In Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol, Stave 2: "The First of the Three Spirits", Ebenezer Scrooge is taken to the past. Scrooge knows who he will probably get to see again: his dead sister, Fan, or Fran.
For this reason, Scrooge was already on the path to redemption the moment he saw the door that would lead him to her.
Scrooge looked at the Ghost, and with a mournfulshaking of his head, glanced anxiously towards the door.
He was correct in being nervous. When the door opened, it was none other than his sister, looking much younger than the little boy than he was at that time.
It opened; and a little girl, much younger than the boy,came darting in, and putting her arms about his neck, andoften kissing him, addressed him as her 'Dear, dear brother.'
The spirit of the child spoke to Ebenezer...
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as if they were both small children. Scrooge is taken back to his schoolboy years, where he suffered at the hand of headmasters, and where he seemed obviously lonely and sad.
In this memory, Fan had come to take him "home" from school. Things had supposedly changed in the household, and it was like "heaven". Their father is now kind, and he was who asked Fan to take a coach and get Ebenezer to spend many Christmases together as a family and finally happy.
And you're to be a man.' said the child,opening her eyes,' and are never to come back here; butfirst, we're to be together all the Christmas long, andhave the merriest time in all the world.'"
This encounter really takes a toll on Ebenezer, especially when he has to tell the ghost that his sister has been dead for a while. In fact, she is the mother of Fred, Ebenezer's nephew and only family member remaining. Yet, Scrooge never really approaches Fred, not even being Fran's son. He refuses to accept Fred's invitations to get together, and even Fred's fiancee admits than trying is worthless. Either way, it may very well be that Fan/Fran's death could have been one of the first events that defined Scrooge's mean and angry persona, since she was one of the very few, and perhaps the only person, whom ever truly loved him.
What is Scrooge's sister's name in A Christmas Carol?
The scene when Scrooge interacts with his sister presents an altogether different characterization of the detached, money-hungry Scrooge everyone else knows. The Ghost of Christmas Past takes Scrooge to young Scrooge's school. Young Scrooge sits alone at Christmastime. He is a boarding student who is separated from his sister and family. Unexpectedly, his sister, whom Scrooge calls "little Fan," bursts into the room and hugs her brother's neck. She kisses him repeatedly and claps her hands in excitement, overjoyed to see her brother again.
Fan tells Scrooge that their father has softened and that Fan has finally acquired permission for Scrooge to return home. He will never have to return to this lonely school, and Fan tells her brother that she is greatly looking forward to spending the entire Christmas season with him.
The young Scrooge delights in his sister, taking note of the way she laughs as she tries to touch his head. Finding herself too little to do so, she laughs again, dragging her brother to the door in affection and excitement.
The Ghost of Christmas Past reminds Scrooge that although this beloved young sister is dead, she did have a son—Scrooge's nephew. This reminder weighs heavily on Scrooge; he has not maintained an affectionate relationship with Fred. Scrooge will eventually realize that his love for Fan could be rekindled through more intentional efforts to engage with her son.