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A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol is a novella written by author Charles Dickens and published in December of 1843. The story has become a timeless Christmas classic known around the world. The story follows that of miser Ebenezer Scrooge, a money lender whose sole concern is that of increasing his own personal gain and wealth with no care for the "Poor and destitute". Through the visits of multiple apparitions, Scrooge is able to learn the true meaning of Christmas and become a man who "knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge".

Synopsis
Dickens' A Christmas Carol is separated into five staves, each of which represent a different step on the road to Scrooge's change.

Stave One
The opening stave reveals the curmudgeonly old miser that is Ebenezer Scrooge in his counting house with his clerk, Bob Cratchit seven years after the death of his partner, Jacob Marley. Scrooge is visited by his lighthearted nephew, Fred, who makes an attempt to put some Christmas cheer in his Uncle. Scrooge, after refusing to have Christmas dinner with his only surviving relatives, is then greeted by two solicitors looking to provide donations to provide food and shelter to the poor.After refusing to give any charitable donation, Scrooge returns to his home, which once belonged to his old partner Jacob Marley. It is there he is visited by the ghost of his former partner who warns Scrooge that if continues to lead the life he does, he will be doomed to suffer the same fate. Marley tells of a visiting of three spirits that are the only hope to help him change his ways.

Stave Two
Upon awakening, Scrooge is greeted by the first of the spirits, the Ghost of Christmas Past. This being is described as being like a child and an adult at the same time with no reference as to the sex of the being. In most film and stage productions of this tale, the Ghost of Christmas Past is often portrayed as a young woman. The spirit takes him on a journey to his past where he witnesses an exchange with his sister, Fan, at the boarding school he attended. The spirit then takes him to a Christmas party at Fezziwig's, where he served as an apprentice. The scenes serve to show the innocence and joy that Ebenezer once had. He is also shown the ending of his relationship with his fiance, Belle, who has been neglected in favor of money. The final scene show to Ebenezer is one seven years ago, the night Jacob Marley died. He is shown Belle with her family, and has to listen to her describe who he has become as a man. After seeing all of this, Scrooge demands to be taken away.

Stave Three
Waking up once again in his own bed, Scrooge is greeted by the second of the three spirits, the Ghost of Christmas Present. Descriptions about the appearance of this spirit and other artist renderings helped to create what is now perceived as the modern Santa Claus. Scrooge is led along the streets of present day Christmas to see the happy grocers celebrating the day and eventually led to the house of his clerk, Bob Cratchit. Scrooge observes their celebrations, despite being poor, and notices their youngest child, Tiny Tim, is incredibly ill. Scrooge inquires if the child will live and the spirit informs him that "If these shadows remain unaltered by the Future, none other of my race...will find him here". Scrooge is then shown scenes of miners and other lower-income workers who still find it in themselves to celebrate Christmas. Finally, Scrooge is shown a Christmas party happening at his nephew Fred's house. Fred tells the story of coming into Scrooges office the day before laughing at how he had called Christmas a humbug. They watch as the party goes play games, one at Scrooge's expense. The spirit informs Scrooge that his life is almost over and shows him two impoverished and sickly children. They are Want and Ignorance. The spirit warns of the dangers of ignorance before disappearing.

Stave Four
Once more awake in his room, Scrooge attempts to converse with the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, who is to show him Christmas in the future should he continue on his path. This spirit unlike the others, is silent and merely motions with its hand. Scrooge is first shown a scene where business men are discussing the death of a man they appear not to have much respect for, making jokes about his funeral. Scrooge is then presented a scene between a charwoman, laundress, and undertaker who are selling the belongings of the dead man. Having seen such disdain for a dead person, Scrooge asks to see "tenderness with a death" in which he is shown the Cratchit family once again. This time it is evident that Tiny Tim has died, as the whole family is in mourning. The last thing shown to Scrooge is a dilapidated gravestone, seemingly forgotten by everyone that is revealed to be Scrooge's own gravestone. Upon this realization, Scrooge begs for forgiveness and promises to change his ways.

Stave Five
Scrooge wakes up one final time, this time with no spirits to confront him. He realizes that it Christmas day and vows to keep his promise to the spirits to be a changed man. To prove his change, he gives a considerable donation to the solicitors that he sent away the day before and buys a large turkey for the Cratchit family. he follwoing day at work, Scrooge give Cratchit a well deserved raise and promises to help Tiny Tim.