On A Christmas carol by Charles dickens the Marley's ghost tells scrooge that he will be visited by three..?

Question

On A Christmas carol by Charles dickens the Marley's ghost tells scrooge that he will be visited by three ghost

(quotes from the book)

``Without their visits,'' said the Ghost, ``you cannot hope to shun the path I tread. Expect the first to-morrow, when the bell tolls One.''

``Couldn't I take 'em all at once, and have it over, Jacob?'' hinted Scrooge.

``Expect the second on the next night at the same hour. The third upon the next night when the last stroke of Twelve has ceased to vibrate. Look to see me no more; and look that, for your own sake, you remember what has passed between us."


But then how come when scrooge woke up after he had been visited by the ghost of christmas yet to come he woke on christmas day?I don't get it...can you explain this to me?

Answer 1

You must remember that the ghostly events apparently all occurred in a single DREAM that Scrooge was having. Please notice that there is no narrative of what happened to Scrooge on those supposed days in between the visitations when he should have been awake. No mention of him going to work, etc. He went to bed on the 24th, dreamed all the spirits visited him and then upon awakening rather than realize it had all been a dream, strangely assumed that the spirits managed to cram all their visits into one night.

But it would have made for a somehwat dumb story if Scrooge had thought through the truth behind this discrepancy and then decided to just go on being mean and miserly.

I suppose it's just barely possible (but very unlikley, IMHO) Dickens simply forgot that he wrote that bit about the multiple nights. If I remember correctly, "A Christmas Carol" was published a little bit at a time over a long period. I don't know if he actually wrote it all at once and it was published in pieces or if he wrote each bit of it "on the fly" just before publication. Maybe somewhere along the way he changed his mind about the flow of the story or caught his mistake and had to explain it away with the "in just one night" comment.

Answer 2

Greenwood is incorrect in one important respect: the story starts on Christmas Eve and ends on Christmas morning. Because of Marley's warning, Scrooge expects the visitations to occur separately, and is amazed to find that he hasn't missed Christmas, acknowledging that 'spirits can do anything.'

Answer 3

I agree with Greenwood's answer. And it fits true to the story line.
'The Spirit of Christmas Yet To Come' arrives at Midnight Christmas Eve, bringing Scrooge to his senses as he sees his own demise if he does not turn himself around and the impending sadness amoung others, like the Cratchet family! He awakens happy to be alive and happy to have a fresh start on life.
What a wonderful classic it is! My favorite for sure!
Bless us all, everyone!

Answer 4

Wrong Greenwood... The key IS that the spirits do it all in ONE night !!

So, Marley was wrong... and Scrooge is fortunate to awake on Christmas Morning FILLED with the spirit if Christmas. He changes and in doing so, changes the lives of others.

"God Bless Us ! Every one of us!" Tiny Tim

Answer 5

The ghost of the future showed him what was going to happen if he didnt change his greedy ways. Tiny tim would die,scrooge would die, his buisness would go down the drain,ect. The book quoted the thir spirit would come on its own time. When scrooge wakes up he looks at the clock and says nine o clock (((the spirits did it all IN ONE NIGHT)))) he says.

Answer 6

When the last stroke of twelve has ceased to vibrate means that he was visited at one second after 12:00.. meaning Christmas morning.

Answer 7

The first ghost appeared on 12/23 at 1:00 a.m.. The second ghost appeared on 12/24 at 1:00 a.m. and the third ghost appeared at midnight the morning of 12/25.