‘I am here tonight to warn you, that you have a chance and hope of escaping my fate’ (Stave 1)
If Scrooge did not change his mean old ways, then he is only to look forward to an after life like poor Jacob. To Scrooge’s disappointment and dismay, he listens as Marley tells him of the three ghosts that are due to visit him, he’d rather they didn’t visit at all!
On awakening, it is dark, Scrooge tries to make sense and in his sceptical mind doubts whether to Marley did appear , until he comes face to face with the ghost of Christmas Past. Scrooge is reluctantly flown to a place where he is pleasantly surprised. It shows for the first time, Scrooge possessing warm feelings as he becomes tearful when realising it is the place where he lived as a boy, and sees himself all alone in the boarding school whilst the other boys happily leave for the holidays. Dickens cleverly conjures up the absolute saddest of feelings towards the poor young Scrooge through the descriptive words, its almost tear jerking to read of the poor, innocent boy reading his book by the fire! This warms the heart towards poor Scrooge as he also allows himself to feel the sorrow.
Then Ebenezer is whisked off to see Mr. Fezziwig, his old employer. Dickens uses verbs and adjectives such as ‘ oily, rich, fat, jovial, voice’ that portrays the deep kindness of the man. It allows the reader to compare the definite contrast of how Scrooge behaves towards Bob Cratchit ( his clerk) and how Scrooge himself was treated as a fellow apprentice, and how once, Scrooge actually enjoyed the Christmas period being part of the united group celebrating the festivities. There is almost a twist of irony as Scrooge tells the spirit that
‘The happiness he gives, is quite as great as if it cost a fortune.’ (Stave 2)
It is a shame that Scrooge himself does not practice what he preaches, he certainly has the money to do so! They then leave Mr. Fezziwig and arrive to see Ebenezer’s old love Belle becoming a victim of the cold Scrooge as money becomes his new love, and soon manifests into an obsession.
On the arrival of the second ghost, the ghost of Christmas Present, Dickens bombards the reader with a mass of imagery to do with food and the ghost itself. It portrays a friendly, warm feeling, one that is inviting. However it is apparent that Scrooge is nervous as he protects himself with wiry, humour. He is taken to see how the others celebrate Christmas. There is a noticeable change in Scrooge’s attitude when he learns that Bob Cratchit’s ill son, Tiny Tim will die. He begs the spirit, ‘ Oh no, kind Spirit! Say he will be spared’ This does not sound like the cruel, hardhearted man that the story began with. Next, it is his nephew’s home where the air is full of laughter, happiness and mockery towards the meanness of Scrooge, but still raises a Christmas toast to him
The last ghost, the ghost of Christmas yet to come then visits. Scrooge shows he is changing by telling the hooded spirit
‘ I am prepared to bear you company, and to do it with a thankful heart’ (Stave 4)
First he is taken to see the businessmen that he socialises with, and with whom he would like to think he stands in high esteem with, in a business sense of course. He then leaves the upper class of the city, and is faced with the poverty stricken areas. Here, Dickens shows how the poor make the rich richer, but stay in poverty themselves. It gives the reader a sense of reality as to how life really was in the time that Charles Dickens lived. Scrooge realises that it is he that has died, and is horrified to witness the ones that have stripped his home of materialistic goods, like vultures, in order to gain money for their own. They show no compassion towards Scrooge, only the emotion of relief is felt from his death. Scrooge tells the spirit
‘ Let me see some tenderness connected with a death, or that dark chamber which we left just now will be forever present to me’ (Stave 4)
Scrooge is hoping that the spirit will show him a place where there is some emotion connected to his death, reassuring him that someone cares. Instead he is shown Bob Cratchits home where they are all mourning for poor tiny Tim. This is the final straw for Scrooge. His future has frightened him enough to want to change. He tells the spirit
‘Spirit! Hear me! I am not the man I was. I will not be the man I must have been but for this intercourse.’ (Stave 4)
He promises to repent and become a completely different person Scrooge has seen himself as others see him and found that it is not a pleasant sight. He makes this profound promise :
‘ I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all year. I will live in the Past, the Present and the Future. Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I shall not shut out the lesson they teach’ (Stave 4)
On Christmas morning, Scrooge wakes up a changed man, for the better of course! Dickens uses similes such as ‘light as a feather’ and ‘happy as an angel’ to help the reader understand and gain the feeling of the new improved Mr Scrooge! The repetition of the word ‘and’ quickens the pace, and indicates the excitement felt by Scrooge.
Scrooge remembers all that was shown to him and he sets off to alter the future, which only evoked doom. He buys an overwhelmingly large turkey for Bob Cratchit, attends his Nephews party and generally spreads the good will and festive cheer of Christmas! Scrooge keeps his promise, and everyone benefits. There is a repetition of the word good
‘ He became a good friend, a good master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew, or any other good old city, town or borough, in the good Old World’ (Stave 5)
This proves that he has genuinely changed for the better of himself and everyone around him. The moral of the story is, as Dickens surely tried to put across, that it is never too late to alter your ways, and if you don’t change, things could happen to you too.
