Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come

• The Phantom slowly, gravely, silently approached."

  • Triplet of adverbs: “Slowly, gravely, silently” builds tension
  • Each word adds a layer to its fearful presence — slow suggests inevitability, grave connects to death, silent implies judgement
  • Alliteration (“slowly, silently”): Soft ‘s’ sounds create a ghostly, whisper-like tone, building a cold and chilling mood
  • Noun “Phantom”: More spectral and unreal than “ghost” — it makes the figure feel ancient and otherworldly
  • Effect: Dickens makes the ghost terrifying without aggression — its power lies in how still and inevitable it is
• "It gave him no reply. The hand was pointed straight before them."

  • Silence as a device: The ghost never speaks — its silence forces Scrooge to interpret and reflect on his own
  • Dickens uses the absence of language as a powerful tool
  • Verb “pointed”: Implies direction and judgement. The ghost doesn’t act, it leads — it forces Scrooge to look and reckon
  • Short, direct sentence structure: The simplicity adds to the cold and eerie atmosphere. The ghost’s actions are final and emotionless
  • Effect: The ghost’s silence is its power — Dickens uses non-verbal language to create moral weight and emotional intensity
• "The Spirit did not stay for anything."

  • Verb “did not stay”: Shows relentless pace
  • The ghost gives no comfort or pause — it represents time and fate, which move forward without mercy
  • Negative phrasing: The ghost is defined by what it doesn’t do — no speech, no emotion, no delay — heightening its inhuman quality
  • Effect: Dickens builds tension through restraint — the ghost’s emotionless efficiency makes it more frightening than any dramatic villain
• "The Spirit answered not, but pointed downward to the grave by which it stood."

  • Contrast: The ghost’s refusal to speak contrasts with its clarity of action — Dickens uses opposites (silence vs clarity) to emphasise the inevitability of death
  • Prepositional phrase “by which it stood”: Makes the ghost feel like a guardian of the grave — a symbol of fate or final judgement
  • Symbolism of “downward”: Not just physical direction but moral and emotional — suggests shame, fear, and decline
  • Effect: The ghost’s gestures act like a visual language — Dickens crafts its entire character through ominous non-verbal signals