Excerpt from a Christmas Carol marleys ghost by Charles Dickens which detail from the text best supports that the narrator is critical of Scrooge

Question

The cold within him froze his old features nippled his pointed nose shriveled his cheek stiffened his gout made his eyes red his thin lips blue and spoke out shrewdly in his granting voice
And screwed his name was good upon change for anything he chose to put his hand to
And therefore uncle there has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket I believe that it has done me good and will do me good and I say God bless it
Scrooge never painted out old Marley's name there it stood years afterwards afterwards above the warehouse door Scrooge and Marley

Answer 1

The text provides several details that suggest the narrator's critical view of Scrooge. Particularly, the description of Scrooge's physical state—"The cold within him froze his old features," "nipped his pointed nose," and "made his eyes red"—paints a stark picture of a man who is not only miserly but also emotionally and spiritually frozen. This imagery reflects his character and suggests that his avarice has negatively impacted his very being.

Additionally, the mention that "Scrooge never painted out old Marley's name" illustrates his unwillingness to let go of his past and his connection to Marley, who represents the consequences of a life lived without generosity or compassion. This aspect emphasizes Scrooge's resistance to change and his attachment to his mercantile identity, which the narrator seems to critique.

Overall, through these descriptions, the narrator conveys a sense of disdain toward Scrooge's character, highlighting the coldness, isolation, and lack of humanity that define him.