AChristmasCarol:ScroogeandMarley,byIsraelHorovitz,whichisadaptedfromAChristmas CarolbyCharlesDickens,followsastingy,selfishmannamedEbenezerScrooge.Hisformer businesspartner,JacobMarley,warnshimofthehorriblepunishmenthewillsufferifhedoes nothaveachangeofheart.Scroogeisvisitedbythreespirits,SpiritofChristmasPast,Spiritof ChristmasPresent,andSpiritofChristmasFuture.Althougheachspiritmadeanimpacton Scrooge,theSpiritofChristmasFuturehadthegreatestimpact. WhiletheotherspiritstoldScroogeaboutthingsthathecouldnotchange,SpiritofChristmas Futureshowshimwhatwillhappeninthefutureifhestaysthewayheisnow.Thethings Scroogeisshownfrightenshim,andhedoesnotwantthemtohappen.Sincehedoesnotwant hisfatetobelikethethingstheSpiritofChristmasFutureshowshim,hedecidestolivebythe lessonsthatthepreviousSpiritstaughthim."IwillhonorChristmasinmyheartandtrytokeepit alltheyear,"ScroogetellstheSpiritofChristmasFuture."IwillliveinthePast,thePresent,and theFuture...Iwillnotshutoutthelessonsthattheyteach."Afterhehasseenwhatmighthappen tohim,hepromisestofollowthelessonsallthreespiritshavetaughthimandtrytoliveabetter life.

OneofthethingsEbenezerScroogewasshownbytheSpiritofChristmasFuturethatimpacted himwashowpeoplewouldreacttohisdeath.Noonegrievedforhimorwassorryforhim, becausehehadnotshownloveforthemduringhislife.Infact,peoplearelaughingaboutit,even takinghisthingsfromhishousenowthatheisdead.Theyarejustasgreedyandunfeeling towardhimashewastopeople.WhatOldJoesaidsummarizestheirfeelingstowardhim:"He frightenedeveryoneawayfromhimwhilehewasalive,toprofituswhenhewasdead.Hahha ha!"Scroogerealizesthatthismantheyaretalkingaboutishim."Thisunhappymanthis strippedbarecorpsecouldverywellbemyown.Mylifeholdsparallel!Mylifeendsthatway now!"Hedoesnotwanttobethoughtofthatwayafterhisdeath,sohedecidestobekinderto peoplesotheywillbekindertohim. TheSpiritalsoshowsScroogewhatwillhappentoBobCratchit,hisclerk,inthefuture.Scrooge istakentotheCratchithome,whereheseesMrs.Cratchitandherchildren.Theyarenothappy andcheerfullikebefore,andBobCratchitandTinyTimarenotthere.WhenBobCratchit comeshome,heisdescribedas"cold,forlorn."Hesayssadly,"Mylittle,littlechild!Mylittle child!"ThistellsthereaderthatTinyTimhasdied,andthefamilyismourningforhim.Although theyarestillalovingfamily,theyseemsadandsomber.Scroogerealizedthathecaredabout TinyTimwhenhewaswiththeSpiritofChristmasPresent,andhedoesn'twanthimtodie. Inconclusion,theSpiritofChristmasFuturemadethegreatestimpactonScrooge.Hewarned ofthethingsthatwouldhappenifScroogedidnotchange,andreinforcedthelessonstaughtby theothertwospirits.Althoughallthreespiritsinfluencedhimbytellinghimheshouldbekinderto people,theSpiritofChristmasFuturegavehimreasonswhyheshouldchange.Throughthis Spirit,Scroogelearnedofthebadthingsthatcouldhappenifhedidn'tchange.