No wind that blew was bitterer than he, no falling snow was more intent upon its purpose, no pelting rain less open to entreaty. And walk with me!" Imperatives shows the Ghost is to be obeyed. The way in which Scrooge keeps himself at a distance from his "fellow-passengers to the grave" (see Scrooge's conversation with his nephew in Stave One) will not be allowed to stand. 'Decrease the surplus population'. Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like "It was a strange figure - like a child; yet not so like a child like an old man.", "Fresh green holly in its hand", "Crown of its head there sprung a bright clear jet of light." and more. The Spirit dropped beneath it, so that the extinguisher covered its whole form; but though Scrooge pressed it down with all his force, he could not hide the light, which streamed from under it, in an unbroken flood upon the ground. The movie A Christmas Carol is better than the book. For his part, Scrooge sees his change only as a sign of wisdom. Thank you for visiting nature.com. Postdoctoral fellowship in vascular biology at UT Southwestern, studying the endothelial basis of cardiometabolic disease. This light functions as a symbol of hope and of goodness in the world. J. 2023 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved, "Secret, And Self-contained, And Solitary As An Oyster", https://www.enotes.com/topics/christmas-carol. Scrooge will avoid spirits for the rest of his life geddit? In A Christmas Carol, the Ghost of Christmas Past appears as a bright light source to symbolize its role in revealing important realities and illuminating the goodness of the world for Scrooge. Scrooge's attempt to extinguish the light is an important part in this stave. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business. -After Scrooge asked what his business was. -his sister Fan is there Memories begin to flood Scrooge's mind and he "reclaims" the memory of his young self as a lonely boy. The light proves contagious; as the party breaks up and the guests depart, we read a mention of "the bright faces of [Scrooge's] former self and Dick," and note that "the light upon [the Ghost's] head burned very clear." Charles Dickens enduring holiday tale A Christmas Carol features three ghosts who visit Ebenezer Scrooge, a crotchety man who detests the yuletide holiday. As his fellow-feeling grows, and he begins to recognize the errors of his miserly ways, the spirit's light grows too so that it has become so bright. The "bright, clear jet of light" that shines from the Ghost of Christmas Past's head could symbolise the truth that can be found in memories. Nadine holds a Master of Arts in English language and literature from McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, where she led seminars as a teaching assistant. ", However, he is unable to do this because the Spirit of the Past is too strong with its long muscular arms. A morality play, not unlike some of the popular plays I have seen.
