Prose Analysis

Identify the Plot, Conflict, and Characters of Story:

A Christmas Carol

By: Charles Dickens

A mean-spirited, miserly old man named Ebenezer Scrooge sat in his counting-house on a frigid Christmas Eve. His clerk, Bob Cratchit, shivered in the anteroom and huddled around a small candle to stay warm because Scrooge refused to spend money on heating coals for a fire.  When Cratchit asked for holiday to celebrate Christmas with his family, Scrooge snapped at Cratchit for asking for the day off. Scrooge's nephew, Fred, paid his uncle a visit and invited him to his annual Christmas party. Two portly gentlemen also dropped by and asked Scrooge for a contribution to their charity. Scrooge reacted to the holiday visitors with bitterness and venom, spitting out an angry "Bah! Humbug!" in response to his nephew's "Merry Christmas!"

Later that evening, after returning to his dark, cold apartment, Scrooge received a chilling visitation from the ghost of his dead partner, Jacob Marley. Marley, looking haggard and pallid, related his unfortunate story. As punishment for his greedy and self-serving life, his spirit had been condemned to wander the Earth weighted down with heavy chains. Marley hoped to save Scrooge from sharing the same fate. Marley informed Scrooge that three spirits would visit him during each of the next three nights. After the ghost disappeared, Scrooge collapsed into a deep sleep.

He woke moments before the arrival of the Spirit of Christmas Past, a strange childlike phantom with a brightly glowing head. The spirit escorted Scrooge on a journey into the past to previous Christmases from the curmudgeon's earlier years. Invisible to those he watched, Scrooge revisited his childhood school days, his apprenticeship with a jolly merchant named Fezziwig, and his engagement to Belle, a woman who left Scrooge because his lust for money eclipsed his ability to love another. Scrooge, deeply moved, shed tears of regret before the phantom returned him to his bed.

On the second night, the Spirit of Christmas Present, a majestic giant clad in a green fur robe, visited Scrooge. He took Scrooge through London to unveil Christmas as it would happen that year. Scrooge watched the large, bustling Cratchit family prepared a miniature feast in its meager home. He discovered Bob Cratchit's crippled son, Tiny Tim, a courageous boy whose kindness and humility warmed Scrooge's heart. The spirit then zipped Scrooge to his nephew's to witness the Christmas party. Scrooge found the jovial gathering delightful and pleaded with the spirit to stay until the very end of the festivities. As the day passed, the spirit aged, becoming noticeably older. Toward the end of the day, he showed Scrooge two starved children, Ignorance and Want, living under his coat. They were a boy and girl. Yellow, meager, ragged, scowling, wolfish, but prostrate too in their humility. Where angels might have sat enthroned, devils lurked, and glared out menacing. No change, no degradation, no perversion of humanity in any grade, through all the mysteries of wonderful creation, had monsters half so horrible and dread. Scrooge started back, appalled. They were Man’s, not the Spirit’s; they clung to The Spirit of Christmas Present, appealing from their fathers. The boy was Ignorance while the girl was Want. The Spirit of Christmas Present told Scrooge to beware of them both and all of their degree, but most of all beware the boy, for on his brow the Spirit saw that written which is Doom, unless the writing was erased. The Spirit of Christmas Present vanished instantly as Scrooge noticed a dark, hooded figure coming toward him.

On the third night visit, the Spirit of Christmas Yet to Come led Scrooge through a sequence of mysterious scenes relating to an unnamed man's recent death. Scrooge saw businessmen discussing the dead man's riches, some vagabonds trading his personal effects for cash, and a poor couple expressing relief at the death of their unforgiving creditor. Scrooge, anxious to learn the lesson of his latest visitor, begged to know the name of the dead man. After pleading with the spirit, Scrooge found himself in a churchyard, the spirit pointing to a grave. Scrooge looked at the headstone and was shocked to read his own name. He desperately implored the spirit to alter his fate, promising to renounce his insensitive, avaricious ways and to honor Christmas with all his heart. Whoosh! He suddenly found himself safely tucked in his bed.

