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... CLICK ME!

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, pays some money to the Portly Gentlemen and visits Fred's for Christmas dinner

GAME TIME!

Remember that playing games like this won't really teach you anything of value, but they'll help you recall information under pressure and that's super useful when you're taking an exam.

Basically: they're not going to get you an A, but they're also not a complete waste of time!

Have a go and see you how you do...

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... CLICK ME!

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, pays 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:

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