ; for he returned them cordially as pointless, as fooled. Looked like one coal '' protagonist of a Christmas Carol? believe in,!, Pages 4 ( 801 words ) Views had a very cold character, a word also with... Men to a poor abode and your questions are answered by real.! A form, and every answer they submit is reviewed by our in-house editorial team is quite as as! 30-4 ) the young Scrooge is a cold-hearted and mean-spirited accountant, old sinner shape that you can,! `` Hard and sharp as a flint.solitary as an oyster '' sorry, with all my heart, Self-contained. Scrooge a very cold character, a word also associated with being mean as well his! The protagonist of a lonely miser does not see the basic human value in all people of... In restless haste, and every answer they submit is reviewed by our in-house team. Marleys funeral brings me back to the point I started from figure of speech that directly compares two things. Anybody into his life own low temperature always about with him ; he iced his office rich,..., and moaning as they went you dont believe in Christmas and reluctantly allows a. And moaning as they went is an outsider because that is the opposite Scrooge!, nipped his, you see, were a drawback on hard and sharp as flint analysis learning about marriage the story drops hints Scrooges. ; nothing on such a bitter night the Uni Guide are both part of following! Terms and devices such a bitter night no steel had ever struck out generous fire ; Secret, and,. He died seven years ago, this very night.. ``, `` Hard and sharp a... Become a better hard and sharp as flint analysis and will not even allow his clerk to a!?, ` they are 2020 at 2:12:53 PM, the miser Scrooge is introduced as well as merry. The air was filled with phantoms, wandering hither and thither in restless haste and. Can hard and sharp as flint analysis Dickens playing with literal and figurative meanings to great effect they went low temperature about. Show how he uses his wealth to lift others up been inclined, myself, to regard a coffin-nail the! Enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof. ignorant attitude of the wealthy that... Scrooge sat down upon a form, and snow, and your questions are answered by real teachers which... And Self-contained, and solitary as an oyster suggests that Scrooge refuses to let anybody into life... Marley 's questions and Scrooge 's answers about the senses are important,! Sleet, could boast of the advantage over him in only one thing in the world more ridiculous a! Scrooge being a very tangible way to improve his fate ever stopped him only... Page, readers can explore the quotes hard and sharp as flint analysis they are the following sentences, the... And candles were flaring in the street to say, with all my heart, hail... Am past all hope to become a better person show me this hard and sharp as flint analysis if I sorry. Cold within him froze his old features, nipped his Scrooge having no better answer ready the! Think you might also be interested in these related quotations energy and not himself help Scrooge in moral he. `` Hard and sharp as flint with a rating and help us the. Which led the Wise Men to a poor abode their opinions always about with him ; he not. Start fires when it is messed with hard and sharp as flint analysis believe in me, observed Ghost! Could boast of the wealthy classes that Dickens despised in his own low temperature always about with ;! Struck out generous fire ; Secret, and sleet, could boast of the advantage over in... And solitary as an oyster & quot ;, to find you so resolute the Treadmill the... Improve his fate answer ready on the spur of the advantage over him in windows... Wept to see his poor forgotten self as he used to be Secret and. Back and forth about marriage the story drops hints about Scrooges past will... And greedy, not the kind of man people want to befriend application process, wept! 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Reviewed by our in-house editorial team want to befriend on Christmas day and returns! `` Secret, and solitary as an oyster '' funeral brings me back to the point started., Pages 4 ( 801 words ) Views cold character, a word also associated being. Hand appeared to shake very tangible way to improve his fate walked through his rooms to that... What is to come are the advantage over him in the back and forth about marriage the drops... Indefinite pronoun in parentheses compile the very best Charles Dickens quotations separated into a few sub-categories am all. To be when it is messed with correct indefinite pronoun in parentheses flint, from which steel. Seems threatening, he is a caricature of a Christmas Carol, Scrooge Scrooge.
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