Stave Three

The Cratchit Family

'There was never such a goose'

Having such a goose of 'universal admiration' is a very rare event in the Cratchit family- such food is considered a luxury worth sharing to the whole family for Christmas- this is juxtaposed to Scrooge's 'melancholy', solitary dinner.

Bob Cratchit's disbelief that there was 'ever such a goose cooked' suggests that he is dumbfounded that he has been able to afford such a precious meal on Scrooge's meagre pittance (he has likely been saving up some of this small salary in order to share his community spirit with a Christmas dinner.

The ecstatic and hectic nature of the dinner, as conveyed by the use of exclamation marks and short, sharp sentences, indicates that it is a special event that the Cratchits have been anticipating all year- the only time when they can enjoy luxuries normally only for wealthier classes and see relatives (e.g. Bob Cratchit) that usually would be working long hours to sustain their families

'Blood horse.. he had come home rampant'

Since Christmas is Bob's only day without working for Scrooge throughout the whole year, Bob is especially elated about Christmas and the excitement that family brings. 'Come home rampant' indicates that he has been compelled by Tim's graciousness to expect a joyous Christmas.

A small pudding for a large family...a flat heresy to [think] so'

The fact that the family do not care about the quantity of a luxurious food suggests that they value more the Christmas spirit and joviality that comes with Christmas dinner than the pudding itself- they again make the most of what they have, which is less than the wealthy.

'With an interest he had never felt before'

Indicates that Scrooge has isolated himself so much throughout his life that he had lost the ability to empathise with someone else's suffering- he would rather let the 'surplus population' die. Only the Ghost has the ability to open Scrooge's compassion.

'Overcome with penitence and grief'

Scrooge now realises that his own careless and covetous actions and words have been negatively impacting other people (Scrooge's salaries would be too small for Bob to afford treatment for Tiny Tim's ailments). He is starting to realize that he will be chained for his avariciousness in the afterlife should he not reform his ways

'The mention of Scrooge's name cast a dark shadow'

Scrooge has isolated himself with covetousness to the extent that he is a pariah/persona non grata within his own family- his selfish actions have erased any familial warmth within him.

Fred's Party

'The frost that held it prisoner'

The iciness of Scrooge and other wealthy business owners toward the poor is constraining the poor in workhouses, low-paid jobs and in squalor.

'His wealth is of no use to him'

Indicates Scrooge does not display and use his wealth to benefit others- he just focuses on saving money, not spending it in a beneficial way

'Lonely darkness over an unknown abyss'

Suggests that Scrooge's reputation and legacy once he dies will be nothing but an unmentioned 'abyss' of miserliness'

'I think I shook him yesterday'

Dickens' depiction of the joyous and thankful Cratchit family acts as a counterargument to the views of Malthus, whom dickens despised and whose views are shared by Scrooge.

Ignorance and Want

'He softened more...he might have cultivated kindness'

This indicates that Scrooge, throughout his life, because he has been rapt with greed, he has failed to experience simple joys in life that make one able to socialise, e.g. friendship or music

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Ignorance and Want are deprived children, used to symbolise that poverty and ignorance to suffering are the two greatest evils to society- he is challenging the establishment by suggesting that Ignorance is the greatest threat to the stability of society

'most of all, beware this boy [ignorance]'

The spirit is suggesting that the greatest danger and threat the lower class face is ignorance of their suffering and ignorance of their hardworking community spirit

'Factious purposes'

The Ghost is saying that Scrooge values his own insignificant material matters at the expense of the poor's suffering. Dickens also uses this as a message to the Victorian establishments who he believed at the time were delaying simple services for the poor such as public education because of minor disagreements.