Stave 4

• What does stave four begin with?

  • The hooded phantom approaching Scrooge
  • The spirit is enshrouded in gloom
  • It communicates by pointing, not speaking
• How does Scrooge react to the hooded phantom?

  He is visibly scared and trembling
• What do the businessmen discuss regarding the dead man?

  • They focus on financial aspects
  • They mention the cheap funeral
  • One will attend only for free lunch
• What does Scrooge wonder about the dead man discussed by the businessmen?

  Who they are talking about
• What do the charwoman and undertaker do at Old Joe's shop?

  • They sell stolen goods from the dead man
  • They show respect for the deceased
  • They discuss the man's life achievements
• What does Scrooge realize about the dead man they are discussing?

  His case might be Scrooge's own
• How does Scrooge feel about the dead man's identity?

  He cannot bring himself to look
• What does Scrooge request to see after the dead man?

  • Any person feeling emotion from the death
  • A celebration of the man's life
  • The man's family and friends
• What is the reaction of the family when the husband comes home?

  They are happy about the creditor's death
• What does Scrooge wish to see after witnessing the family's happiness?

  Some tenderness connected with a death
• What is the atmosphere like in the Cratchit household?

  • Quiet and incredibly sad
  • Filled with laughter and joy
  • Busy with preparations for a feast
• Who has died in the Cratchit family?

  Tiny Tim
• How does Bob Cratchit react to Tiny Tim's death?

  He breaks down crying
• What does Scrooge ask the spirit after seeing the Cratchit family?

  • The identity of the dead man
  • Why Tiny Tim died
  • If he can change the future
• What does Scrooge notice about his home during the spirit's visit?

  It looks like someone else lives there
• What does the spirit show Scrooge in the churchyard?

  • An overgrown and uncared-for grave
  • A well-maintained memorial
  • A gathering of mourners
• What does Scrooge ask the spirit about the future?

  If it is set in stone or changeable
• What does Scrooge discover when he reads the grave?

  It is his own grave
• What promise does Scrooge make to the spirit?

  To honor Christmas all year round
• What happens to the spirit at the end of stave four?

  • It disappears into Scrooge's bedpost
  • It transforms into a bright light
  • It leaves Scrooge with a warning
• What is the overall theme of stave four?

  Scrooge's dark and bleak future
• What does stave four suggest about Scrooge's character development?

  • It triggers a potential change in him
  • He remains unchanged and indifferent
  • He becomes more selfish and greedy