A Christmas Carol: Writing Assessment

A Christmas Carol Assessment: Writing Assessment

Everybody knows the classic Christmas story, “A Christmas Carol”, and are most likely familiar with The Three Ghosts of Christmas. The version I was assigned to read was a shorter version of the original and did not include all the same events. But of course, it included the ghosts. They tried to help Ebenezer Scrooge, a cold-hearted, wretched, old man to find the light before it was too late. They reminded him of his happy past, showed him his current effect on other people’s lives, and revealed to him what would become of him if he continued on his dark path. Without these ghosts to guide him away from it, he would have ended up like his friend Marley. He became a non-stop traveler as
a ghost, and bore chains and boxes around his waist. Never to rest, he was forced to travel and help troubled souls of the world as a punishment for his own terribly lived life. But Scrooge was in fact saved, because of the lessons he learned from The Three Ghosts of Christmas. The first spirit to arrive, was The Ghost of Christmas Past. He was described as a short man, who had long silver hair, yet had a face as a child’s without a wrinkle on it. Scrooge’s greeting was not exactly welcoming, but he did not say that the Ghost was just some indigestion as he did with Marley. The Ghost transported Scrooge to his long-forgotten past, where he sees him and his fellow apprentice working at the shop of his jolly employer, Mister Fezziwig. Scrooge watched as they finished tidying up and began to prepare for the Christmas party Mr. Fezziwig was hosting. Ebenezer chuckles, and talks to the kind Ghost as they watch everyone dancing and laughing. He begins to remember how good it felt to have happiness in his heart. Soon, Scrooge couldn’t bear the sight any longer, and begged the spirit to return him to his home. Before he knew it, he was back in his own bed, and he quickly fell asleep. When Scrooge watched the party, he remembered how good it felt to have happiness, and knowing how his life was back at home, he didn’t want to lose that feeling. The Ghost of Christmas Past teaches Scrooge that anyone can be happy, and that no matter what you’ve done, what others have done to you, you can always find a way to be happy. The next visiting spirit, The Ghost of Christmas Present, was the largest, jolliest, most festive of all the spirits.
When Ebenezer first met the giant ghost, he was seated upon a throne of meat, mince pies, and many other festive foods! This time, Scrooge was prepared and much more polite. Before vanishing with the giant, Scrooge says; “Spirit conduct me where you will, tonight if you aught to teach me, let me profit by it!” They both arrived at the house of Scrooge’s employee, Bob Cratchit, who had a rather large family. His wife and children were dressed in their finest clothes, although they were worn, and set the table with their Christmas feast, which was not large at all. Scrooge then turned his attention to Bob carrying his very ill, crippled son on his shoulders as they entered their small shabby home singing happily. He watched as the family laughed and sang joyously together, not giving any notice to how little they had. Tiny Tim, was the sickest boy with the richest spirit, Scrooge asked whether he would live or not, the Spirit replied negatively. They leave soon after Bob raised his glass to Scrooge, and his wife began insulting Scrooge and complaining. They reappeared at Scrooge’s nephew’s home where him and his other rich guests were playing a guessing game. Scrooge played along as Fred gave clues; it is a live, disagreeable, savage animal who growls and grunts and talks on the streets of London. As they begin to vanish Scrooge heard Fred’s wife shout “I KNOW! IT’S YOUR UNCLE SCROOGE!” “Yes!” replied Fred. Scrooge returned home and fell asleep thinking about Bob, Tiny Tim, and his nephew. During these events, the Ghost of Christmas Present showed Scrooge how rich is he in wealth, yet how poor he is in spirit. He shows how little some people can have, and how much happiness and love they share. Scrooge realizes that although he is content with his own miserable life, it has an impact on
others. The last of the spirits was The Ghost of Christmas Future, the most mysterious, and eerie of them all. He was a tall dark figure, dressed in a dark robe with a hood covering a dark abyss, where his face should have been. He didn’t speak one word, he didn’t even hum or grunt! He took Scrooge away to a future Christmas. The first scene was in the street near his workshop, where three men spoke about the death of a man the night before. They wondered who his money belonged to now and how cheap his funeral would be with such a little amount of people to attend. Scrooge shuddered at his thoughts and hoped he was wrong. The Phantom then transported him to a bed where a body lied, covered with a ragged sheet. There was no one in the house mourning for the man, and Scrooge had a feeling he knew who was underneath the sheet. “Spirit!” he cried, “This is a fearful place! Let us go!”. He requested to visit the Cratchit home, yearning for their jolly spirit to overcome his fear. But, as they appeared at the window of the home, all he was able to see, frightened him even more. No one was speaking, no one was moving, even the most active child of the house was staring blankly into the fireplace. Neither Bob nor Tim were in sight, Scrooge hoped they would come singing down the road any moment, but nothing happened. The family began speaking softly about how bob would be home soon, how he had been walking slower the past few evenings, soon after Bob entered with a sympathetic smile. He said he found the perfect, greenest place for Tim, and that he had promised to visit him every Sunday. Scrooge left with the Spirit and arrived at a graveyard, the ghost pointed a crooked finger to a specific tombstone, Scrooge stepped forward. He knew who’s name was on there. He cried out to the spirit and asked “Are these things that will be or that may be only?” The spirit made no sound. As Scrooge wiped the snow off the stone with a trembling hand, the name appeared: EBENEZER SCROOGE. Now, Scrooge was already prepared to adjust his behavior and lifestyle before The Ghost of Christmas Future arrived, but I believe that this spirit was just an extra push down the right direction. Scrooge loved the spirit of Tiny Tim, and he loved the boy himself! He felt completely horrible knowing that if he didn’t change his attitude, not only would it cause his own death, but the death of an innocent, ill child who wanted nothing more than to make the world a better place! We all know that in the end, Scrooge does change his own destiny and lives a long happy life with many new friends, including the healthy Tiny Tim, who did not die. Each of these three ghosts teach Scrooge a very important and valuable lesson. The first taught him how infectious one jolly spirit can be, even for an onlooker. It reminded him how good it felt, how good it made others feel to be happy. The second, showed how his negative, stormy attitude affected others’ happy lives. He heard how his own nephew described him, and what his incredibly polite employee’s family thought of him. Just the mention of his name dissolved the happiness and replaced it with frustration and insults. The third, as I said before, I feel was an extra shove to make sure he stayed on the right path. Scrooge was about ready to start making changes, but what the last Ghost presented to him most likely frightened more than anything, and he was more ready than before. Scrooge was finally put in front of the mirror, and he realized what a mess he was. The lessons Scrooge learned can also apply to everyday people. Be happy, and share that happiness with others. Take a step back and look at how your behavior affects others. Is it a good thing, or not? Make changes when they are needed, and help others find their own happiness when they need it.