A spirit in the form of a giant clad in festive robes. He
takes Scrooge to see the christmases of people that he
knows and also of those he does not. In doing so, he
shows Scrooge that even in wretched conditions
people a lot less fortunate than himself celebrate
christmas with gusto
Before the arrival of the spirit
Scrooge is prepared for the arrival of
the spirit, which shows he is not
frightened about the forth coming
events
"For he wished to
challenge the
spirit on the
moment of its
appearance..."
"...he was ready for a good broad
field of strange
appearances...nothing between a
baby and a rhinoceros would
have astonished him very much."
"...no shape appeared,
he was taken with a
violent fit of trembling
"...as he was
powerless to make
out what it
meant,..."
The arrival of the
spirit
"...a strange voice
called him by his
name,...He
obeyed
"But it had undergone a
surprising
transformation. The
walls and ceiling were
so hung with living
green."
The Spirit
The spirit aligns himself with the poor,
looks down on the idea of covering
himself , genial faced- happy faced, anti
scrooge- generous, cheerful, gaily, carries
true joyful air and the essence of
christmas, warm and welcoming
Scrooges response: Scrooge has changed his
personality, as he could be fearful, changed
rapidly therefore shows that he is morally
improving and seeks repentance
"Scrooge entered
timidly and hung his
head before this spirit."
"He was not the dogged
Scrooge he had
been:....though the spirits
eyes were clear and
kind, he did not want to
meet them."
Scrooge shows guilt- this is
the first form of
repentance
"...conduct me where you
will...and i have learnt a lesson
which is working now. Tonight
if you aught to teach me, let
me profit by it."
"Come in!' exclaimed the ghost.
'Come in! and know me better,
man!"
"I am the ghost of Christmas
present,' said the spirit "Look
upon me!" Scrooge reverently
did so.
Emperative- is used as a direct command,
welcoming but powerful
"It was clothed in
one simple green
robe, or mantle..."
"...that its
capacious
breast was
bare
"Its feet.....were also
bare:..."
"Its dark brown curls were long
and free; free as its genial face,
its sparkling eye, its open hand,
its cheery voice, its
unconstrained demeanour, and
its joyful air
"...but no sword was
in it..."
1. The streets
"There was nothing very
cheerful in the climate or town,
and yet their was an air of
cheerfulness..."
"Why to a poor
one most?" asked
Scrooge
2. The
cratchitts
"...Mrs Cratchit, Cratchit's wife,
dressed out but poorly, in a twice
turned gown, but brave in ribbons,
which are cheap and made a goodly
show for sixpence:....Belinda
Cratchit....also brave in ribbons:..."
"....nobody said or thought that it
was at all a small pudding for a
large family. It would have been flat
heresy to do so. Any cratchit
would have blushed to hint such a
thing."
"They were not a handsome
family, they were not well
dressed, their shoes far from
being waterproof, their clothes
were scanty..."
"But they were happy,
grateful, pleased with one
another, and contended with
the time; "
"Master peter
cratchit...and getting the
corners of his monstrous
shirt collar.."
"Apples and
oranges were
put upon the
table..."
"A custard cup
without a handle."
"...and his threadbare
clothes darned up
and brushed to look
sensible..."
Tiny Tim
"...Bob's voice was tremulous
when he told them this and
trembled more when he said
Tiny Tim was growing strong and
hearty."
"...Bob held his withered
little hand in his,...and
dreaded that he might
be taken from him."
"...he hoped people saw
him in the church
because he was a
cripple..."
Scrooge is feeling"
sympathetic, pitiful,
shameful, guilty
"spirit", said Scrooge, with an
interest he had never felt
before, 'tell me if Tiny Tim
will live."
"Scrooge hung his head to
hear his own words
quote...and was overcome with
penitence and grief.
"Scrooge bent before
the ghosts rebuke, and
trembling cast his eyes
upon the ground."
"...Bob had hugged
his daughter until
his heart content..."
"...Scrooge was the
ogre of the family."
"...peter himself looked
at thoughtfully at the
fire from between his
collars
3. The different
types of
Christmases
Rich christmas
"Brightness of the roaring
fires...flickering of the blaze
showed preparations for
cosy dinners, with hot plates
baking through and through
before the fire....to shut out
cold and darkness."
"...artful witches:
well they knew
it- in a glow!
Poor christmas
"...without a word of warning from
the ghost, they stood upon a
bleak deserted moor...but for the
frost that held it prisoner; and
nothing grew but moss and furze,
and coarse, rank grass.
"...sun had left a streak of
fiery red, which glared upon the
desolation...like a sullen eye,
and frowning, lower, lower, lower
yet, was lost in the thick gloom
of darkest night."
