Question

figurative language
excerpt from a christmas carol by charles dickens
scrooge never painted out old marleys name. there it stood, years afterwards, above the warehouse door: scrooge and marley. the firm was known as scrooge and marley. sometimes people new to the business called scrooge scrooge, and sometimes marley, but he answered to both names. it was all the same to him. oh! but he was a tight - fisted hand at the grindstone, scroogel a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner! hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self - contained, and solitary as an oyster. the cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shriveled his cheek, stiffened his gait; made his eyes red, his thin lips blue; and spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice. a frosty rime was on his head, and on his eyebrows, and his wiry chin. he carried his own low temperature always about with him: he iced his office in the dog - days; and didnt thaw it one degree.
read the phrase from the excerpt.
he was a tight - fisted hand at the grindstone
what does the author mean?
a scrooge did not like to spend money.
b scrooge kept his hands on everything.
c scrooge was a rough person.
d scrooge has hands like rock.
read the phrase from the excerpt.
solitary as an oyster
the simile in this phrase -
a suggests scrooge is mean
b gives scrooge a soft appearance
c has a strong impact on character
d shows scrooge is always alone
short answer: how would you describe scrooge in your own words?

Explanation:

• For the first question: The phrase "tight - fisted hand at the grindstone" is a metaphor. A "tight - fisted" person is someone who is reluctant to spend money.
• For the second question: A simile "solitary as an oyster" compares Scrooge's state of being alone. Oysters are often seen as solitary creatures.

Answer:

1. A. Scrooge did not like to spend money.
2. D. shows Scrooge is always alone.
3. Scrooge is a miserly, cold - hearted, and solitary person. He is reluctant to part with money (as indicated by “tight - fisted”), has a cold and unfeeling nature (like the cold within him affecting his appearance), and is alone (as shown by “solitary as an oyster”).