The Ghosts Flashcards
Name the 3 ghosts and what they represent
The Ghost of Christmas past - memory and truth. Shows us Scrooge’s happier times as well as sadder ones. His emotions start to change
The Ghost of Christmas Present- generosity. Highlights Scrooge’s bad attitude to the poor. His views start to change.
The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come - Scrooge’s future which represents its death. Scrooge is frightened but is finally convinced to change.
All 3 are different but they all help Scrooge.
Describe the first spirit (Ghost of Christmas Past)
It represents memory and truth - seems to be connected through memory to different stages of Scrooge’s lift
Its appearance is a mixture of child-like and aged and also mysterious “it was a strange figure”
“A bright clear, jet of light” shines from its head - might symbolise the truth that can be found in memories?
Quiet with a low voice as if “it were at a distance” - like speaking to Scrooge from somewhere far away or long ago
But strong and perseveres - it forces him to look at the memories “but the relentless Ghost pinioned him in both his arms, and forced him to observe” and he keeps pushing Scrooge to tell him his reactions “What is the matter?…Something I think?” after they watch Fezziwig’s party
What is Scrooge’s first reaction to the Ghost of Christmas past and what could it represent?
Scrooge wants it to hide its bright light by putting its cap on
Could suggest Scrooge is reluctant to face the truth of his past.
The cap could also represent Scrooge’s mean attitude - something which supresses the light.
How does Scrooge react to the Ghost of Christmas Past and what he sees?
It makes him explain his reactions to the scenes in the past which are quite different to how he behaves in chapter 1.
He gets emotional “lip trembling” - claims a tear to be a spot!
He is happy and filled with “gladness” when the people from his old village wish each other Merry Christmas (emphasises his change in attitude to Christmas - at the start he sees it just in money terms).
He now has a “most extraordinary voice between laughing and crying” (big contrast to the “grating” voice he has in chapter one)
When he sees Fezziwig’s party he realises that sometimes it’s important to spend money generously because it makes others happy
The memory of Belle is “torture” for Scrooge. He can’t bear to look and begs the ghost to let him leave but the spirit is too strong for him it “pinioned him in both his arms” and “forced” him to watch. He feels sad he never became a father.
How does Dickens show the change start in Scrooge?
Physical - his voice changes from “grating” to “laughing and crying”
Expresses emotions e.g. “gladness”, seems excited to see the book characters
Starts to feel empathy - feels sorry that he didn’t give the carol singer anything and wants to be able to speak to Bob Crachit
What effect does the Ghost of Christmas Past have on the story and on the reader?
It forces Scrooge to learn and therefore to start to change.
Positive emotions - It’s the first time we see him react posititively e.g. when people from his old village wish each other Merry Christmas, it fills him with “gladness” (big contrast to his comment about idiots)
It makes the reader have some sympathy for him e.g. how lonely he was as a boy (especailly when we see that his only friends were book characters), how his father treated him, the death of his sister and his breakup with Belle.
What themes are raised when Scrooge sees his past?
Family - when Scrooge leaves his school with Fan, their carriage knocks snow “off the dark leaves” - symbolises how she helps him escape his cold lonely life. Foreshadows how family helps Scrooge to escape the cold isolation of his adult life at the end (family party, his relationship with the Crachits by the end).
What literary techniques does Dickens use to help set the scene in chapter 2 (Ghost of Christmas Past)?
Clock striking - creates tension, repeats throughout to show time moving on and new chapter, makes no sense as Scrooge falls asleep after two, but the clock strikes one (gives a magical feel)
Five senses - makes the past more vivid with descriptions including the 5 senses e.g. “cheerful voicees” of Fezziwig’s party and the “thousand odours” of his old village (big contrast to his dark and dull present)
Contrasting emotions and reactions e.g. Scrooge is happy to hear the villagers wishing each other a Merry Christmas vs his attitude to Christmas, his change in voice, his regret of sending away the carol singer and being mean to Bob
Describe the 2nd spirit - the Ghost of Christmas Present
Jolly & friendly “Come in! and know me better, man”
Compassionate - sprinkles incense and water from its torch as a blessing
Peaceful - its scarbbard has no sword in it and it’s rusted
Empathetic - has “sympathy with all poor men” and is “sorrowful” at the sight of Ignorance and Want. It speaks emotionally about the way society ignores the problem of poverty, ignorance and want.