Overwhelmed with joy by the chance to redeem himself and grateful that he had been returned to Christmas Day, Scrooge rushed out onto the street hoping to share his newfound Christmas spirit. He sent a giant Christmas turkey to the Cratchit house and attended Fred's party, to the stifled surprise of the other guests. As the years went by, he held true to his promise and honored Christmas with all his heart; he treated Tiny Tim as if he were his own child, provided lavish gifts for the poor, and treated his fellow human beings with kindness, generosity, and warmth.

PLOT

There are five phases of plot in the story, those are:

1.      Exposition

Exposition is the beginning of the story where the author introduces the setting, characters, and other important information the readers needs to know.

2.      Rising action

Rising action is a series of events that builds from the beginning of the story. Rising action is where the author builds interest and tension in the story.

3.      Climax

Climax is the highest point of tension or action in the story. The climax often leads the reader to wonder, “What will happen? How is everything going to turn out?” The climax is an important turning point for the characters or the story.

4.      Falling action

Falling action is the events of the story after the climax or turning point that are leading to the end of the story and the resolution.

5.      Resolution

Resolution is the final outcome of the events of the story. In resolution, there is final confrontation between the protagonist and antagonist where one or other decisively wins.

• Five Phases of Plot in “A Christmas Carol”

1.      Exposition

There was a mean, greedy, miserly and insensitive old man named Ebenezer Scrooge who had an accountant office. Scrooge had an employee named Bob Cratchit who was loyal and dedicated to his job although scrooge treated him badly. The three spirits of Christmas visit Scrooge in hopes of reversing Scrooge's greedy, cold-hearted approach to life.

2.      Rising action

Scrooge received a chilling visitation from the ghost of his dead partner, Jacob Marley. Marley, who was condemned to wander the Earth weighted down with heavy chains, hoped to save Scrooge from sharing the same fate. Marley informed Scrooge that three spirits would visit him during each of the next three nights.

3.      Climax

Three spirits; the Spirit of Christmas Past, Spirit of Christmas Present, and Spirit of Christmas Yet to Come; would visit Scrooge during each of the next three nights after Marley visited him. The Spirit of Christmas Past, a strange childlike phantom with a brightly glowing head, guided Scrooge on a journey into the past to previous Christmases from the misery's earlier years. The Spirit of Christmas Present, a majestic giant clad in a green fur robe, took Scrooge through London to unveil Christmas as it would happen that year and toward the end of the day, he showed Scrooge two starved children, Ignorance and Want, living under his coat. The last visit was by Spirit of Christmas Yet to Come who led Scrooge through a sequence of mysterious scenes relating to an unnamed man's recent death. Scrooge was curious to know the name of the dead man. When Scrooge looked at the headstone, he was shocked to read his own name on the headstone.

They were a boy and girl. Yellow, meager, ragged, scowling, wolfish, but prostrate too in their humility

4.      Falling action

After realizing the dead man in the future was himself, Scrooge begged to the Spirit of Christmas Yet to Come to change his fate and promised that he would be a better man and honor Christmas with all of his heart.

5.      Resolution

The spirit agreed to Scrooge’s wish that he would change his attitudes and be a good man. Scrooge celebrated his newfound Christmas spirit Day and was grateful that he had been sent back to the world. As the years went by, he held true to his promise and honors Christmas with all his heart, provided lavish gifts for the poor, and treated his fellow human beings with kindness, generosity, and warmth.

CONFLICT

There are four phases of conflict, those are:

1.      Latent conflict

Latent conflict is a conflict that is under the surface, not expressed openly. It is waiting to happen.

2.      Triggering incident

A triggering incident often brings the content into the open. It’s the moment that the person says, “that’s it! I can’t take this anymore.”

3.      Conflict

In conflict phase, an issue or issues are aired and defined. Sometimes many problems “explode” at once.

4.      New equilibrium

In this phase, new understanding of the relationship term is reached.

