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A Christmas Carol - Stave 1 - Coggle Diagram
A Christmas Carol - Stave 1
1: Marley is Dead
'Marley was dead: to begin with.'
Marley is going to be a significant character
'dead as a door-nail'
This is confirming that Marley is definitely dead.
'even Scrooge was not so dreadfully cut up by the sad event'
'sole' 'sole mourner'
This shows us that Marley didn't have many friends
2: Introduction to Scrooge
'solitary as an oyster'
simile
Compared to an oyster
Pearls
could represent the love/kindness hidden within Scrooge
the hard exterior could represent Scrooge's harsh misanthropic behaviour
adjective
leads a lonely lifestyle
'hard and sharp as flint'
simile
Scrooge presented as a hard/cold man in the way he treats others.
flint can create fire if the right force is applied to it.
In this case, the force is the ghost. They will be catalysts for Scrooge's change.
He was a tight fisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner!
this shows us that Scrooge dislikes spending money
Verbs
could represent how he treats others
those in poverty
he wants what others have
'External heat and cold had little influence on Scrooge.'
Scrooge does not respond to those who try to influence him.
3: Christmas Eve
'Once upon a time - of all the good days in the year, on Christmas Eve.'
It was cold, bleak, biting weather
The Fog came pouring in at every chink and keyhole
The fog represents Scrooge's ignorant attitude
4: The Clerk
'the clerk put on his white comforter, and tried to warm himself at the candle'
context
A lot of employers would exploit their workers like Scrooge's clerk
upon his clerk, who in a dismal little cell beyond, a sort of tank, was coping letters.
metaphor
Bob Cratchit is imprisoned by poverty
5: Fred
'A Merry Christmas, Uncle! God save you!'
Fred here is being very religious by saying to Scrooge 'God save you!'
Fred
Scrooge's Antithesis
opposite
'He was all in a glow; his face was ruddy and handsome; his eyes sparkled.'
glow
hope and joy
this is something Fred has but Scrooge doesn't
Scrooge is always thinking about money and its show here
'a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely'
benevolent
Fred here is being charitable
6: The Charity Workers
'If they would rather die, they'd better do it, and decrease the surplus population.'
'I can't afford to make idle people merry'
Scrooge makes a sweeping generalisation about those in poverty.
Dickens here uses the words of economist Thomas Malthus
Tomas Malthus was an Economist who was hated for his inhumane view of the poor.
Scrooge believes that the poor have no value.
'At this festive season of the year, Mr. Scrooge, said the gentlemen, taking up a pen, it is more than usually desirable that we should make some slight provisions for the poor and destitute, who suffer greatly at this present time.'
poverty
Christmas time is a time of charitable giving
7: The door Knocker
'not a knocker, but Marley's face'
supernatural
Marley
'The hair was curiously stirred ... through the eyes were wide open, they were perfectly motionless'
'he closed his door, and locked himself in; double locked himself in, which was not his custom'.
More Fog and darkness
This reflects his nature
Scrooge seized the ruler with such energy of action, that the singer fled in terror'
Before Scrooge sees the knocker he scares away a carol singer
'A poor excuse for picking a man's pocket every twenty-fifth of December!
Avarice = Greedy
8: Marley's Warning
'[Jacob's chain] was made of cash-boxes, keys, padlocks, ledgers, deeds, and heavy purses wrought in steel.'
The list shows the heavy burden, the semantic field of finance shows his sins focussed on money, greed and business, the locks symbolise the desperation to keep wealth.
Marley's Chain represents his main sin: avarice'
Money motivated Marley to exploit others
Victorian readers would think that Marley is in hell
'I wear the chain I forged in life. I made it link by link.'
A lifetime of bad decisions, repetition (link by link) shows every action in life has a consequence.
'You have yet a chance and hope of escaping my fate.'
'but soon it rang out loudly, and so did every bell in the house'
This is the start to the appearance of Marley's Ghost
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