A Christmas Carol Analysis

Dickens uses the supernatural as a method of holding a mirror up to Scrooge who is forced to confront the error of his ways. Dickens shows us that if Scrooge fails to do this it will result in him having a similar fate to Marley. Dickens uses the ghost to emphasize that there is a chance of redemption for Scrooge “that you have yet a chance and hope of escaping my fate”. Dickens’ use of the supernatural continues throughout the story as a means of arousing nostalgia, thought, fear and action by Scrooge. All of these emotions, which Dickens shows us Scrooge is feeling, demonstrate the gradual change in Scrooge throughout the book, and as these changes take place, our thoughts and feelings towards the relationship we have with Scrooge also changes; we begin to understand him and see under his hard outer shell.

Imagine a staged production of A Christmas Carol set in 1843. See the stage set in the exact time it was written by Charles Dickens. The foggy, crowded streets abuzz with carolers and shoppers, the children staring wide eyed into the shops and bakeries. Hear the bells ringing as a round of “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” fills the gaslit streets with joy. As a child, going to see A Christmas Carol was one of my fondest Christmas memories. To witness Scrooge 's’ transformation from a mean, greedy old man to a joyous, loving benefactor always left me smiling and filled me with hope.

“I am not the man I once was…” (Dickens 675) might be the most famous words of Ebenezer Scrooge in “A Christmas Carol” Written by Charles Dickens. Ebenezer Scrooge is a horrible man who is haunted by three spirits overnight in hopes to make a new man out of the old miser. Throughout this story, Ebenezer Scrooge is haunted by three spirits ,Christmas present, past, and future, and during this time he learns about his greed, what joy he missed on christmas, and that he had a chance to become better.

Charles wrote A Christmas Carol in 1843. This short novel has a Christmas theme and has been popular since it was first published. This moral story is about an old man called Scrooge who hates Christmas and is mean to everyone, but he is transformed. The lessons he learns are as much for the reader to benefit from as Scrooge.

A Christmas Carol is the classic story by Charles Dickens about the transformation of Ebenezer Scrooge. He is guided by three spirits, as they conduct him on his travels through time, teaching him to move beyond his earlier cruelty and hatred of mankind. With the guidance of the spirits, Scrooge learns the true meaning of family, love and Christmas. The spirits all influenced Scrooge in unique ways and taught him different lessons. The spirit that was the most significant in Scrooge’s transformation was the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.

Some of these may be very scary and some may only be mildly scary. It

Ebenezer Scrooge is a miserable and greedy old man, who focuses mainly on his business and continues with his greedy ways on Christmas Eve. He is always grumpy and yells at his employees, and most of all at Bob Cratchit. Scrooge’s desire is to be by himself on Christmas Eve, and rejects his nephew Fred’s, invitation for dinner. One night, the ghost of Jacob Marley, a former colleague of Scrooge, who has passed away seven years ago, visits the old man. Marley reminds Scrooge of his cruel lifestyle and encourages him to change it before it is too late. He tells Scrooge that three spirits will visit him. When Scrooge falls asleep, The Ghost of Christmas Past visits him first. The Ghost shows him scenes from the past the reveal Scrooges’ live; from a lonesome young boy to a man who has allowed greed to overcome his life, a man who does not know love and compassion. Scrooge is touched by what he has seen and even allows emotions to overcome his stone-cold heart. Secondly, the Ghost of Christmas Present visits Scrooge. The Ghost takes Scrooge to several Christmas celebrations, including the party at Fred’s house. Also the Ghost takes Scrooge to the Crachit’s house, and warns him that unless the future is changed the crippled young son of Bob, Tiny Tim will die. The ghost warns Scrooge to be carful of his ignorance. Lastly the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come visits Scrooge. The old man becomes aware that several people discuses the death of someone. At last, he learns that this is

Foremost, Scrooge regrets not appreciating his clerk’s work. For instance, when Scrooge and the Ghost of Christmas Past visit Scrooge’s old boss, Scrooge whispers, “No. I should like to be able to say a word or two to my clerk just now” (40). Scrooge mistreats his clerk due to his off day on Christmas. He does not enjoy other people mooching off of his money. However, the events of his past life change Scrooge to the point of thinking about others. He imagines his clerk who can barely support his family and works cold as ice in his working quarters. Furthermore, when Scrooge meets his former self when he visits his past, he mutters, “I should like to have given something” (33). Scrooge strangles a kid who comes caroling to his door the night before. He hates Christmas with all his heart. However, after seeing his lonely self he imagines what that caroler felt. He regrets not granting that kid a gift of some sort. Hence, Scrooge regrets his hasty

The first of the three spirits was the spirit of Christmas past. The spirit of Christmas past took ol’ dolorous Scrooge to see his past childhood. The text states that “they passed through Scrooge’s wall, and stood upon an open country road, with fields on either end.” This city had vanished in present time. “Good Heaven! Said Scrooge, clasping his hands together, as he looked about him. ‘I was bred in this place, I was a boy here.” The significance is that Scrooge learns to not be such a gargantuan jerk. Scrooge’s feelings are as if he is being tortured by the spirit of Christmas past. As you would expect, Scrooge hated watching his childhood past, and begs the spirit of Christmas past to dispel him from his childhood. Scrooge very much is gargantuanly odious of watching his childhood, as he cannot bear it. The ghost of Christmas past takes Scrooge back.

