A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol is an allegory novella by Charles Dickens. This novel is about a about a mean-spirited and selfish old man, Ebenezer Scrooge, who hates Christmas. One cold Christmas Eve, Scrooge is unkind to the people who work for him, then refuses to give to charity, and then is rude to his nephew when he invites him to spend Christmas with him.

When Scrooge gets home, he is visited by the ghost of his old business partner Jacob Marley – and then by three ghosts! They are the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Future. The Ghost of Christmas Past takes Scrooge on a journey through Christmases from his past, taking Scrooge to see himself as an unhappy child and a young man more in love with money than his fiancé.

The Ghost of Christmas Present shows Scrooge his clerk, Bob Cratchit’s family. At Bob Cratchit’s house Scrooge sees Tiny Tim. The Ghost of Christmas Future terrifies Scrooge by showing him visions of his own death. The ghosts’ journey through time teaches Scrooge the error of his ways. When he wakes up on Christmas Day, he is full of excitement, and buys the biggest turkey in the shop for the Cratchit family before spending the day with his nephew, full of the joys of Christmas.

Similar Mind Maps

Outline

A Christmas Carol

Overview

Ebenezer Scrooge, owner of a London accounting firm, has no patien friends, family, or Christmas; all he cares about is money. He is greed hateful toward the poor, including his impoverished, shivering employee. One night the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come visit Scrooge and completely transform his outlook.

Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come

Shows Scrooge his lonely death

Ghost of Christmas Present

Shows Scrooge the, Cratchits' poverty and hardship

Ghost of Christmas Past

Shows Scrooge in his younger years

Main Characters

Scrooge

Miser obsessed with his own wealth

Fred

Scrooge's nephew; loves Christmas traditions

Bob Cratchit

Bob Cratchit's son; kind boy with a physical disability

Tiny Tim

Double agent working with WICKED and the Gladers

Jacob Marley

Ghost of Scrooge's business partner; carries heavy chains.

Numbers

Weeks it took Dickens to write A Christmas Carol

~15

Miles Dickens walked at night to clear his head while writing the novella

1853

Year of Dickens's first public reading of A Christmas Carol

~6,000

Copies sold over the Christmas season in 1843

Themes

Redemption

Scrooge starts out as a greedy, miserable man but becomes a loving, generous friend.

Wealth vs Poverty

Scrooge represents the very rich in society, while Bob Cratchit represents the very poor.

Time

Scrooge must fight against time—his own and Tiny Tim's—to make a difference before it's too late.

Symbols

Marley's Chain

Symbolizes Marley's lifetime of greed

Tiny Tim

Represents society's poor, neglected children

Author

CHARLES DICKENS 1812-70

As an appreciator of Christmas festivities, Dickens was inspired to write A Christmas Carol after witnessing children in extreme poverty in London. His goal was to encourage those with resources to help and educate those without. The classic holiday story has delighted generations of viewers and readers.