Points: expose origins of bitterness; highlight contrast; arouse regret and sympathy; symbolise memory

The Ghost of Christmas Past is the first of the three Spirits which appear to Scrooge. The Ghost takes him to observe various scenes from his past, which allows the reader to empathise with Scrooge. This is because Dickens often adopts a sympathetic tone during the stave, causing the reader to understand how Scrooge’s past has shaped his character in the present. Furthermore, Dickens illustrates that Scrooge is capable of change, as he did not always display a misanthropic attitude. This gives the reader the hope that Scrooge can return back to his previous mindset. Dickens alludes to his transformation by revealing that the Spirit’s visit has a “softening influence” on Scrooge, driving the narrative forward towards his redemption.

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Dickens emphasises the status of the Spirit through its appearance and mannerisms. It wears a tunic “of purest white” which emphasises its purity and innocence. This gives the Spirit an impression of moral authority which highlights its didactic purpose within the text. The white tunic also alludes to the biblical image of Jesus who wears white and acts as a moral compass for Christians, transmitting the Christian message of goodness to humanity. The Spirit acts as a reassuring force for Scrooge as its voice was “soft and gentle”. Its gentle description and calm demeanour contrasts to the suffering of Marley, the first Ghost the reader is introduced to.

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It is also interesting to note that Dickens describes the Ghost using contradictions, detailing that it looked “like a child” but also “like an old man”. He continues with juxtaposing ideas - the Ghost holds “fresh green holly”, a symbol of winter, but has a dress trimmed with “summer flowers”. These paradoxical descriptions illustrate the impossibility of the Spirits existence, emphasising the supernatural theme. Alternatively, it could be argued that the Spirit encompasses all of Scrooge’s past, from his youth to his old age, and so this is reflected in its appearance.

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Furthermore, the “bright clear jet of light” that the Spirit emits develops the motif of light which runs throughout the text. Here, it symbolises enlightenment and Christmas spirit. This ultimately presents the Ghost as a positive and comforting influence, despite the fact that a reader might expect the Spirits to be sinister due to the gothic genre.

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Dickens explores the power dynamic between Scrooge and the three Spirits, presenting an evolution of this relationship as the novella progresses. Scrooge begins by challenging the authority of the Ghost of Christmas Past. He questions “what business” brought the Spirit to him, but when the Spirit takes him to see Belle, Scrooge becomes pained, commanding the Spirit to “Show [him] no more!”. The Spirit retains its power however as Dickens writes that “the relentless Ghost pinioned him in both his arms,” forcing him to observe what happened next.

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Tension builds until the end of Stave Two, where Scrooge releases his frustrations in a physical struggle with the Spirit. Although, Dickens interrupts the narrative with the narrators voice, who wonders “if that can be called a struggle” because the Ghost showed “no visible resistance”. This firmly places the Ghost in a powerful position above Scrooge, despite his efforts to challenge its authority.

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During Scrooge’s struggle, he attempts to put out the light that the Spirit emitted, perhaps because he was unable to handle the truth and hope that it symbolised. This implies that while Scrooge has begun to change, his journey is far from complete. Furthermore, Dickens reveals that Scrooge “could not hide the light”, emphasising the power of reflection and self-discovery.

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Dickens illustrates to the reader that Scrooge’s past had a significant impact on him, emphasising the importance of reflection. The phrase “a freer passage to his tears” implies that his tears were previously stopped from flowing. It can be speculated that due to a lack of reflection Scrooge was experiencing an emotional block of sorts. Perhaps this contributed to his miserly and apathetic personality, presenting the idea that if Scrooge had reflected on his past he may have been a very different individual.