A Christmas Carol Summary

Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly, cold-hearted creditor, continues his stingy, greedy ways on
Christmas Eve. He rejects a Christmas dinner invitation, and all the good tidings of the holiday,
from his jolly nephew, Fred; he yells at charity workers; and he overworks his
employee, Bob Cratchit. At night, Scrooge's former partner Jacob Marley, dead for
seven years, visits him in the form of a ghost. Marley's spirit has been wandering since he died as
punishment for being consumed with business and not with people while alive. He has come to
warn Scrooge and perhaps save him from the same fate. He tells him Three Spirits will come to
him over the next three nights.
Scrooge falls asleep and wakes up to find the Ghost of Christmas Past, a small,
elderly figure. The Ghost shows Scrooge scenes from the past that trace Scrooge's development
from a young boy, lonely but with the potential for happiness, to a young man with the first
traces of greed that would deny love in his life. Scrooge shows newfound emotion when
revisiting these scenes, often crying from identification with his former neglected self.
Scrooge goes to sleep and is awakened by the Ghost of Christmas Present, a giant
with a life span of one day. He shows Scrooge several current scenes of Christmas joy and
charity, then shows him the Cratchit household. The Ghost informs Scrooge that unless the
future is changed, the Cratchit's crippled and good-hearted young son, Tiny Tim, will die.
He also shows Scrooge the party at Fred's house. Finally, a ragged boy and girl crawl out from
the Ghost's robes. The Ghost calls them Ignorance and Want and warns Scrooge to beware of
Ignorance.
The silent, black-clad Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come replaces the other ghost.
He shows Scrooge several scenes of people discussing someone's death; no one seems pained by
the death, and most are happy about it. Scrooge does not know, however, who the man is. He
learns that Tiny Tim has died, but the Cratchits maintain their unity and love. Scrooge finally
discovers that he is the one who has died and whose death has only pleased people. He expresses
the hope that these scenes of the future can be changed, and vows to incorporate the lessons of
the past, present, and future into his adoption of the Christmas spirit.
Scrooge wakes up in his bedroom and learns that the whole adventure took only one night, not
three‹ it is Christmas Day. In addition to smiling and being friendly to everyone he sees, he
sends a large turkey to the Cratchits, gives a sizable donation to the charity worker he previously
insulted, and has a wonderful time at Fred's party. The next day he gives Cratchit a raise.
Scrooge continues his kindly ways after Christmas, befriending everyone and becoming a second
father to Tiny Tim, who does not die. He never sees the ghosts again, but he keeps the spirit of
Christmas alive in his heart as well as anyone.

Summary
A mean-spirited, miserly old man named Ebenezer Scrooge sits in his counting-house
on a frigid Christmas Eve. His clerk, Bob Cratchit, shivers in the anteroom because
Scrooge refuses to spend money on heating coals for a fire. Scrooge's nephew, Fred,
pays his uncle a visit and invites him to his annual Christmas party. Two portly
gentlemen also drop by and ask Scrooge for a contribution to their charity. Scrooge
reacts to the holiday visitors with bitterness and venom, spitting out an angry "Bah!
Humbug!" in response to his nephew's "Merry Christmas!"
Later that evening, after returning to his dark, cold apartment, Scrooge receives a
chilling visitation from the ghost of his dead partner, Jacob Marley. Marley, looking
haggard and pallid, relates his unfortunate story. As punishment for his greedy and self-
serving life his spirit has been condemned to wander the Earth weighted down with
heavy chains. Marley hopes to save Scrooge from sharing the same fate. Marley
informs Scrooge that three spirits will visit him during each of the next three nights. After
the wraith disappears, Scrooge collapses into a deep sleep.
He wakes moments before the arrival of the Ghost of Christmas Past, a strange
childlike phantom with a brightly glowing head. The spirit escorts Scrooge on a journey
into the past to previous Christmases from the curmudgeon's earlier years. Invisible to
those he watches, Scrooge revisits his childhood school days, his apprenticeship with a
jolly merchant named Fezziwig, and his engagement to Belle, a woman who leaves
Scrooge because his lust for money eclipses his ability to love another. Scrooge, deeply
moved, sheds tears of regret before the phantom returns him to his bed.
The Ghost of Christmas Present, a majestic giant clad in a green fur robe, takes
Scrooge through London to unveil Christmas as it will happen that year. Scrooge
watches the large, bustling Cratchit family prepare a miniature feast in its meager home.
He discovers Bob Cratchit's crippled son, Tiny Tim, a courageous boy whose kindness
and humility warms Scrooge's heart. The specter then zips Scrooge to his nephew's to
witness the Christmas party. Scrooge finds the jovial gathering delightful and pleads
with the spirit to stay until the very end of the festivities. As the day passes, the spirit
ages, becoming noticeably older. Toward the end of the day, he shows Scrooge two
starved children, Ignorance and Want, living under his coat. He vanishes instantly as
Scrooge notices a dark, hooded figure coming toward him.
The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come leads Scrooge through a sequence of mysterious
scenes relating to an unnamed man's recent death. Scrooge sees businessmen
discussing the dead man's riches, some vagabonds trading his personal effects for
cash, and a poor couple expressing relief at the death of their unforgiving creditor.
Scrooge, anxious to learn the lesson of his latest visitor, begs to know the name of the
dead man. After pleading with the ghost, Scrooge finds himself in a churchyard, the
spirit pointing to a grave. Scrooge looks at the headstone and is shocked to read his
own name. He desperately implores the spirit to alter his fate, promising to renounce his
insensitive, avaricious ways and to honor Christmas with all his heart. Whoosh! He
suddenly finds himself safely tucked in his bed.
Overwhelmed with joy by the chance to redeem himself and grateful that he has been
returned to Christmas Day, Scrooge rushes out onto the street hoping to share his
newfound Christmas spirit. He sends a giant Christmas turkey to the Cratchit house and
attends Fred's party, to the stifled surprise of the other guests. As the years go by, he
holds true to his promise and honors Christmas with all his heart: he treats Tiny Tim as
if he were his own child, provides lavish gifts for the poor, and treats his fellow human
beings with kindness, generosity, and warmth.
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