a christmas carol thesis statement example

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A Christmas Carol Thesis Statements and Essay Topics

Below you will find four outstanding thesis statements / paper topics for “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens can be used as essay starters. All four incorporate at least one of the themes found in “A Christmas Carol” and are broad enough so that it will be easy to find textual support, yet narrow enough to provide a focused clear thesis statement. These thesis statements offer a short summary of “­­­­­­­A Christmas Carol” terms of different elements that could be important in an essay. You are, of course, free to add your own analysis and understanding of the plot or themes to them. Using the essay topics below in conjunction with the list of  important quotes from “A Christmas Carol”  on our quotes page, you should have no trouble connecting with the text and writing an excellent essay.

Topic #1 Varieties of Disabilities

Compare and contrast societal views on “handicaps “or disabilities with the handicaps presented in the story. Tiny Tim has health problems. The Cratchits are very poor. According to society, they would be considered needy. However, the family is happy. In that sense, they are wealthier than Ebenezer Scrooge. Because Scrooge has more money and is healthy, he is viewed as successful. He is also very unhappy. Who has the greater handicap in Dickens’ story? Is it Tiny Tim or the Cratchit family in general? Or is the neediest character actually Scrooge?

Topic #2 The Ability to Change One’s Personality

Ebenezer Scrooge goes to bed a miser and wakes up with a generous heart. Discuss the possibility of such a phenomenon. Include information on personal reflection and self-examination. Could a close look at one’s life and direction really bring about such a drastic transformation in a short amount of time? How does the time period affect this viewpoint? Contrast the time period of the story with modern times. Cynicism is prevalent in many cultures when it comes to changing oneself. How does that affect the moral of the story?

Topic #3 Thinking Positively in the Face of Grave Uncertainty

Tiny Tim exhibits a positive and humble attitude in spite of his physical affliction. He manages to bring joy to others in his family while he suffers through his illness. He does not get angry that his parents cannot afford the right doctors. He does not lash out at others to have companions in his misery. Explore the belief that a positive outlook improves one’s ability to overcome the symptoms of illness. How does that theory apply in the case of Tiny Tim?

Topic #4 The Value of Money

Ebenezer Scrooge and his late partner, Jacob Marley, are consumed with making and keeping their money. After Marley dies, he comes back to warn Scrooge of the folly of money and greed. When Scrooge is being shown his life by the Christmas ghosts, he sees how his decisions have shaped his life. He sees what his life will become if he does not change his lifestyle. His greed over money made him who he is. Money is painted as one of the evils of life. How does Scrooge’s attitude about money become what it is? How have his choices and decisions affected his life? Are these choices and decisions to blame, or is money the culprit?

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A Christmas Carol 'Because, But, So' Thesis-style introductions

Subject: English

Age range: 14-16

Resource type: Assessment and revision

Last updated

26 January 2024

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‘Because, But, So’ can be a useful tool for helping students write the thesis-style introduction to an essay to help to demonstrate the depth of their understanding.

This resource collates 9 ‘because, but, so’ introductions on 9 themes from the novella.

Ideal revision to cover the theme that might come up in next year’s exam.

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'Because, But, So' for GCSE English Literature Texts

If you want your students to write better exam responses which demonstrates more depth to their thinking, you should consider using the ‘because, but, so’ method from the writing revolution. This resource collates a wide range of exemplar ‘because, but, so’ paragraphs on the most popular GCSE English literature texts for AQA; Macbeth Romeo and Juliet A Christmas Carol An Inspector Calls Power and Conflict After studying the wide range of models, students should gain the ability to write their own ‘because, but, so’ paragraphs in the same style.

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A Christmas Carol by Dickens Essay

A Christmas Carol by Dickens was first published on December 19, 1843. Since its publication, this book, arguably one of his most famous works, has made its mark on American culture and literature. It is difficult to underestimate the significance of A Christmas Carol , which was made into numerous TV and stage versions. Some would even argue that this Dickens’s work invented or rather reinvented Christmas, while others underline the importance of his work for the development of the new forms of literature. This essay aims to discuss the theme and the characters of the book. It starts with a summary of the plot, then examines the main characters and the themes and concludes with the personal opinion on the novella.

Dickens offers a story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a greedy and selfish older man living alone in his London house, whose only concern is money. Scrooge hates Christmas and is indifferent to other people’s suffering, including his workers. However, on Christmas Eve, he is visited by the ghost of his business partner and by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Future. The first ghost takes him on a journey through his past Christmases: one of a miserable and lonely little boy and others of a young man, more interested in gold than in his fiancé. The Ghost of Christmas Present shows Scrooge his clerk’s family Christmas, a Christmas evening of a poor, but loving family, and his nephew’s celebrations, where guests mock him for his unfriendliness and greediness. Finally, the Ghost of Christmas Future shows him his own death, which would bring more joy to people who knew him than grief. The terror of this night magically transforms Ebenezer Scrooge into a generous and good-hearted man, kind to his neighbors and eager to help those in need.

The main hero of the book, Ebenezer Scrooge, is characterized mainly by his greediness and by the fear that he creates among people who know him. Charles Dickens describes (1843, 4) him as such: “No beggars implored him to bestow a trifle, no children asked him what it was o’clock, no man […] inquired the way to such and such a place, of Scrooge”. Even his clerk is terrified of him and barely dares to speak in his presence.

According to Thompson (2017, 269), the descriptions of Scrooge’s personality allude to the Old Testament figure of King Belshazzar, the ruler who loves wealth and who is punished by God for his greed and pride. However, unlike Belshazzar, Scrooge takes advantage of the warning delivered by the Christmas ghosts and changes, fearing the dreadful end that is awaiting him. He accepts to change and declares: “I will not shut out the lessons that they [the Spirits of the Past, the Present and the Future] teach” (Dickens 1843, 57). Thus, he is a sinner, but the night that he goes through makes hem find the strength to change. This magical and radical overnight transformation becomes central to the figure of Ebenezer Scrooge.

