A Christmas Paired Quotes

                       

“As Solitary as an Oyster    Simile Just as an oyster is an organism that lives alone and literally shut off from others, is enclosed and has a tough, hard, unfeeling outer shell so Scrooge lives apart from others in society, is unfeeling and does not come in to contact in any meaningful way with those who lived around him. Furthermore the word choice of “solitary” has suggestions of a clinical act, it has harsh suggestions and lacks giving an insight into the solitary person’s emotion.	“He…patted the children” Word choice Firstly patted is an action that requires a recipient and so shows that by the end of the text Scrooge is actively involved and connected to others in society, unlike his isolated state at the start of the text. Furthermore the word choice of “patted” suggests affection, gentleness and a desire not to hurt showing Scrooge’s now warm and gentle response to fellow humans.
“white shawl” (Bob Cratchit) Word choice of white	“His own heart laughed” (Scrooge) personification
“chinked” Onomatopoeic “chinked” shows that the ‘loudest’ element in the society is money and this is what is most important. The fact that this detail is noted during talk of Scrooge’s death further highlights the insensitivity of the traders and furthers the grotesque and unfeeling depiction of Capitalism by Dickens.	“His own heart laughed” (Scrooge) personification
“Spanish onions, shining in the fatness of their growth like Spanish friars” Firstly the repetition of “Spanish” highlights the fact that these onions were imported.  In the Victorian era this would have cost an immense amount and also required an incredible effort to import the onions to London. Dickens is perhaps highlighting the unnecessary and grotesque differences between the rich and poor and the unnecessary extravagances afforded only to some. Secondly the description of their “fatness” is grotesque and portrays the onions negatively, highlighting the disgust felt by Dickens at the way of life of the rich, it also highlights the excesses of some . (link to “a great fat man with a monstrous chin”	(Cratchit’s dinner) “Goose..It’s tenderness and flavour, size and cheapness…Eked out by apple sauce and mashed potatoes”.