A Christmas Carol Story Summary:
Marley was dead, dead like a doornail. All that remained of the company of Scrooge and Marley was Ebenezer Scrooge.
Scrooge… a grasping, greedy, nasty old man! He was as tough as rock, and so cold inside his face appeared frozen. Scrooge did not take care of anyone and rarely anybody cared for him. Even Christmas cheer couldn’t unfreeze his frozen heart.
One Christmas Eve, he was busy in his counting house. He had left his office door wide open, to have an eye on his clerk, Bob Cratchit.
‘A Merry Christmas’, greeted two gentlemen who arrived, collecting for the poor. “Are there no prisons? ” asked Scrooge. “No workhouses? I pay far those. That’s more than enough. ” The men went out into the bitterly cold afternoon, trembling their heads.
A little later, a scruffy boy paused by Scrooge’s workplace and began to sing. God bless you, merry christmas… But one look at Scrooge and he fled without completing the verse.
Finally, it was time for you to go home. “You’ll want the entire day off tomorrow, I suppose? ” Scrooge snapped at Bob. “If it’s convenient, ” said Bob. “It isn’t very. Be here all the earlier the day after. “
Scrooge left the office with a roar. Bob quickly locked up and set off for home. Scrooge went for his regular lonely dinner in a lonely hotel. Then he too set off for home, a few gloomy rooms in an old house which once belonged to Marley.
Marley’s ghost
The door knocked on this house. Then, slowly and gradually, something came through the door. Scrooge could hardly believe it. “Why don’t you believe your eyes? ” asked the ghost.
‘Are you Marley’s Ghost? ‘ questioned Scroonge. The ghost let out a scary cry and rattled its chains.
“Mercy! ” cried Scrooge. “Why do you trouble me? ” Again, the ghost shook its chains. “And why are you chained up? ” Scrooge added. “These chains are a penalties for my self-centered life, ” said the ghost. “There are some waiting around for you, too, and getting heavier each day. “
“But you are good at business”, said the scroonge.
“My only business must have been taking care of others” said the ghost.
“I’ve come here tonight to alert you, ” said the ghost. “You might avoid my fortune. ” “You will be haunted by three spirits, and expect the first spirit when clock chimes one” the ghost went on and walked for the window.
Scrooge closed the window as well as checked his door. And Scrooge fell into bed and was asleep instantly. The words of ghost stuck in his mind.
The first spirit – Ghost of Christmas Past
Scrooge awoke in total darkness. To his shock, a clock chimed one. On the stroke of one, a hand lured back the curtain around his bed…
Scrooge gasped. He was one on one with the strangest creature he had ever witnessed. “Are you the spirit I was informed about? ” he asked. “I am! ” said the ghost, gently. “I’m the Ghost of Christmas Past… your past. ” Rise and walk with me.
The ghost had taken him to his old-school room in which a lonely boy sat alone. “I wish I had given the carol boy something” he imagined.
Then they were back in a busy street and entering a warehouse, where a party was in full swing. “And here I was an apprentice! ” cried Scrooge. “There’s my master, old Fezziwig. He made us so happy… ” “Why did’nt I wish Bob, Happy Christmas”? He asked himself.
The party faded, Leaving behind Scrooge and the spirit outside.
There was the young Scrooge again, seated next to a lovely girl. “I cannot marry you, ” she said, regretfully. “You love money more than you love me. ”
The scene changed and There was clearly his old love, now committed to another man.
“Spirit remove me, I can not tolerate it any more” Cried the Scroonge. “This is exactly what happened. Do not blame me” said the ghost.
Scrooge started to struggle with the ghost. The spirit sank down and Scrooge sank into a deep sleep.
Second Spirit – Ghost of Christmas Present
Again Scrooge got up, back in bed, as a clock struck two, he got up and went into the next room. He could hardly identify it. And right in the middle sat the 2nd spirit. Come in and know me far better! I am the Ghost of Christmas Present.
Scrooge accompanied the ghost, through streets full of people preparing for Christmas time. Finally, they reached Bob Cratchit’s house, where Mrs. Cratchit was getting the Xmas dinner ready. Soon, everybody was enjoying the feast. It was a little meal for such a large family members but no one would have dreamed of saying so.
A Cheerful Christmas to all of us! God bless us, every one!
By now, it absolutely was getting dark. The ghost led Scrooge back outside, into the busy streets. They flew to quieter, emptier places… but everywhere Scrooge saw people filled with Christmas energy.
In the middle of the gloom, Scrooge observed a hearty laugh. It was his nephew Fred. They had arrived in the middle of Fred’s Christmas dinner party. They all enjoying the chrismas night.
Already the clock was chiming three quarters past eleven. “but is some thing hidden your robes? ” said Scrooge, “Look, ” the ghost replied, revealing two unhappy children. “The boy is Lack of education, the girl is Want. Beware of them both, but especially the boy! “
“Have they no place to go? ” asked Scrooge. “Are there no prisons? No workhouses? ” the spirit responded, using Scrooge’s own words and phrases. The clock struck twelve and the spirit disappeared. As the last chime died away, Scrooge did find a hooded phantom approaching nearer.
Third Spirit – Ghost of Christmas Future
The phantom floated quietly up to Scrooge. “Are you the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come? ” he questioned. The phantom said absolutely nothing, but directed its ghostly hand. “Ghost of the future, ” cried Scrooge, “I fear you a lot more than any other, but I shall go with you. “
They left the crowds and visited a part of town Scrooge had never ever visited. As they entered a junk store, three people came in with items to sell.
Scrooge was horrified. These things had been stolen from a dead man’s home. “Spirit, I see! ” he cried. “This poor man might be me. “
As he spoke, the picture switched. Now, they were in a bed room. A dead man lay on the bed, alone but for a cat and some rats. The phantom pointed towards the man’s face, but Scrooge could not take a look. “Is nobody moved by this man’s death? ” he begged.
The phantom spread out his dark robe for a second. When he drew it back again, Scrooge saw a room where a man and wife were discussing. “We owe him so much money, ” the lady said. “It would take a miracle to soften his heart. ” “It’s past softening, ” replied her husband, cheerfully. “He’s dead! “
“But they are happy! ” said Scrooge. “Let me see some sadness for a demise, soul, please. ” The phantom took him to the Cratchits’ house. Mrs. Cratchit and her kids were by the fire. An air of unhappiness hung over them.
“Answer me one question, then, ” asked Scrooge. “Have I seen what will happen or exactly what might happen? ” Still the ghost stayed silent.
Trembling all over, Scrooge crept up to the gravestone and read the name upon it.
With a terrible cry, Scrooge grabbed the ghost’s robe. “No, spirit. Not again! ” But the phantom simply directed to Scrooge and back to the grave. “I’m not the person I was, ” Scrooge cried. “Let me change. “
Scrooge closed his eyes to pray. When he opened them once again, the phantom had become his bedpost.
Merry Christmas
He was back in his very own bed. “Ha! ” he laughed. “I’m as light as a feather, as happy as a school child. Thank you, Marley! From now on, I will keep Christmas in my heart throughout the year. ” He never saw the spirits again but it was always said of him that he understood how to have a jolly Christmas. May chat be true of all of us. Merry Christmas “God bless us, everyone! “