Ignorance and Want

Who are they????

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS… What do they want for? Is one of them ignorant? Who is? Are Ignorance and Want symbols? Why does Ghost of Christmas Present care for them? What does Scrooge learn from them and their appearance? Why is “doom” so closely connected to Ignorance?

What do these words mean??? IGNORANCE (Noun) A lack of knowledge or understanding often as a result of apathy. (Is Scrooge ignorant? Is “man” ignorant?) WANT (Noun) A lack or deficiency of something. NOTE! This “want” is a noun, not the verb “to want” Does Scrooge want for something? Does the child?

DOOM!!!!!

DOOM! (noun) Death, destruction, or some other terrible fate.

Back to the Essential Questions… Get a piece of paper, please!

What Do They Want For? Ignorance and Want want for common comforts such as water, food, shelter, and clothing. They also want for compassion, caring, and for mankind to help them when they can.

Is One of Them Ignorant? Who Is? No, they are not ignorant. They are representations, symbols, of want and ignorance. Scrooge, in particular, and Mankind, in general, is ignorant to the sufferings of the poor and their children.

Are Ignorance and Want symbols? Yes, they symbolize many things. Obviously, they symbolize a lack of knowledge due to apathy AND a lack of common comforts. Ignorance and Want also symbolize the children of the poor during the industrial Revolution and the lack of help they received from the upper class.

Why does Ghost of Christmas Present care for them? GOC Present cares for Ignorance and Want because he is the embodiment of the Spirit of Giving. He also represents abundance and kindness. He cares for them because they need caring most. They have appealed to him from “their fathers” a.k.a. mankind.

What does Scrooge learn from them and their appearance? Scrooge comes to the realization that they need help, “Have they no refuge or resource?” Unfortunately, the GOC Present uses Scrooge’s words from Stave 1 against him. “Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?” Scrooge realizes he is “the ant on the leaf.” Scrooge is changing for the better but may not completely “get it” yet.

Why is “doom” so closely connected to Ignorance? “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” ~George Santayana The quote above is often paraphrased as “…doomed to repeat it.” Those who are ignorant may be doomed to suffer the consequences of there actions.

Is this what’s in store for those who are ignorant???