• Four phases of conflict in “A Christmas Carol”

1.      Latent conflict

On a frosty Christmas Eve, Ebenezer Scrooge, a stingy and dishonest old man, sat in his counting-house while his clerk, Bob Cratchit, shivered in the anteroom because Scrooge refused to spend money on heating coals for a fire. Scrooge's nephew named Fred, paid his uncle a visit and invited him to his annual Christmas party, but Scrooge refused the invitation like years before. Two portly gentlemen also dropped by and asked Scrooge for a contribution to their charity and Scrooge reacted to the holiday visitors with bitterness and venom.

2.      Triggering incident

After Scrooge returned to his dark and cold apartment, he received a chilling visitation from the ghost of his dead partner, Jacob Marley. Marley’s spirit who looked haggard and pale had been condemned to wander the Earth weighted down with heavy chains as punishment for his greedy and self-serving life. Marley hoped to save Scrooge from sharing the same fate and informed Scrooge that three spirits of Christmas would visit him during each of the next three nights.

3.      Conflict

The Spirit of Christmas Past was the first spirit who visited Scrooge. He guided Scrooge on a journey into the past to previous Christmases from his earlier years. Scrooge dropped tears of regret when he revisited his engagement to Belle, a woman who left Scrooge because his lust for money eclipsed his ability to love another. On the second night, the Spirit of Christmas Present took Scrooge through London to show Christmas as it would happen that year and toward the end of the day. The spirit also showed Scrooge two starved children who looked yellow, meager, ragged, scowling, wolfish, but prostate too in their humility living under his coat. The boy was Ignorance and the girl was Want. The spirit told Scrooge to beware of them both and all of their degree. On the third and also last night visit, Spirit of Christmas Yet to Come led Scrooge through a sequence of mysterious scenes relating to an unnamed man's recent death. Scrooge was shocked when he looked at the headstone and read his own name on it.

4.      New equilibrium

After knowing the dead man was himself, Scrooge desperately pleaded the spirit to change his fate; besides, he promised to leave his insensitive and greedy ways and to honor Christmas with all his heart. Overwhelmed with joy by the chance to redeem himself and grateful that he had been returned to Christmas Day, Scrooge rushed out onto the street hoping to share his newfound Christmas spirit. As the years went by, he held true to his promise and honored Christmas with all his heart; he treated Tiny Tim as if he were his own child, provided lavish gifts for the poor, and treated his fellow human beings with kindness, generosity, and warmth.

• Types of conflict in “A Christmas Carol”

1.      Man vs. man

·         There was conflict between Scrooge and Bob Cratchit, his clerk, when Scrooge refused to spend money on heating coals for a fire that made Bob shivered in the anteroom of his counting-house on a frigid Christmas Eve. Another conflict between Scrooge and Bob Cratchit is when Cratchit asked for holiday to celebrate Christmas with his family, Scrooge snapped at Cratchit for asking for the day off.

·         The conflict between Scrooge and his nephew, Fred. Fred invited Scrooge to his Christmas party each every year, but was always refused by his grumpy uncle that reacted with bitterness and venom, spitting out an angry.

2.      Man vs. nature

·         Conflict that happened between Scrooge and the three spirits of Christmas who visited him in hope of reversing Scrooge's greedy and cold-hearted approach to life and showed Scrooge his life in the past, present and future. When the spirit of Christmas Yet to Come presented Scrooge with an ominous view of his lonely death, he was shocked and begged to the spirit to change his fate.

·         On a frosty Christmas Eve, Cratchit huddled around a small candle to stay warm.

3.      Man vs. self

At the time the spirit showed Scrooge his lonely death and knew that the dead man was himself, Scrooge begged to the spirit to change his fate and he promised that he would be a better person and honor Christmas with all his heart.

CHARACTERS

There are five types of characters, those are:

1.      Protagonist

Protagonist is the main character of the story. The action of the story revolves around the protagonist and the conflict that he or she faces.

2.      Antagonist

The antagonist of the story is the opposition, set against the protagonist, which usually helps change the protagonist into a dynamic character.

