How we cite our quotes: (Stave.Paragraph)
Quote #4
There was nothing of high mark in this. They were not a handsome family; they were not well dressed; their shoes were far from being water-proof; their clothes were scanty; and Peter might have known, and very likely did, the inside of a pawnbroker's. But, they were happy, grateful, pleased with one another, and contented with the time; and when they faded, and looked happier yet in the bright sprinklings of the Spirit's torch at parting, Scrooge had his eye upon them, and especially on Tiny Tim, until the last. (3.85)
So, we're thinking there's a lot of implicit guilt and blame for the reader here, right? We've all seen a family like the Cratchits.
Quote #5
"If he wanted to keep 'em after he was dead, a wicked old screw," pursued the woman, "why wasn't he natural in his lifetime? If he had been, he'd have had somebody to look after him when he was struck with Death, instead of lying gasping out his last there, alone by himself."
"It's the truest word that ever was spoke," said Mrs. Dilber. "It's a judgment on him."
"I wish it was a little heavier judgment," replied the woman; "and it should have been, you may depend upon it, if I could have laid my hands on anything else. Open that bundle, old Joe, and let me know the value of it. Speak out plain. I'm not afraid to be the first, nor afraid for them to see it. We knew pretty well that we were helping ourselves, before we met here, I believe. It's no sin. Open the bundle, Joe." (4.54-56)
Wow, that's a pretty stellar circular argument to prove that it's actually Scrooge's own fault that these guys stole all his stuff after he died! This might be the only place in the work where blame is shifted around rather than being accepted by the rightful guilty person. These folks that steal Scrooge's stuff believe they're not at fault because Scrooge was such a jerk in his life. But that's not the soundest of arguments, now is it?