Plot Summary

Remember that A Christmas Carol is written in STAVES and not chapters - it's almost as though the book is a song...

A Christmas Carol has a REALLY SIMPLE STORY:
Scrooge is a baddie. Some people arrive to teach him some stuff. Scrooge becomes a goodie.


And in slightly more formal terms you could say:

  • Scrooge is a selfish, greedy person, and he discovers that if he doesn't change he'll be punished for all eternity!

  • He is shown the error of his ways by four ghosts (inc. Jacob Marley)

  • Scrooge becomes a caring, supportive member of society.

This means that, on a very simple level, a lot of essays on Scrooge can take a very simple form:

  • How was Scrooge presented in the beginning?

  • How and why did he change?

  • How was he presented at the end?

Part of why this book is so successful is because the plot is just so simple...

Plot by Staves: This is worth looking at...

Stave 1: Marley's Ghost

  • We open with a long description of Scrooge

  • The story starts proper in his counting house where he is visited by Fred, two Portly Gentlemen, and a carol singer.

  • After eating alone he returns home and sees Jacob Marley's face on his door-knocker

  • Jacob Marley arrives, draped in chains, and tells him that if he doesn't change his fate will be even worse

  • Marley says that three ghosts will visit Scrooge and try to show him how to change

Stave 2: The Ghost of Christmas Past

  • The Ghost of Christmas Past is a crazy representation of the past - and it looks a bit like a candle

  • They visit Scrooge's school where he sees himself as a lonely boy but was saved by his sister, Fanny

  • We visit his old workplace where he remembers how much fun he had with Dick

  • He then goes to see the moment his fiancee returned his ring, saying he was to materialistic

  • After seeing his ex-fiancee with her new family he gets really angry and snuffs out the candle of the past

Stave 3: The Ghost of Christmas Present

  • The Ghost of Christmas Present arrives sitting on a massive pile of lovely stuff

  • Scrooge and the ghost visit Christmas celebrations in London, where everyone is having fun

  • They then visit The Cratchit's house, where they are poor but happy

  • Then they go on a tour of England's Christmases where, despite difficulties, everyone is celebrating Christmas

  • They end up at Fred's dinner where Fred insists on toasting Scrooge

  • At the end of the stave, the ghost reveals two children under his robe - Ignorance and Want - who he says will destroy mankind unless something is done

  • A phantom approaches Scrooge

Stave 4: The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come

  • The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is dressed like the Grim Reaper, as a reminder of the future that awaits us all

  • He takes Scrooge to see some bankers who are talking about someone who has died - they don't really care

  • Then they go to see Scrooge's old maid who is selling some of Scrooge's possessions

  • Scrooge asks to see someone who is emotionally affected by the death and they visit a couple who are celebrating it as it will ease their repayment plan

  • Then they visit the Cratchits who are mourning the loss of Tiny Tim

  • Then Scrooge sees his own grave and promises to be different in future

Stave 5: The End of It

  • Scrooge is a new man!

  • He gives Bob Cratchit a pay-rise, some money to the Portly Gentlemen and visits Fred's for Christmas dinner

Freitag's pyramid is a way of looking at plots... if you know it then this will be handy for you: