Discussion Topic
Scrooge's feelings and initial attitude towards the spirits in A Christmas Carol
Summary:
Initially, Scrooge is skeptical and fearful of the spirits. He doubts their reality and is resistant to their messages, reflecting his stubborn and miserly nature. However, his attitude gradually shifts as he begins to understand the significance of their visits and the consequences of his actions, leading to his eventual transformation.
What is Scrooge's initial attitude toward the first spirit in A Christmas Carol?
In Stave Two, when the spirit appears to Scrooge as was foretold by the ghost of Marley—when "the deep, dull, hollow, melancholy ONE" strikes—Scrooge is startled as the curtains around his bed are pulled back and he beholds "a strange figure—like a child" from whose head a bright jet of light shines.
Scrooge studies this vision with more concentration and observes that the strange figure only wears a tunic of white. Its long hair is also white, yet its face is that of a child. Its arms are muscular and very long; its hands, too, are large, appearing to be strong as well. Its legs are long and its feet delicately shaped. From the belt that is around the short tunic it wears, there are sparkles and glitters, first in one part, then in another, causing the figure to seem to fade and brighten in Scrooge's view. With this strange...
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exchange of light, the figure seems at times to be a pair of legs without a head, then a head without a body, then a being with just one arm or just one leg. Finally, the figure appears whole, "distinct and clear as ever."
When Scrooge inquires of the spirit its identity, he is told, "I am the Ghost of Christmas Past . . . Your past." Then, for some reason, Scrooge asks the spirit to put on its extinguisher of a hat.
"What!" exclaimed the Ghost, "would you so soon put out, with worldly hands, the light I give? Is it not enough that you are one of those whose passions made this cap, and force me through whole trains of years to wear it low upon my brow!"
Scrooge respectfully expresses that he has no intention of offending the spirit. Then he dares to ask the spirit why it has come. It replies, "Your reclamation. . . . Rise and walk with me!" Thus begins Scrooge's moral restoration.
In A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, Scrooge's attitude towards the first spirit is one of fear. It's important to remember that the first apparition Scrooge sees is not a spirit! That first vision is the ghost - quite a different thing - of Scrooge's old business partner talking to the old miser from the grave. He has come to warn Scrooge about his cheap penny-pinching ways and cold, cheerless, selfish attitude towards his fellow man. It is he who tells Scrooge that he will be visited by three spirits.
The first spirit appears at the window and represents the Ghost of Christmas Past. Scrooge's attitude is one of terror when the spirit asks him to take his hand and take off into the sky. The ghost points to his heart and promises Scrooge he will be alright. Many people however get confused and remember the clanking chains of Marley as being the more terrifying!
In Charles Dickens' classic story "A Christmas Carol," miserly old Ebenezer Scrooge treats everyone around him horribly. He rejects the Christmas dinner invitation of his earnest young nephew, Fred; he fails to donate to the poor when asked to do so; finally, he only begrudgingly gives his clerk, Bob Cratchit, one day of paid time off for the holiday.
Thus, the spirit world chooses to intervene, and Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his former business partner, Jacob Marley, who appears to Scrooge in his room on Christmas Eve. Scrooge first encounters foreshadowing of this appearance when he sees his door knocker morph into Marley's face. Scrooge's response to this phenomena is that of a man stifling his fear:
A Christmas Carol
To say that he was not startled, or that his blood was not conscious of a terrible sensation to which it had been a stranger from infancy, would be untrue. But he put his hand upon the key he had relinquished, turned it sturdily, walked in, and lighted his candle. He did pause, with a moment’s irresolution, before he shut the door; and he did look cautiously behind it first, as if he half expected to be terrified with the sight of Marley’s pigtail sticking out into the hall. But there was nothing on the back of the door, except the screws and nuts that held the knocker on, so he said “Pooh, pooh!” and closed it with a bang.
