A Christmas Carol Final Paper

Every now and then, it is hard for a person to realize they have done wrong, until someone brings it to their attention. Admitting to your mistakes and previous decisions, can sometimes be the hardest thing in life. Eventually, everyone makes bad choices, but it is possible to fix what they have done wrong, and make everything right again. Scrooge, from the novel, A Christmas Carol, makes many awful choices in his lifetime, but on one very special Christmas Eve, he is given a chance to glue his life back together. This gives him a chance to make better choices for his own future. Scrooge is guided by three spirits who open his eyes to see what kind of a person he is, and how he affects other people. The three spirits in A Christmas Carol embody the major steps in Scrooge’s transformation- the recollections (good and bad) of memory, the awakening of senses and sensitivity, and the awareness of death.

The Ghost of Christmas Past visits Scrooge to show and remind him what love was once like, before materialism began conquering his life. The ghost is childlike, innocent, and pure, but the white, long hair, muscles, and mature body gives it an older appearance. The strangest feature of the ghost is a beam of white, clear light that shot from the crown of its head. This is a metaphor, because the ghost shows Scrooge the light, and reminds him of his youth, gradually advancing to his older, more mature years; just like the ghost’s physical appearance. The ghost brings back the excruciating memories of Scrooge’s past, by taking him back to Christmas in his previous years. They first visit Scrooge’s old school. Scrooge sees a young man reading near a fire, all alone, and realizes, the young boy is him. He feels sorry for himself, and remembers that he alienated himself from others during his youth. Scrooge feels pity for himself and says, “I wish.” The spirit then asks him what is wrong. Scrooge replies, “Nothing. There was a boy singing a Christmas Carol at my door last night. I should like to have given him something: that’s all” (22). Looking back at this memory reminds him of his current life. He regrets being mean and cold hearted to the boy singing Christmas carols. He realizes the boy was only trying to spread cheer in the joyous season. The next memory is a very fun-filled, warm, and cheerful Christmas. The ghost takes Scrooge back to his job as an apprentice. His boss, Mr. Fezziwig, is such a pleasant, friendly, thoughtful, and generous man. Mr. Fezziwig is known for his Christmas parties and he always includes everyone. He is very generous to his employees, and his staff thinks very highly of him. Scrooge happens to love Fezziwig, and gets excited when seeing him again. “Why, it’s old Fezziwig! Bless his heart; it’s Fezziwig alive again” (24)! After observing the Christmas party, and seeing how Fezziwig treats his staff, Scrooge regrets not showing his clerk, Bob Crachit, the same love and generosity that Fezziwig showed him. By now, Scrooge starts to see a side of himself that he has been in denial about his whole life. He does not care for this side of him that he is seeing and becomes more observant of his behavior. The last Christmas the spirit shows Scrooge, is a very sensitive Christmas. The ghost takes Scrooge to a time where he was dating a young, intelligent, beautiful woman named Belle. Belle tells Scrooge to have a happy life, and they part their own separate ways. Scrooge has changed for the worse, therefore she leaves him. The spirit shows Scrooge her new life, and maybe if the money had not gotten in the way, he could have had a daughter and a beautiful wife. Scrooge becomes very sensitive and defensive. “Spirit! said Scrooge, “show me no more! Conduct me home. Why do you delight to torture me?” (28). Scrooge begins to feel pity, and cannot handle what he is seeing, even though it is his own past. The ghost of Christmas past teaches Scrooge an important lesson. The lesson is about love, and shows all the regrets and realization he is now beginning to see, regarding his murky past. Surely he sees the light.

The Ghost of Christmas Present reveals a more sensitive and the more aware side of Scrooge, by showing him his current Christmas. We see a new side of him comes to life, a side of him that has not been portrayed in his previous years. The room went through a major transformation. The walls and ceiling were hung with grove, the bright gleaming berries were glistening, mistletoe was hanging ubiquitously, and a feast fit for a king surrounded a throne. In the throne, there sat a large, jolly man wearing a deep green robe with fur lining. This giant man came to be, the Ghost of Christmas Present. Scrooge was eager to depart with the ghost and learn more about this particular Christmas. “Spirit,” said Scrooge submissively, “conduct me where you will. I went forth last night on compulsion, and I learnt a lesson which is working now. To-night, if you have aught to teach me, let me profit by it” (33). With a touch of the robe, they would venture on a new journey. The first destination is Bob Cratchit’s home. Scrooge looks upon the happy Cratchit family, that does not have much to their name, but they still remain grateful, joyful and spiritual. After observing the Cratchit’s Christmas dinner, Scrooge begins to feel responsible for the Cratchit’s health and financial situation. He also becomes curious as to what is going to happen to Tiny Tim, the tiny boy with a crutch. Scrooge asks the spirit if Tiny Tim will live. “I see a vacant seat,” replied the Ghost, “in the poor chimney corner, and a crutch without an owner, carefully preserved. If these shadows remain unaltered by the Future, the child will die” (40). Scrooge cares deeply for Tiny Tim and asks the Ghost if he will be spared. The spirit quotes Scrooge from the day before and responds, “If he be like to die, he had better do it, and decrease the surplus population” (40). Scrooge hangs his head in embarrassment and penitence. Back at the Christmas day feast, Bob Cratchit acknowledges Scrooge, by telling his family that Mr. Scrooge is the founder of the feast. Bob is thankful to Scrooge, even though Scrooge is a cold-hearted boss. The Ghost of Christmas Present also teaches Scrooge about poverty, in a different way. He says, “Man, if man you be in heart, not adamant, forbear that wicked cant until you have discovered What the surplus is, and Where it is. Will you decide what men shall live, what men shall die? It may be, that in the sight of Heaven, you are more worthless and less