In A Christmas Carol, Dickens tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a man who was once a miserable, greedy man, now quite the opposite. During an unexpected visit from his diseased partner, Jacob Marley, he was told that he would be visited by three ghosts: The Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future. These ghosts would then take him, one at a time, on portions of a journey of redemption to explore the time periods of which their names suggest, each altering his personality. In the end, Scrooge turns out to be a very happy man, much in contrast to his original self. The people he sees during his journey, being secondary characters, are the main cause of Scrooge’s dramatic alteration. These characters: The Cratchitt’s, Fezziwig and Fred, …show more content…
As he relived the joyous night of Fezziwig’s hosting, Scrooge was losing himself in the entertainment; he “had acted like a man out of his wits”, “His heart and soul were in the scene, and with his former self. He corroborated everything, remembered everything, enjoyed everything and underwent the strangest agitation.” During his visit to Fezziwig’s warehouse, Scrooge was absorbing significant amounts of compassion, of which he wished to apply to his current clerk: “What is the matter?” asked the Ghost. “Nothing particular,” said Scrooge. “Something, I think?” the Ghost insisted. “No,” said Scrooge, “No. I should like to be able to say a word or two to my clerk just now! That’s all.” When the Ghost claimed that Fezziwig had spent a mere amount of money and effort on the night, Scrooge defends Fezziwig, speaking unconsciously like his former, not his latter self: “[Fezziwig] has the power to render us happy or unhappy; to make our service light or burdensome; a pleasure or a toil… The happiness he gives, is quite as great as if it cost a fortune.” This suggests that in re-experiencing the joy and generosity that Fezziwig provided, Scrooge was subject to, or perhaps already experiencing, change, improvement and