stave 2

• we begin to see Scrooge's vulnerable and caring side when we see him as an isolated, young boy.
• the ghost of Christmas past is in control this time, not Scrooge.
• Ghost treats Scrooge as a child, which makes him vulnerable, as he wants him to face his past and help him
• this links to the idea that the ghost of christmas past takes Scrooge to see his childhood, where he was vulnerable and in need of a parental figure
•  “A solitary child, neglected by his friends, is left there still” - Dickens shows the reader how Scrooge grew up with no love or support from most people, except his sister Fan
• “stood on tiptoe to embrace him” - Fan represents the main source of love in Scrooge's young life as she made his childhood happy and loving, compared to his adulthood
• “Gain, engrosses you” - Belle broke Scrooge's engagement off because Scrooge was too obsessed with making money that she felt alienated from him
• the broken engagement - shows the final factor in how Scrooge becomes the selfish, greedy old man we see at the start - instead of seeing the errors he's made throughout life, he's given up the idea of a relationship and becomes more obsessed over gaining money
• “should like to be able to say a word or two to my clerk” - after Scrooge sees Fezziwigs party where it was very colourful and joyous, he goes quiet and refers to Bob Cratchit when he realises how poorly he treats him - making him realise an error in his behaviour, showing a real desire to make things right
• “There was a boy singing a Christmas Carol at my door last night. I should like to have given him something” - Scrooge says this when remembering his childhood. This is the first time he shows regret in his actions - perhaps a message from Dickens about how people can improve themselves and be better citizens if they think about their actions n how it effects others
• “sat alone. Quite alone in the world” - Belle's husband comments about Scrooge. - This is when Scrooge sees Belle's family and he gets a glimpse of the loving family he could've had.