Christmas past Essay Example for Free

Christmas past Essay The fog and darkness thickened so, that people ran out with flaring links And The ancient tower of a church, whose gruff old bell was always peeping slily down at Scrooge out of a gothic window in the wall, became invisible This sums up Scrooge, dark and dull, and sets the scene for the events that are to follow. The weather is essentially used to make the picture mysterious and dismal, and foretells the proceedings in the remainder of the novel. The second ghost whom we witness is the ghost of Christmas past. Its facial features arent quite distinguishable as it looks like a young child and an old man at the same time. It was a strange figure like a child: yet not so like a child as like an old man, viewed through some supernatural medium This may be because it resembles memories, which are also distorted and blurry. He shows Scrooge as a child, and Scrooges sheds tears at the sight of himself missing out on the fun, sitting in a corner reading a book. Scrooge sat down upon a form, and wept to see his poor forgotten self as he used to be. The ghost of Christmas past also manages to show Scrooge his sister and former employer and how nice they are. He is trying to show Scrooge what a real Employer and uncle should act like. The third ghost that appears is the ghost of Christmas present. This is once again a warning ghost; a ghost who is there to warn Scrooge of what his actions are doing to other people. The ghost of Christmas present takes Scrooge to see other people who are less fortunate than him but still manage to be jolly and enjoy what they have at Christmas time. The spirit accompanies Scrooge to the house of Bob Cratchit, Scrooges clerk. Scrooge pays Bob a very low salary but the Cratchit family still manage to enjoy Christmas and make the most of what they do have even though they have a sick son, Tiny Tim, who will most likely die. Scrooge looks at the family, and becomes attached to Tiny Tim, and the fact that he is so ill, has a huge effect on Scrooge. Scrooge was touched in the same way as the reader is by Tiny Tim. Even Tiny Tim, excited by the two young Cratchits, beat on the table with the handle of his knife, and feebly cried Hurrah! Scrooge wants to know more about Tiny Tim. Say he will be spared. The Spirit also repeats Scrooges words to him that he said to some portly gentlemen collecting for the poor, Scrooge had said If he is going to die hed better hurry up and do it and decrease the surplus population. Scrooge feels extremely guilty at having his own words thrown back at him, and he realises he needs to be kinder and give Bob a rise in salary. The last spirit to visit Scrooge is the Ghost of Christmas yet to come. This spirit is very different to the Ghost of Christmas present. It is much more frightening in manner and appearance and is the genus of ghost you might expect to find in an archetypal ghost story. Like all the other spirits, he is described in tremendous detail, but in a slightly different way to the others. The others were definitely inspiring, but the last one is shrouded in mystery and the classic tension and atmosphere starts to build-up. The spirit is said to be shrouded in a deep black garment, which concealed its head, its face, its form, and left nothing of it visible, save one outstretched hand. This description portrays the ghost as being gloomy and mysterious. The spirit reveals how things will turn out if Scrooge does not change. He shows Scrooge the death of a young, helpless child, Bob Cratchits son, Tiny Tim. He also shows him what things will be like after he dies if he doesnt change. This ghost shows what people thought of Scrooge too. He frightened every one away from him when he was alive, to profit us when he was dead. Others were pleased about his death. It was a happier house for this mans death! There are some men talking in the street about Scrooges death. One said, What has he done with his money. I havent heard, replied the other Left it to his company, perhaps. He hasnt left it to me. Thats all I know. These comments just go to show how much the general public despised Scrooge. Dickens uses the three spirits to go through his life and show the real Ebenezer Scrooge, not the grumpy, rich and sinful one. He also wants to show that inside every typical rich human being, there is a true person; it just takes something to bring it out.