A Christmas Carol key quotes and Themes

These are from the first description of Scrooge

'A tight fisted hand at the grindstone'

'Hard and sharp as flint'

'Solitary as an oyster'

Covetous old sinner' 

These describe Fred

'All in a glow'

'His eyes sparkled'

Fred describes Christmas as:

" A kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time"

Portly gentlemen to Scrooge

" Hundreds of thousands are in want of common comfort"

Scrooge's reply

" If the would rather die, they better do it and decrease the surplus population"

Fred describing christmas

" A kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time"

Scrooge talking about the poor

" If they would rather die, they better do it and decrease the surplus population"

Scrooge's visions of Marley on the knocker and fireplace tiles

'Not a knocker, but Marley's face'

'Marley's head on every one'

Once the Ghost of Marley had left

'The air was filled with phantoms'

Marley's Ghost describes his chain

Made of "cash boxes, keys, padlocks"

Marley's Ghost talking about his chain

" I wear the chain I forged in life"

Marley's ghost to Scrooge

" You have a chance of escaping my fate"

Description of the Ghost of Christmas Past

'It held a branch of fresh green holly'

Its belt 'Sparkled and glittered'

Description of The Ghost Of Christmas Past

'A bright, clear jet of light' - on its head

Its belt 'sparkled and glittered'

When Scrooge saw old school friends in the vision of the past

Scrooge felt is 'Cold eye glisten' and 'His heart leap up' and he was 'Filled with gladness'

Scrooge sees his old school friends

He felt his 'Cold eye glisten' and 'Heart leap up' and he 'Filled with gladness'

The Ghost of Christmas Past describing Scrooge as a school boy

" A solitary child"

Description of The Ghost of Christmas Present

'Deep green robe'

Describing the officers at sea

Every man 'hummed a christmas tune' or had 'a christmas thought'

Description of The Ghost of Christmas Present

'its joyful air'

Describing the Cratchit family

' They were happy, grateful, pleased with one another'

Narrotor when we see Fred's christmas party

'There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious of laughter and good humour'

Describing the Ghost of Christmas Present

'Supernatural creature'

Describing the Cratchit family

'Threadbare clothes'

'Not well dressed'

' Clothes were scanty'

Description of Ignorance and Want

'Wretched, abject, frightful, hideous, miserable'

'Monsters half so horrible and dread'

Ghost of Christmas Present repeating Scrooge's words

" If he be like to die, he had better do it and decrease the surplus population"

Mrs Cratchit describing Scrooge

" Stingy, hard, unfeeling man"

Ghost of Present quoting Scrooge from Stave 1

"Are there no prisons?" "Are there no workhouses?"

Fred to his wife about Scrooge

"His wealth is of no use to him"

Narrator about Scrooge when he saw Fred's party in Present visions

'He softened more and more'

Describing Ignornace and Want

'Wretched, abject, frightful, hideous, miserable'

Spirit quoting Scrooge's words from stave 1

"Are there no prisons?"

" Are there no workhouses?"

When the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come arrived

Air seemed to 'Scatter gloom and misery'

'Mysterious presence filled him with a solemn dread' - Scrooge

Wore a 'deep black garment'

Scrooge talking about vearing company with the ghost

' Will do it with a thankful heart'

Scrooge to the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come

"If the courses be departed from, the ends will change"

" I am not the man I was"

"I will honour christmas in my heart"

People after Scrooge's death in the visions of the Future

"Likely to be a very cheap funeral"

Died "Alone by himself"

Describes Scrooge's corpse

'He lay, in the dark, empty house'

Describes the streets as seen in future visions

'Reeked with crime, flith and misery'

'Like so many cesspools'

'Foul and narrow'

Description of streets in the future

'Reeked with crime, filth and misery'

'Like so many cesspools'

'Foul and narrow'

Scrooge when he has woken

He was 'Laughing and crying in the same breath'

"I am as merry as a school boy"

" I am as giddy as a drunken man"

When Scrooge was walking

' He had never dreamed that any walk- that anything- could give him so much happiness'

When Scrooge has woken up

"Merry christmas to everybody"

Final paragraph about Scrooge's redemption

'He knew how to keep christmas well'

Scrooge when he wakes up

" I am as giddy as a drunken man"

"Merry christmas to everybody"

When Scrooge has the turkey delivered

"He paid for the turkey"  "He paid for the cab"

Scrooge to Bob Cratchit

" I am about to raise your salary"

When Scrooge has the Turkey delivered

"He paid for the turkey"

"He paid for the cab"

Scrooge to Bob Cratchit

" I am about to raise your salary"

'It held a branch of fresh green holly'

'A bright, clear jet of light' on its head

'belt sparkled and glittered'

'The voice was soft and gentle'

Grasp was 'gentle as a woman's hand'

'its gentle touch'

The spirit is presented as inviting and kind perhaps to hint at how Scrooge should have been in the past.

'Deep green robe'

'Its joyful air'

'Supernatural creature'

'Its cheery voice'

'Curls were long and free'

"Come in! And know me better man"

The spirit is portrayed as cheerful and open as well as honest the opposite of Scrooge at the present time.

Air seemed to 'scatter gloom and misery' as he arrived

'Deep black garment'

'Mysterious presence' That filled Scrooge with 'Solemn dread'

'Quiet and dark'

'Draped and hooded'

This spirit is presented as silent, frightful and demanding. This attitude may make Scrooge realise the harsh reality of his ways and how he has an impact on society.