Charles Dickens
English
The story begins on Christmas Eve with Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly and heartless old man, working in his London counting-house. Scrooge despises Christmas and all its associated cheer, famously exclaiming "Bah, humbug!" to his nephew's jovial Christmas greeting. His clerk, Bob Cratchit, who earns a pittance of fifteen shillings a week, is treated with utter contempt by Scrooge, who keeps his fire minimal and coal-box locked away. Two gentlemen arrive, soliciting donations for the poor, but Scrooge rudely refuses, suggesting the poor should go to prisons or workhouses to "decrease the surplus population." That night, Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his former business partner, Jacob Marley. Marley, condemned to wander the earth in chains forged from his own greed and avarice, warns Scrooge that he will be haunted by three spirits. If Scrooge does not heed their warnings, he will share Marley's fate. The first spirit, the Ghost of Christmas Past, takes Scrooge on a journey through his own past. They visit his lonely childhood at a boarding school, his joyful youth under the benevolent Mr. Fezziwig, and the breaking of his engagement to Belle due to his increasing obsession with wealth. Scrooge is deeply affected by these memories, particularly his lost love and his father's harshness. The second spirit, the Ghost of Christmas Present, shows Scrooge the present-day Christmas. They witness the meager but warm celebration in Bob Cratchit's small home, where Tiny Tim, Cratchit's ill son, is a source of great love and hope. Scrooge learns that Tiny Tim may die if the future remains unaltered. They also visit Scrooge's nephew's festive gathering, where Scrooge is humorously the subject of their toast, highlighting the emptiness of his solitary existence. The spirit shows Scrooge the harsh realities of poverty and ignorance embodied by two wretched children, Ignorance and Want, warning him to beware of them. The third spirit, the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come, is a silent, shrouded figure who shows Scrooge terrifying visions of the future. He sees businessmen discussing the death of an unknown man with indifference, and scavengers profiting from the deceased's belongings. Scrooge discovers the dead man is himself, lying unwept and alone in his darkened room. He then witnesses a family's relief at his death, as their debt will be transferred to a less cruel creditor. Finally, he sees the Cratchit family mourning the death of Tiny Tim, a scene that breaks Scrooge's heart and solidifies his resolve to change. Waking on Christmas morning, Scrooge is a transformed man. He joyfully embraces the Christmas spirit, buys the prize turkey for the Cratchits, donates generously to the charity collectors, and visits his nephew, sincerely wishing them all a Merry Christmas. He then goes to his counting-house, where he generously raises Bob Cratchit's salary and promises to help his family. Scrooge becomes a kind, benevolent, and charitable man, embodying the true spirit of Christmas.