A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, is a story of Christmas spirit and repentance. Ebenezer Scrooge is a hard-hearted businessman who thinks that the less attention he pays to mankind’s problems the better. He is cruel to his clerk, feared by almost all, and repulses the friendly advances of his nephew. However, on Christmas Eve, Scrooge gets a start that begins to jolt him into seeing the errors of his ways. He sees the ghost of his old partner Jacob Marley, who is doomed to walk the earth in a chain that he made in his unkind dealings with mankind, and who tells Scrooge that, in order to have hope of avoiding this, he will be visited by three spirits. The Ghost of Christmas Past shows him memories of the man he used

Christmas is the time of year where everyone seems to be happy no matter what is going on currently in the world around them. But not for Ebenezer Scrooge. Everyone makes mistakes, but some that Scrooge had made, made a big impact on his life. Because of his lack to spread kindness and charity, Scrooge’s consequences were three lovely visits from the Spirit of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come that made Scrooge reflect on his previous decisions so he can have an even greater future. When Scrooge’s partner, Marley, passes away, he lives an even more greedy and selfish life, finding another reason to strongly hate Christmas. Thus one part of why his poor action will provide a future consequence. Secondly, since Scrooge had been so selfish to everyone, including the whole town of London, it is pretty certain that all of London dislikes Scrooge. Although the Spirit of Christmas Yet to Come shows Scrooge that if he does indeed stay selfish, he most certainly will not be missed when he passes away. Lastly, his mistake in life was from his past when he decides to worry and obsess over making money and being successful rather than making sure he and his fiance’s future was more secure rather than secure finances. A Christmas Carol displays actions and consequences depend on one's own actions and decisions whether good or bad.

Using the first spirit, Scrooge was forced to face the fact that people viewed him as greedy and selfish, and began to open him up to the fact that he needs to change. The second spirit, The Ghost of Christmas Present, arrived and took Scrooge to the home of a worker of his, Bob Cratchit. It showed the family content, despite barely getting by. When Scrooge saw Bob’s sick son, he began to show worry that he would not survive. When the spirit told him that the son would not make it to next Christmas, this made Scrooge want to help him. This kind of emotion was unlike him, showing that he was changing (CC40). The spirit then took him to several other Christmas gatherings, where he enjoyed himself and played many games, even though he was merely in a dream. This spirit was used to open up Scrooge and showed his inner want to be around people. These thoughts for Scrooge were different than his from the beginning of the novel, showing that the spirits were being used to teach valuable lessons to Scrooge. The final spirit arrived, but would not answer when asked if he was the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. Scrooge plead with the ghost to share his lesson with him, fearful of becoming like Marley (CC51). The silent spirit took Scrooge to a series of strange places, showing people discussing the death of a dead rich man. He then began to understand the

Out of them three spirits one really taught him a lessen and changed his life forever. Scrooge was visited by his first spirit which was from the past at one o'clock and takes him to his old neighborhood which he grew up in and shows him about when he was a child how everyone was invited to ones house and danced and ate and celebrated Christmas with love from the friends and family. Then, the past spirit time was done and at two o'clock came and he was visited by the present spirit which showed him many things he does to his employee. The way his employee has a worker with a family who only counts on his and all scrooge does is cheat him with money and work. Scrooge found out that even though he cheats his worker he still cares about

And here are three cause and effects. Before, Scrooge went back to his past, present, and future. He was a selfish, mean, old man. Scrooge was rude to people who wish him “A Merry Christmas” After he went to his old self and new.

“ Spirit, hear me. I am not he man I was. I will not be the man I have been for so many years. Why show me all of this if I am past all hope? Assure me that I yet may change these shadows you have shown me. Let the boy live! I will honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The spirits of all three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach.” (Scrooge, p.140). A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is an important story as it has a meaningful theme of change, as the quotes states above. But that isn’t the only theme that this beautiful story shows us. Many different spirits encounter him to help him realize why Christmas is important (I’m pretty sure that is the meaning of the spirits). When the first spirit of the past encounters him, he realizes what he has done, and regrets some of the things he did. The second spirit helped Ebenezer Scrooge recognize how what he has been doing has had an impact in other peoples life. When the frightening third spirit came and showed him his future and others futures, he discovers about himself and how people didn’t care that he died. When we read A Christmas Carol, we learn that it can have many different themes that can be a very important component to the story and even our lives.