A Christmas Carol Read-a-Long: Stave Two

Posted December 13, 2010 by Whitney in read-along / 2 Comments

In Stave Two Scrooge encounters his first spirit, the Ghost of Christmas Past.  He is taken by a jolly over-weight being to visit several holidays of his youth, all of which are filled  with disappointment and longing.  First we see Ebenezer as a young boy who is ostracized by his schoolmates at boarding school and therefore throws himself into his studies.  His only joy is his little sister, Fannie who lights up his face, only to have her taken from him several years later.  Next, Scrooge sees himself as a young man at a gay Christmas party.  He is seen talking to his fiance Belle, speaking of his workaholic drive and his obsession with money.  Belle later leaves him as Ebenezer is unwilling to change his ways, thus begins the start of his undoing.  
 Slowly, the reader’s contempt for the miserly character grows to one of sympathy and compassion, for you are given reason for his dislike and prejudice for the time of year.  Also, despite his unlikeable behavior Scrooge has got spunk,  commenting that sleep would be more beneficial than a stroll down memory lane, it almost comes across as a teenager going through a growth spurt.  While his argument was in vain (who could over come a spirit?) this comment brings humor to a serious moment.  Dickens is a master of the written word with each sentence as delectable as a Christmas dinner.  Scrumptious!  

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