Stave 2 HA Consolidation

Quick recall:

Write down a quote that describes the appearance of the Ghost of Christmas Past.

It is possible that the Ghost of Christmas Past has 'arms [that] were very long and muscular' because:

• It grabs Scrooge energetically and drags him back into the past.

• Dickens wants to show that the past can exert much strength and power over a person

• As a social reformer, Dickens wanted to improve the rates of female literacy in Victorian England, and a description of powerful arms would attract female readers.

"'Bear but a touch of my hand there... and you shall be upheld in more than this!'"

Which comment do you consider to be 'conceptual' (7<) rather than 'perceptive'? (6<)?

• The Ghost of Christmas Past is crafted as gentle, but persistent. The ghost wishes to only 'touch' Scrooge, reflecting Dickens' intention in the Preface - to gently 'touch' his readers with a story that will warm them on a Winter's night, whilst delivering a powerful message of reform.

• 'You shall be upheld in more that this' demonstrates that this ghost is well intentioned and wishes to help Scrooge as he leads him to memories from his past. The word 'bear' tells us that these memories may be difficult for Scrooge.

This word comes at the end of this quote and intensifies the pity we feel towards Scrooge as a child. Not only is Scrooge neglected and alone, but this has been his sorrowful state for a long time:

'A solitary child neglected by his friends is left there ..............'

'A lonely boy was reading by a feeble fire'.

Finish this sentence:

The 'feeble fire' is symbolic of... ?

When the ghost appears to criticize Fezziwig, Scrooge states, ' "It isn't that," said Scrooge, heated by the remark.'

What do the words 'heated' and 'remark' tell us?

• Scrooge is angered by the thoughtlessness of the ghost.

• Scrooge is embarrassed because he has grown a 'pimple' on his cheek.

• Scrooge is embarrassed by the thoughtlessness of the ghost.

• Scrooge is angered by a remark, designed purposefully by the ghost, to stir his emotions.

When the ghost shows him memories of Belle, the narrator describes Scrooge as having 'an eager, greedy, restless motion in the eye'.

What does the word 'restless' imply?

May 2022. You are sat in the exam hall. A bead of perspiration pops. You turn the paper and the thought enters your mind, 'I could use Fezziwig for part of my answer!'.

You have been asked a thematic question on:

• Guilt or punishment or redemption.

• Poverty or greed or big hair.

• Family or forgiveness or transformation.

• Generosity or education or time.

Why does Dickens hyperbolise the amount of children Belle has? Which of these responses could be considered 'perceptive' (6<)?

• Dickens is emphasising, through this hyperbole of 'every child conducting itself like forty', that children should be allowed a childhood. This description may have been intended to shame those business owners who employed young children.

• Dickens is demonstrating that Belle has turned out to be a wonderful mother who is patient, tolerant and wise. She was a considerable loss to Scrooge.

Comment on either the strength of language, sentence structure or punctuation in this quote:

'Leave me! Take me back! Haunt me no longer!'

What does it reveal about Scrooge?