A Christmas Carol Memory and the Past Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Stave.Paragraph)

Quote #4

"Leave me! Take me back. Haunt me no longer!"

In the struggle, if that can be called a struggle in which the Ghost with no visible resistance on its own part was undisturbed by any effort of its adversary, Scrooge observed that its light was burning high and bright; and dimly connecting that with its influence over him, he seized the extinguisher-cap, and by a sudden action pressed it down upon its head.

The Spirit dropped beneath it, so that the extinguisher covered its whole form; but though Scrooge pressed it down with all his force, he could not hide the light, which streamed from under it, in an unbroken flood upon the ground. (2.149-150)

Scrooge can no longer totally repress his memories of his past, which fill him with pain and guilt and remorse. The idea here is that these self-policing emotions, like guilt and remorse, are what make us functional people. Without them, we might all be compassionless Scrooges.

Quote #5

"It's just as likely as not," said Bob, "one of these days; though there's plenty of time for that, my dear. But however and whenever we part from one another, I am sure we shall none of us forget poor Tiny Tim—shall we—or this first parting that there was among us?"

"Never, father!" cried they all.

"And I know," said Bob, "I know, my dears, that when we recollect how patient and how mild he was; although he was a little, little child; we shall not quarrel easily among ourselves, and forget poor Tiny Tim in doing it."

"No, never, father!" they all cried again. (4.135-138)

Again, here is an example of how memory is used to self-correct and self-police. All these Cratchit children will now deploy their memory of the angelic Tiny Tim to quash their own negative qualities. Handy.