English resources/A Christmas Carol/Quotes
A Christmas Carol quotes, in plain words
Every big quote from the book. Who says it, where, and what it means. Start with the twenty marked with a dot.
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Learn these twenty first
Short. Easy to remember. Between them they cover every theme and every main character.
Bah!" said Scrooge, "Humbug!"
Scrooge · Stave One · christmas · isolation
Humbug means nonsense. Scrooge thinks Christmas is nonsense.
Marley was dead: to begin with.
Narrator · Stave One · the supernatural
The first line. Dickens wants you sure of this, so the ghost later is a real shock.
solitary as an oyster
Narrator · Stave One · isolation
Shut tight. Alone. But an oyster can hold a pearl. Dickens leaves that hope in.
Are there no prisons?
Scrooge · Stave One · poverty · responsibility
Two men ask him for money for the poor. He asks if the prisons are still open. That is his answer.
Are there no prisons?" said the Spirit, turning on him for the last time with his own words.
Ghost of Christmas Present · Stave Three · poverty · responsibility
Again the ghost uses Scrooge's words. Scrooge is ashamed.
If they would rather die," said Scrooge, "they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.
Scrooge · Stave One · poverty · responsibility · greed
Let the poor die. There are too many people anyway. The worst thing he says.
I wear the chain I forged in life
Marley · Stave One · greed · the supernatural · responsibility
Marley made his own chain. Every greedy thing he did is a link in it.
Mankind was my business.
Marley · Stave One · responsibility · redemption
Scrooge says Marley was a good man of business. Marley says people were his real business. He forgot.
There's more of gravy than of grave about you
Scrooge · Stave One · the supernatural
Scrooge jokes that the ghost is just bad food. He is scared and pretending not to be.
I should like to be able to say a word or two to my clerk just now
Scrooge · Stave Two · redemption · responsibility
After seeing Fezziwig's party, Scrooge thinks of Bob. The first crack in him.
Come in! and know me better, man!
Ghost of Christmas Present · Stave Three · christmas · family
The second spirit is big, warm and loud. It invites Scrooge in.
This boy is Ignorance. This girl is Want.
Ghost of Christmas Present · Stave Three · poverty · responsibility
Two thin children under the ghost's robe. Not knowing, and not having. Dickens says they are everyone's fault.
God bless us every one!
Tiny Tim · Stave Three · family · poverty · christmas
Tiny Tim's line. The poorest child blesses everyone, including Scrooge.
If these shadows remain unaltered by the Future, the child will die.
Ghost of Christmas Present · Stave Three · poverty · responsibility · time
Tiny Tim will die unless something changes. Scrooge is the something.
Are these the shadows of the things that Will be, or are they shadows of things that May be, only?
Scrooge · Stave Four · time · redemption
Scrooge asks if the future is fixed. He is asking for a second chance.
I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.
Scrooge · Stave Four · redemption · christmas
His promise. Christmas every day, in how he treats people.
I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future.
Scrooge · Stave Four · time · redemption
He will learn from all three spirits. He will not cut himself off from time again.
Every quote, in order
All 45, in the order they happen.
- Stave One13 quotes
- Stave Two7 quotes
- Stave Three11 quotes
- Stave Four7 quotes
- Stave Five7 quotes
Stave One
Marley was dead: to begin with.
Narrator · Stave One · the supernatural
The first line. Dickens wants you sure of this, so the ghost later is a real shock.
Oh! But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grind-stone, Scrooge!
Narrator · Stave One · greed · isolation
Scrooge holds on to money hard. He grinds people down.
Hard and sharp as flint
Narrator · Stave One · isolation · greed
Flint is a cold stone. It can make a spark, but Scrooge never lets one out.
solitary as an oyster
Narrator · Stave One · isolation
Shut tight. Alone. But an oyster can hold a pearl. Dickens leaves that hope in.
Bah!" said Scrooge, "Humbug!"
Scrooge · Stave One · christmas · isolation
Humbug means nonsense. Scrooge thinks Christmas is nonsense.
If I could work my will
Scrooge · Stave One · christmas · greed
If he had his way, every fool who says merry Christmas would be boiled with his own pudding.
Are there no prisons?
Scrooge · Stave One · poverty · responsibility
Two men ask him for money for the poor. He asks if the prisons are still open. That is his answer.
If they would rather die," said Scrooge, "they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.
Scrooge · Stave One · poverty · responsibility · greed
Let the poor die. There are too many people anyway. The worst thing he says.
I wear the chain I forged in life
Marley · Stave One · greed · the supernatural · responsibility
Marley made his own chain. Every greedy thing he did is a link in it.
Mankind was my business.
Marley · Stave One · responsibility · redemption
Scrooge says Marley was a good man of business. Marley says people were his real business. He forgot.
I am here to-night to warn you, that you have yet a chance and hope of escaping my fate
Marley · Stave One · redemption · the supernatural
Marley comes to give Scrooge a way out. Three spirits will come.
There's more of gravy than of grave about you
Scrooge · Stave One · the supernatural
Scrooge jokes that the ghost is just bad food. He is scared and pretending not to be.
