describe srooge's attitude in a formal way and give a quote that goes with your answer.
Initially, Scrooge finds the poor and poverty stricken to be an annoyance. He feels that they somehow deserve their plight and he should not be expected to prolong their miserable existence by giving charity. When a charity worker laments that people would rather die than go to the filthy workhouses, Scrooge replies:
"If they would rather die," said Scrooge, "they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population."
He was an old miser and he was malcontent.
We are learning about this in school in ELA and I just thought you might want to know this :)
im not really sure if i want to put these answers because there not sentence wise .
" if they would rather die, they better do it and decrease the surplus population."
The word "surplus" is an adjective, the adjective indicates an excess in population therefore a reader can infer that Scrooge thinks there is no need for the poor and the destitute that they are in excess. the adjective "surplus" further interlinks with the Malthusian Economic Theory, it shows the inchoate mentality the people of convention had.
i think scrooge is selfish and self-centered towards the poor
Ok so the gcse questions you have to answer now have a way different format of answering so I'm gonna put an answer that would be more convenient to use using the answers above and from the website I've put plus my own writing coz I'm answering a question like this myself rn.
In the 19th century, poverty was a major problem and was a crucial crisis for those who couldn't support themselves. Dickens reflects ACC back to those who were unfortunate and his own experience as a message to the reader to take heed. After the poor law had passed in 1834, life was harsh and workhouses were the only option of being supported but they were horrible and miserable places. Dickens uses language, punctuation, imagery and his own experience to present the theme poverty.
In stave 1, our impression of Scrooge is that he was an old bitter miser and was malcontent. Initially Scrooge finds the poor and poverty to be an annoyance and feels they deserve their plight and that he should not be expected to prolong their miserable existence by giving charity. When a charity worker laments that people would rather die then go to workhouses Scrooge replies,"if their would rather die...surplus population". The word 'surplus' is an adjective which indicates to excess in population therefore the reader can infer that Scrooge thinks that there is no need for the poor and destitute as they are excess. The adjective 'surplus' interlinks with the Malthusian economic theory which shows the inchoate mentality people had.
Scrooge continuously asks the workers questions showing his reluctance and displeasure to give charity. "Are there no prisons?" And,"and the union workhouses?" He also asks about the poor law which shows he doesn't care about the poor and dismisses them as they aren't his responsibility. He refers to them as "surplus population" and that they should die which tells us the welfare of the poor doesn't concern Scrooge. He says "mine occupies me constantly" confirming the readers suspicions that Scrooge is inconsiderate and parsimonious.
It's clear that Dickens has a very sympathetic attitude towards the poor and views then as victims of the circumstance. He advocates the giving of charity and strongly opposes the poor law to help ease the burden of charity.
^the question I had to answer that for was :
write about scrooges attitude to poverty in stave 1
if any of my classmates stumble on this you don't know me and don't copy word to word
In stave 1, our impression of Scrooge is that he was an old bitter miser and was malcontent. Initially Scrooge finds the poor and poverty to be an annoyance and feels they deserve their plight and that he should not be expected to prolong their miserable existence by giving charity. When a charity worker laments that people would rather die then go to workhouses Scrooge replies,"if their would rather die...surplus population". The word 'surplus' is an adjective which indicates to excess in population therefore the reader can infer that Scrooge thinks that there is no need for the poor and destitute as they are excess. The adjective 'surplus' interlinks with the Malthusian economic theory which shows the inchoate mentality people had.
"If they would rather die," said Scrooge, "they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population." is the quote he used