3.      Static Character

Static character is minor character in a work of fiction who does not undergo substantial change or growth in the course of a story. Static character plays a supporting role to the main character and is the same at the end of a story as they were in the beginning.

4.      Flat Character

A flat character is that has not been fully developed in the story. Flat character has only one or two character traits that can be described in a few words.

5.      Round Character

A round character is a major character in a work of fiction who encounters conflict and is changed by it. Round character tend to be more fully developed and described than flat or static characters. A round character has many different character traits that sometimes contradict each other.

• The characters in “A Christmas Carol”

1.        Protagonist

The protagonist in story “A Christmas Carol” is Ebenezer Scrooge. Ebenezer Scrooge was mean-spirited, miserly owner of a London counting-house who was visited by the three spirits of Christmas in hopes of reversing Scrooge's greedy and cold-hearted approach to life.

2.        Antagonist

There are three antagonists in story “A Christmas Carol”, they are:

1. The Spirit of Christmas Past

The Spirit of Christmas Past was the first spirit to visit Scrooge and looked like a curiously childlike spirit with a glowing head. He took Scrooge on a tour of Christmases in his past.

2. The Spirit of Christmas Present

The Spirit of Christmas Present was the second spirit to visit Scrooge whose appearance like a majestic giant clothed in a green robe. His lifetime was restricted to Christmas Day. He escorted Scrooge on a tour of his contemporaries' Holiday celebrations.

3. The Spirit of Christmas Yet to Come

The Spirit of Christmas Yet to Come was the third and final spirit to visit Scrooge whose appearance like a silent phantom clad in a hooded black robe. He presented Scrooge with an ominous view of his lonely death.

3.        Static characters

Static characters in the story “A Christmas Carol” are:

1. Bob Cratchit

Bob Cratchit was Scrooge's clerk, a kind, mild, and very poor man with a large family. Even though treated harshly by his boss, Cratchit remained a humble and dedicated employee.

2. Fred

Fred was Scrooge's nephew and a genial man who loved Christmas. He invited Scrooge to his Christmas party each every year; however, he was always refused by his grumpy uncle.

3. Tiny Tim

Tiny Tim was Bob Cratchit's crippled son. He was a courageous boy whose kindness and humility warmed Scrooge's heart.

4.        Flat characters

Flat characters in the story “A Christmas Carol” are:

1. Belle

Belle was a woman whom young Scrooge loved deeply. She left and broke off her engagement with Scrooge because his lust for money eclipsed his ability to love another.

2. Fezziwig

Fezziwig was the jovial merchant with whom the young Scrooge apprenticed.

3. Bob Cratchit

Bob Cratchit was Scrooge's clerk, a kind, mild, and very poor man with a large family. Even though treated harshly by his boss, Cratchit remained a humble and dedicated employee.

4. Fred

Fred was Scrooge's nephew and a genial man who loved Christmas. He invited Scrooge to his Christmas party each every year; however, he was always refused by his grumpy uncle.

5. Jacob Marley

Jacob Marley was Ebenezer Scrooge's equally greedy partner who already passed away. Marley appeared to Scrooge as a ghost condemned wandering the world bound in heavy chains and he hoped to save his old partner from suffering a similar fate.

6. Tiny Tim

Tiny Tim was Bob Cratchit's crippled son and he was a courageous boy whose kindness and humility warmed Scrooge's heart. In the end of the story, Scrooge treated Tiny Tim as if he were his own child.

5.        Round character

Round character in story “A Christmas Carol” is Ebenezer Scrooge. Ebenezer Scrooge was mean – spirited and miserly owner of a London counting-house who worked his employees very hard for little pay. He was visited by the three spirits of Christmas in hope of reversing Scrooge's greedy and cold-hearted approach to life. After his experiences with the three spirits that visited him before Christmas, he changed his bad traits; paying his employees a more than fair wage, providing days off work, and actually giving gifts. Moreover, Scrooge honored Christmas with all his heart.