Poverty in A Christmas Carol

The Cratchits have almost nothing and are happy. Ignorance and Want hide under the spirit's robe. Dickens is angry about it.

The quotes

10 quotes, in the order they happen.

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.

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.

The Founder of the Feast indeed!

Mrs Cratchit · Stave Three · poverty · responsibility

Mrs Cratchit will not toast him. She knows how little he pays.

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.

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.