"A place where miners
live"...returned the spirit.
"But, they know me.
See!"
"...a cheerful company assembled
round a glowing fire...and another
generation beyond that, all
decked out gaily in their holiday
attire.
"...and from time to time
they all joined in the chorus.
So surely as they raised
their voices..."
The
lighthouse
"...two men who
watched the light
had made a
fire...they wished
each other Merry
Christmas."
4. Christmas in Fred's house
Fred
Optimistic/ earnest/ mature/ appreciative/ loyal/ kind
hearted/has a sense of love, merriment and joy/ attentive/
considerate/ idealistic/ sympathetic/ jolly/ has a wide sense of
humour/ respect towards Scrooge/ bubbly/ light hearted/ high
spirited/ pleasant/ grateful/
"If you should happen, by an unlikely
chance, to know a man more blest
in laugh than Scrooges nephew, all i
can say is, i should like to know him
too."
"I have no patience with him"
observed Scrooges
nephew..other ladies expressed
the same opinion. "Oh, i have!'
said Scrooges nephew. " I am
sorry for him; i could't be angry
with him if i tried. Who suffers
by his ill whims! Himself, always..."
"Everybody...were
clustered around
the fire, by
lamplight."
"Scrooges nephew revelled
in another laugh, and as it
was impossible to keep the
infection off...;his example
was unanimously followed.
"Scrooge's nephew, 'that the consequence of
his taking a dislike to us, and not making
merry with us, is, as i think, that he loses
some pleasant moments, which could do him
no harm.
"...in his mouldy office, or his dusty chambers. I
mean to give him the same chance every year,
whether he likes it or not, for i pity him. He may
rail at Christmas until he dies...If he finds me
going there year after year, and saying Uncle
Scrooge, how are you? If it only puts him in the
vein to leave his poor clerk fifty pounds, that's
something and i think i shock him yesterday."
"After tea they
had some music.
For they were a
musical family.
Scrooges response
"When this strain of music sounded,
all the things the ghost had shown
him, came upon his mind; he
softened more and more; and
thought that if he could have listened
to it often, years ago, he might have
cultivated the kindness for his won
happiness with his own hands..."
"...but they all played, and
so did Scrooge...The ghost
was greatly pleased to
find him in this mood, and
looked upon him with such
favour that he begged like
a boy to be allowed to
stay..."
"Uncle Scrooge had imperceptibly
become gay and light of heart,
that he would have pledged the
unconscious company in return,
and thanked them in an inaudible
speech, if the ghost had given him
time."
"...while thus engaged to hear
a hearty laugh...to find himself
in a bright, dry, gleaming room,
with the spirit standing by his
side, and looking at that same
nephew with approving
affability!"
"..while there is
infection in disease
and sorrow, there is
nothing in the world
so irresistibly
contagious as laughter
and good humour."
"When Scrooges nephew laughed in
this way: holding his sides, rolling his
head, and twisting his face in the
most extravagant contortion: Scrooges
niece by marriage, laughed as heartily
as he."
"I am sure he is very rich, Fred, " hinted
Scrooge's niece...Scrooges nephew, "His
wealth is of no use to him. He don't do any
good with it. He don't make himself
comfortable with it. He hasn't got the
satisfaction of thinking-ha, ha, ha!- that he is
ever going to benefit US with it."
The End of the Christmas past
"It was strange, too, that while Scrooge
remained unaltered...the ghost grew older,
clearly older. Scrooge had observed this
change, but never spoke of it, until they left
a children's Twelfth Night party...he noticed
that it's hair was grey."
"Scrooge looking intently at
the spirit's robe, "but I
see something strange...Is
it a foot or a claw!
"It might be a claw, for the
flesh there is upon it', was the
spirit's sorrowful reply..."
"It brought two children:
wretched, abject,
frightful, hideous,
miserable..."
"There was a boy and a girl. Yellow, meagre, ragged,
scowling, wolfish; but prostrate, too, in their humility.
Where graceful youth should have filled their
features out...a stale, and shrivelled hand, like that
of age, had pinched, and twisted them, and pulled
them into shreds...has monsters half so horrible and
dread."
"They are man's', said the spirit, ...'And they
cling to me appealing from their fathers .
This boy is ignorance. This girls is want.
Beware them both, ...but most of all beware
this boy, for on his brow i see that written
which is doom."
"Scrooge started back,
appalled, 'spirit! are these
yours?' Scrooge could say
no more.
"Have they no refuge or
resource?' cried Scrooge.
'Are there no prisons? said
the spirit, turning on
him...'Are there no
workhouses?'