What themes related to the Ghost of Christmas Present?
Poverty
It doesn’t like the way society ignores the problem of poverty and feels “sorrowful” when he sees Ignorance and Want
Family
Shows people celebrating Christmas in different places and being happy e.g the Crachits - they don’t have much as they are happy that they have each other. Fred toasts “Uncle Scrooge” - shows him he can still be part of the family.
The Christmas Spirit
it shows Scrooge the transforming and happy effect that Christmas has on other people
Social Responsibility
The ghost is very sympathetic to the poor. Tiny Tim’s illness shows Scrooge he was wrong about the poor as it shows him an innocent victim. He certainly doesn’t deserve to be put in a workhouse or a prison. It shows Scrooge that the Crachits (representing the poor) deserve better). Warns Scrooge of the dangers of ignorance and suggests education is important in helping people escape poverty.
What literary techniques does Dickens use in chapter 3 (Ghost of Christmas Present)?
Symbolism
The ghost’s torch resembles “Plenty’s horn” - a symbol of abundance from Greek and Roman mythology . The children are symbols of the problems caused by society - ignorance and want.
Clock striking
Indicates a new section
Detailed descriptions
helps the reader visualise the scene e.g Christmas decorations, a blazing fire, an abundance of food
Change in tone
Goes from a cheerful atmosphere with Christmas and parties, laughter etc to very sad and sombre when Ignorance and Want appear. It forces the reader to pay attention to what they represent.
How does Scrooge react to the Ghost of Christmas Present and what he sees?
Starts to change his view on poverty when he sees the Crachits and particularly Tiny Tim are innocent victims and real people (not just “surplus population”).
Starts to understand the effect that help and generosity can have e.g. when the ghost sprinkles incense from his torch over homes, hospitals, jails and almshouses.
Starts to change his view on the effect that Christmas can have e.g. bring people together and improve people’s moods
Starts to understand the importance and power of family e.g. seeing the Crachits who are so poor but happy (big contrast to what he says to Fred in chapter one - “what reason have you to be merry? You’re poor enough”. Fred toasts to “Uncle Scrooge” - reminds him that he can still be part of a family.
Feels upset to find out that Tiny Tim might die
Forces him to be humble and not have such a high opinion of himself
Forces him to see himself through the eyes of others e.g. at Fred’s house and the Crachits they are all having fun but he also hears them talking about him and making fun of him or resenting him. A big contrast between Scrooge and the generous spirits of both Fred (feels sorry for Scrooge) and Bob (makes his family toast him despite him being though of as an Ogre)
What effect does the appearance of the two children Ignorance and Want have?
They are symbols of society’s problems cuased by poverty - ignorance and want
They act as a warning about the dangers of ignorance - the spirit tells Scrooge that ignoring them will eventually lead to society’s “Doom”
They help to remind Scrooge of his earlier attitude (send all the poor to workhouses or prisons) and highlights that people like him are the problem as they are not offering help.
Describe the third spirit - the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come
Sinister, silent and terrifying - Scrooge is filled with a “horror” and a “solemn dread” and his legs tremble as he’s so afraid
Mysterious - “it seemed to scatter gloom and mystery” - its silence adds to the mystery. It only points.
Not completely unfriendly - its “kind hand” trembles when Scrooge gets more upset (its role is to help him - he might pity him?)
**Symbolises approaching death **as wears a “deep black garment” - like the Grim Reaper which Victorian readers would have recognised as a symbol of approaching death
What effect does the 3rd spirit have with what he shows Scrooge?
Sees the consequences of a lonely life - noone upset by the death of the man, even the ones who appear happy are only happy because his death has given them hope as he was such a “merciless” creditor (at this point he doesn’t realise he is the body but the reader knows).
Understands the difference between someone who was loved and had family (e.g. the reaction to Tim’s death when he sees the Crachit house) vs people’s reactions to the dead man who was all alone.
It makes Scrooge feel frightened as he thinks he might be **“past all hope” **as the gravestone already has his name on.
It makes him want to try to change - he wants to avoid his current fate and genuinely wants to become a better man.