The air was filled with phantoms, wandering hither and thither in restless haste, and moaning as they went
Narrator · Stave One · the supernatural · responsibility
Scrooge sees hundreds of ghosts in chains. They want to help the poor but cannot. It is too late for them.
Stave Two
I am the Ghost of Christmas Past.
Ghost of Christmas Past · Stave Two · time · the supernatural
The first spirit. It shows Scrooge his own past.
A solitary child, neglected by his friends, is left there still.
Ghost of Christmas Past · Stave Two · isolation · family
Young Scrooge, alone at school at Christmas. We see why he became cold.
I should like to be able to say a word or two to my clerk just now
Scrooge · Stave Two · redemption · responsibility
After seeing Fezziwig's party, Scrooge thinks of Bob. The first crack in him.
He has the power to render us happy or unhappy
Scrooge · Stave Two · responsibility · family
Scrooge sees that a boss can make his workers happy or miserable. It costs almost nothing.
Another idol has displaced me
Belle · Stave Two · greed · isolation
His young love leaves him. Money has taken her place.
Show me no more!
Scrooge · Stave Two · time · redemption
The past hurts. Scrooge cannot bear to look. He is starting to feel.
Stave Three
Come in! and know me better, man!
Ghost of Christmas Present · Stave Three · christmas · family
The second spirit is big, warm and loud. It invites Scrooge in.
a jolly Giant, glorious to see
Narrator · Stave Three · christmas · the supernatural
The Ghost of Christmas Present is joy itself, dressed in green.
God bless us every one!
Tiny Tim · Stave Three · family · poverty · christmas
Tiny Tim's line. The poorest child blesses everyone, including Scrooge.
If these shadows remain unaltered by the Future, the child will die.
Ghost of Christmas Present · Stave Three · poverty · responsibility · time
Tiny Tim will die unless something changes. Scrooge is the something.
If he be like to die, he had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.
Ghost of Christmas Present · Stave Three · poverty · responsibility
The ghost says Scrooge's own words back to him. Now they are about a child he knows.
I'll give you Mr. Scrooge, the Founder of the Feast!
Bob Cratchit · Stave Three · family · responsibility
Bob toasts Scrooge at Christmas dinner. Bob is kind even to his mean boss.
The Founder of the Feast indeed!
Mrs Cratchit · Stave Three · poverty · responsibility
Mrs Cratchit will not toast him. She knows how little he pays.
I am sorry for him; I couldn't be angry with him if I tried.
Fred · Stave Three · family · redemption · christmas
Fred feels sorry for his uncle, not angry. He keeps inviting him.
This boy is Ignorance. This girl is Want.
Ghost of Christmas Present · Stave Three · poverty · responsibility
Two thin children under the ghost's robe. Not knowing, and not having. Dickens says they are everyone's fault.
Beware them both, and all of their degree, but most of all beware this boy
Ghost of Christmas Present · Stave Three · poverty · responsibility
Fear the boy most. Ignorance is more dangerous than want.
Are there no prisons?" said the Spirit, turning on him for the last time with his own words.
Ghost of Christmas Present · Stave Three · poverty · responsibility
Again the ghost uses Scrooge's words. Scrooge is ashamed.
Stave Four
The Phantom slowly, gravely, silently, approached.
Narrator · Stave Four · the supernatural · time
The last spirit does not speak. It just points. That is scarier.
I fear you more than any spectre I have seen.
Scrooge · Stave Four · time · the supernatural
Scrooge is most afraid of the future. That is where he still has a chance.
Old Scratch has got his own at last, hey?
A businessman · Stave Four · isolation · greed
Men joke about a dead man. The devil has him now. It is Scrooge, but he does not know yet.
It's likely to be a very cheap funeral
A businessman · Stave Four · isolation
No one will go to the funeral unless lunch is free. That is what his life adds up to.
Are these the shadows of the things that Will be, or are they shadows of things that May be, only?
Scrooge · Stave Four · time · redemption
Scrooge asks if the future is fixed. He is asking for a second chance.
I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.
Scrooge · Stave Four · redemption · christmas
His promise. Christmas every day, in how he treats people.
I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future.
Scrooge · Stave Four · time · redemption
He will learn from all three spirits. He will not cut himself off from time again.
Stave Five
I am as light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I am as merry as a schoolboy.
Scrooge · Stave Five · redemption · christmas
He wakes up and he is a new man. He talks like a child.
I don't know what day of the month it is!
Scrooge · Stave Five · redemption · time
He does not know the date and does not care. Time has stopped being money.
A merry Christmas, Bob!
Scrooge · Stave Five · redemption · family · christmas
He says it to his clerk with a real smile and raises his pay.
He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew
Narrator · Stave Five · redemption · responsibility
How the story ends. Friend, boss, man. Good at all three.
to Tiny Tim, who did NOT die, he was a second father.
Narrator · Stave Five · family · redemption · poverty
Tiny Tim lives. Scrooge makes sure of it.
God bless Us, Every One!
Narrator · Stave Five · christmas · family
The last words of the book. Tiny Tim's line, for everyone.
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