regret

• Regret is instrumental in 'A Christmas Carol' as it plays a crucial role in Scrooge’s transformation
• The three Ghosts show Scrooge various past actions, enabling him to gain hindsight and see his cruel and unforgiving actions in a different light
• Dickens uses regret as a tool to move the plot along to Scrooge’s eventual transformation, turning a negative emotion into a catalyst for positive change
• Regret is a thematic tool used to drive the plot line forward, as seen when Scrooge is overwhelmed with emotion upon seeing his past fiancée Belle
• Regret is an emotion littered throughout the novel, showing that while regret may be powerless, it can be used to fuel change
• The Ghost of Old Marley demonstrates the extremity of regret, being cursed to an eternity of regret for not changing his ways
• The Ghost of Christmas Past shows Scrooge his younger self with his little sister Fanny, leading him to feel guilty for the way he treated his nephew Fred
• In Stave 2, The Ghost of Christmas Past communicates to Scrooge the moment where he started to become the man he is at the start of the novella, through Belle expressing her disapproval of his focus on money and wealth
• Scrooge feels regret for his behavior towards the neglected little boy who came to sing a carol at his door, realizing he should have been more generous
• Scrooge regrets his interaction with the Portly Gentleman, feeling a pang of regret at the thought of how the old gentleman would look upon him when they met
• Scrooge is overcome with penitence and grief upon hearing his own words quoted by the Spirit, realizing the impact of his past actions
• The Ghost of Yet to Come is the climax of Scrooge’s regret, where he acknowledges his mistakes and commits to making a change, pleading to sponge away the writing on the stone