Scrooge dismisses this "threat" and promptly goes to his bedroom, where he double locks the door against his "custom." After supper, he notices a bell beginning to ring in the room, hears the cellar door flying open below, and the noise of dragging chains approaching his door. Scrooge again dismisses these things: "It's humbug still... I won't believe it."
When Marley's ghost finally does appear, Scrooge coldly demands what Marley wants from him, who he is (although it's already clear!), and if he can sit down. This questioning is just more evidence of Scrooge's skeptical heart and doubt-filled mind. Ultimately:
...he tried to be smart, as a means of distracting his own attention, and keeping down his terror; for the spectre's voice disturbed the very marrow in his bones.
When Scrooge first sees the spirit of his partner, Jacob Marley, he cannot believe his eyes. He mutters that the vision must me caused by "an undigested bit of beef or an old potato". Because he does not believe that the ghost is real, he acts in an arrogant manner, loudly proclaiming, "You are an old potato!" It is not until Marley's ghost shrieks and begins to describe events from his life that Scrooge becomes frightened at what he sees. When Scrooge is carried through the air to witness the poor souls who are caught between the worlds as Marley is, he whimpers and crijes like a child until he is dropped back into his bed. As soon as the vision disappears, Scrooge begins to doubt that the incident ever took place at all... until the Ghost of Christmas Past appears.
What are Scrooge's feelings towards the spirits in A Christmas Carol?
Not sure which spirit you are talking about, so I will cover all of them.
Marley- Scrooge does not believe Marley is really there. He is fairly confrontational with Marley. "The truth is, that he tried to be smart, as a means of distracting his own attention, and keeping down his terror; for the spectre's voice disturbed the very marrow in his bones." He is surprised, but becomes a little calmer the longer they talk.
Ghost of Christmas Past-He was a little more mellow with the first of the three spirits. He tried very politely to decline going with the spirit, but he was not able to do so.
Scrooge reverently disclaimed all intention to offend or any knowledge of having willfully bonneted the Spirit at any period of his life. He then made bold to inquire what business brought him there.
"Your welfare," said the Ghost.
Scrooge expressed himself much obliged, but could not help thinking that a night of unbroken rest would have been more conducive to that end. The Spirit must have heard him thinking, for it said immediately:
"Your reclamation, then. Take heed."
Ghost of Christmas Present-Scrooge was awake and waiting for the spirit because he did not want to be taken by surprise and so, made nervous. He was ready to see something strange looking and would not have been surprised by just about anything. He was more timid and less confrontational this time. He was also ready to learn.
"Scrooge entered timidly, and hung his head before this Spirit. He was not the dogged Scrooge he had been; and though the Spirit's eyes were clear and kind, he did not like to meet them.
"I am the Ghost of Christmas Present," said the Spirit. "Look upon me."
Scrooge reverently did so...
"Spirit," said Scrooge submissively, "conduct me where you will. I went forth last night on compulsion, and I learnt a lesson which is working now. To-night, if you have aught to teach me, let me profit by it."
Ghost of Christmas Future- By the time that the third spirit came, Scrooge was almost eager to learn whatever the spirit had to teach him. However, he found the last spirit to be terrifying.
Although well used to ghostly company by this time, Scrooge feared the silent shape so much that his legs trembled beneath him, and he found that he could hardly stand when he prepared to follow it. The Spirit pauses a moment, as observing his condition, and giving him time to recover.
But Scrooge was all the worse for this. It thrilled him with a vague uncertain horror, to know that behind the dusky shroud there were ghostly eyes intently fixed upon him, while he, though he stretched his own to the utmost, could see nothing but a spectral hand and one great heap of black.
"Ghost of the Future!" he exclaimed, "I fear you more than any spectre I have seen. But as I know your purpose is to do me good, and as I hope to live to be another man from what I was, I am prepared to bear you company, and do it with a thankful heart. Will you not speak to me?"
It gave him no reply. The hand was pointed straight before them.
"Lead on," said Scrooge. "Lead on. The night is waning fast, and it is precious time to me, I know. Lead on, Spirit."