the supernatural

• Intervention and redemption

  • agent of intervention and reduction to force scrooge to confront his past, present behaviour and potential future
• Religious doctrine

  • believable narrative, more inclined to believe and respect authority of the spirits
  • Idea of purgatory- prominent role within novella recognised in stave 1 "filled with phantoms"
• Ghost of Christmas past


  > Personifies the past which is reflected in appearance

  "Like a child; yet not like a child as like an old man"

  >Paradoxical nature - contradictory

  "Purest white" heightened by "bright clear jet of light" Symbolic of truth which is found in Scrooge's memories

  > Ambiguous figure
• Ghost of Christmas present

  > Resembles 'Father Christmas'

  "Jolly giant" who sits on a "throne"

  > uses size to present figure as a dominating force

  > Supernatural was not just a source of fear, comfort for victorian society as unexplainable events were related to spirits

  "Come in" Repetition- encouraging warm and positive relationship
• "Marley was dead; to begin with"

  > Forecasts importance of supernatural in the story

  > First line

  > firmly hooked readers due to popular genre - spread socially conscious message successfully

  "Shun the path I tread"

  > Teach scrooge a lesson

  > Marley is providing clear example of fate he must avoid
• Ignorance want 


  "Where angels might have sat, devils lurked"

  > Horrifying and disturbing

  > less comment on supernatural and more on humanity

  > Represents affect of social inequalities that are truly horrifying and horrible

  > Dickens uses supernatural to talk about societal issues, prompts conversations
• Ghost of Christmas yet to come


  " the spirit answered not, but pointed onwards with its hands"

  > Supernatural is untliatelyh uncontrollable and mysterious

  >Dickens reminds supernatural is more powerful and then humanity

  > Silent spirit recreates air of mystery
• • Dickens presents supernaturals didactic incomprehensible and powerful to convey message about necessity of creating a fairer society