Key events

• What does Scrooge see on the gravestone?

  His own name
• Why is Scrooge willing to try to change his future?

  He wants to avoid his current fate
• What does the phantom's vanishing signify for Scrooge?

  It adds to his uncertainty about the future
• How does Scrooge's agitation manifest towards the end of the chapter?

  He desperately tries to force the ghost to speak
• What happens when Scrooge holds his hands up "in a last prayer"?

  The action suddenly stops and the spirit changes
• What effect does the chapter's ending have on the reader?

  It leaves them wondering about Scrooge's fate
• What is the significance of the chapter ending on a cliff-hanger?

  • Creates tension in the story
  • Leaves uncertainty about Scrooge's future
  • Engages the reader's curiosity