Stave 2

Hieu Thai
A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, is an amazing book. In stave 2, scrooge meets the Ghost of Christmas Past. He revisits Christmass of his past with the spirit. Scrooge gets very emotional when he revisits his past. The theme of the book is, money doesnt make you happy, its the people who love and care about you that do. Dickens illustrates this theme through the use of plot development, figurative language, and character growth.

At the exposition of the story you see Scrooge as a mean grumpy old man. Dickens describes scrooge to be very mean and greedy. If they would rather die, said Scrooge, they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population. (10). This quote from Scrooge shows how greedy, mean, and unhappy he is. Because you fell in love! growled Scrooge, as if that were the only one thing in the world more ridiculous than merry Christmas (7). Scrooge has nothing to love and care about except for money. This shows that money doesnt make you happy, its the people who love and care about you that do.

Scrooge being mean and grumpy isnt the only ting that describes him, its also the setting. Dickens describes the setting as, it was so dark, that, looking out of bed, he could scarcely distinguish the transparent window from the opaque walls of his chamber.

He was endeavoring to pierce the darkness with his ferret eyes, when the chimes of a neighboring church struck the four quarters. (27). The dark setting supports Scrooges personality and sets a dark mood. The darkness and the mist had vanished with it, for it was a clear, cold, winter day, with snow upon the ground. This makes the reader picture Scrooge to be a happy, cheerful guy.

In the book you see Scrooge change into a completely different person. The three spirits help Scrooge become a better man. Good Heaven! said Scrooge, clasping his hands together, as he looked about him. I was bred in this place. I was a boy here! (32). Here you see Scrooge happy and cheerful. He changes by seeing the Christmass of his past, and learning the mistakes he made. What would I not have given to be one them! Though I never could have been so rude, no no! (47). Dickens makes Scrooge a dynamic character, showing that people can change, showing that money doesnt make you happy, its the people who love and care about you that do.

A Christmas Carol is one of the great literary works of all time. Its imagery and creative writing makes the story wonderful. The great creative righting pulls the reader into the book and makes them want to read it. The main reason to its great literature is that it causes the reader to realize that the past affects the future and that money doesnt make you happy, its the people who love and care about you that do.