1

• symbols and motifs

  • chains
  • fire
• we are introduced to Scrooge on christmas eve and we learn he is an isolated lonely man who treats his employee Bob Cratchit badly
• Scrooge keeps the workplace cold by hoarding the coal and forces Bob Cratchit to work in the cold on christmas eve
• Scrooges cheerful nephew enters (Fred) and invites scrooge to a christmas party but scrooge declines
• two men enter and ask scrooge if he is willing to give a charitable donation for the poor but scrooge again declines
• he reluctantly gives Bob Cratchit a day of work for christmas
• when home, scrooge sees the ghost of Jacob Marley who is his old business partner
• Marley is in chains as punishment for his selfishness and greed when living
• Marley says he seeks to save Scrooge from the same fate as him and hence Scrooge will be visited by 3 ghosts over the next 3 nights
• introduces the idea of time being turned upside down which is a continued motif throughout the novella