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“A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens is a short novella first published on December 19, 1843. The first edition sold out by Christmas Eve.  

Dickens wrote “A Christmas Carol” during the Victorian era where social injustices were shown through the horrors of the poor and working class. These novels such as Oliver Twist acted as mirrors and realities of Victorian life and the gap between rich and poor. 

Specifically in “A Christmas Carol,” Scrooge is obsessed with accumulating wealth. As the richer person, he shows poor treatment to employees such as Bob Cratchit; expecting him to work long hours under harsh conditions with very little pay. 

Scrooge exists in opposition to the very idea of Christmas. As Dickens believed, it should be a time for family, generosity and charity, especially towards children.

The Visions–Or Nightmares–Before Christmas

On Christmas Eve, after returning to his cold, dark apartment, Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his late business partner, Jacob Marley who tells him three spirits will visit over the next three nights.

The first spirit, gentle and kind, takes Scrooge back to his childhood. He sees himself as a motherless child, abandoned by a resentful father and left alone at a boarding school during holidays while other children went home to their families.

These visions help Scrooge confront his past, mourn his losses and feel emotions as intensely as he once had. It begins to chip away at the emotional armor he built around himself. 

The second spirit is a jolly giant with a commanding presence, acting to show Scrooge the consequences of his selfishness. They visit scenes of London and beyond, including the Cratchit home, where Scrooge witnesses the struggles of Bob’s family. Tiny Tim, Bob’s sickly son, clings to life without medical care because of Scrooge’s miserly wages. 

Seeing this misery forces Scrooge to confront the harm he causes and acknowledge his mistakes.

The third spirit, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, is a dark, silent figure who shows Scrooge terrifying visions of the future. 

He sees people speaking indifferently about the death of a man who was unkind and unloved, recognizing himself in their words. The ghost also reveals the Cratchit family mourning the death of Tiny Tim.

The Takeaway Message

These visions fill Scrooge with dread and regret. Awakening on Christmas morning, Scrooge immediately changes his ways.

He sends a large turkey to the Cratchits and joins his nephew’s Christmas celebration. Over time, he becomes generous and caring, treating Tiny Tim like his own son and helping those in need.

Through this transformation, he confronts his darkest moments, reconnects with his emotions and discovers the profound joy of compassion and generosity–a kind of profound joy we hope you get to experience this holiday season.

Merry Christmas!

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