Other central figures are the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Yet to Come. The Ghost of Christmas Past is the first ghost to visit Scrooge; he is quite and rather compassionate towards Scrooge, to whom he shows the pictures of his childhood. The Ghost of Christmas Present is a joyful and vibrant character, wearing a green robe and symbolizing joy and happiness. The third Ghost is the most fearsome one; he wears a black cloak and remains silent during their journey. Although the ghosts have distinct personalities, their common characteristic is their role as the messengers. Their figures also reflect Dickens’ interest in “the narrative possibilities of the communication between the living and the dead” (Wood 2018, 412). Dickens’s interest in the supernatural urges him to experiment with the forms of expression and create the figures of these Spirits to deliver the message to Scrooge.

Another prominent figure is Tiny Tim, who is the most significant figure of childhood in the book. He is a son of Bob Cratchit, Scrooge’s clerk. He has a disability, but is full of cheer and love and brings a lot of joy to his family. His words – “God bless us every one!” – mark the end of the novella (Dickens 1843, 92). The figure of Tiny Tim reflects the conception of childhood as the stage of innocence, although it is not the only way children are represented in the novella (Robinson 2016, 8). For instance, the readers observe frightening figures of children clinging to the clothes of the Ghost of Christmas Present. Contrary to this image of “figures which are a product of a fallen world (Robinson 2016, 2), Tim is a constant reminder to everyone of the courage in the face of difficulties.

The characters of A Christmas Carol serve to express Dickens’s Christian humanistic views and attitudes. According to Newey (2016, 12), A Christmas Carol is one of the most important works of Charles Dickens in a sense that it “brings into focus many of Dickens’s core concerns and attitudes of mind.” Dickens demonstrates the transformation of a greedy lender with no sympathy to others, which symbolizes capitalist and rationalist values, into the embodiment of Christianity and humanism.

The contrast between Dickens’s characters furthers strengthens the differences between two ideologies, the humanistic and the capitalist one. The family of Bob Cratchit, Scrooge’s clerk, is a model of a loving family, poor in money but rich in heart, while Scrooge himself reflects utilitarian, purely rationalist values. The values of family loyalty, humanism, kindness, are confronted with the rationalism and greediness of the protagonist.

Another theme of the novella is the relationship between the supernatural and the living. As stated above, Dickens’s works have significantly contributed to the development of the Victorian ghost story. His fascination with the supernatural makes him create the powerful figures of the Ghost of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Future, who communicate with the protagonist and act as the messengers of the divine. This communication between the living and the supernatural is central to the plot. This theme reoccurs in Dickens’s works, for instance, in “The Signalman,” although in total, it is present in about 18 Dickens’s stories. The critical result of the supernatural intervention is that it leads to change and transforms the protagonist.

Although often presented as a children’s story, Dickens’s novella A Christmas Carol tells a reader a lot about Dickens’s attitudes and views about the world. This novella promotes the humanistic ideology based on Christian values: love, empathy, and generosity. Moreover, the author experiments with literary forms and contributes to the development of the ghost story. The supernatural plays a central role in the transformation of the main hero. However, the idea that the protagonist needs supernatural intervention in order to change might be problematic for the humanistic perspective that is centered on the agency of human beings. The humanistic perspective stresses the inherently good qualities of human nature, which is contradictory to the idea that supernatural intervention is necessary in order to bring change.

Newey, Vincent. 2016. The Scriptures of Charles Dickens: Novels of Ideology, Novels of the Self. New York: Routledge.

Robinson, David E. 2016. “Redemption and the Imagination of Childhood: Dickens’s Representation of Children in A Christmas Carol.” Literator 37 (1): 1-8. Web.

Thompson, Terry W. 2017. “The Belshazzar Allusion in Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol.” The Explicator 75 (4): 268-270. Web.

Wood, Claire. 2018. “Playful Spirits: Charles Dickens and the Ghost Story.” In The Routledge Handbook to the Ghost Story, edited by Scott Brewster and Luke Thurston, 87-96. New York: Routledge.

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — A Christmas Carol — The Transformation of Ebenezer Scrooge

Analysis of Scrooge's Transformation in a Christmas Carol

• Categories: A Christmas Carol Character Charles Dickens

About this sample

Words: 819 |

Published: Jan 15, 2019

Words: 819 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

Should follow an “upside down” triangle format, meaning, the writer should start off broad and introduce the text and author or topic being discussed, and then get more specific to the thesis statement.

Provides a foundational overview, outlining the historical context and introducing key information that will be further explored in the essay, setting the stage for the argument to follow.

Cornerstone of the essay, presenting the central argument that will be elaborated upon and supported with evidence and analysis throughout the rest of the paper.

The topic sentence serves as the main point or focus of a paragraph in an essay, summarizing the key idea that will be discussed in that paragraph.

The body of each paragraph builds an argument in support of the topic sentence, citing information from sources as evidence.

After each piece of evidence is provided, the author should explain HOW and WHY the evidence supports the claim.

Should follow a right side up triangle format, meaning, specifics should be mentioned first such as restating the thesis, and then get more broad about the topic at hand. Lastly, leave the reader with something to think about and ponder once they are done reading.

Hook Examples for “A Christmas Carol” Essay

• An Iconic Opening: “Marley was dead, to begin with…” Charles Dickens’ immortal words usher us into the world of Ebenezer Scrooge. But what lies beyond this familiar line, and how does it set the stage for Scrooge’s remarkable transformation?
• A Heartfelt Reflection: As we gather by the fireplace during the holiday season, let’s take a moment to contemplate how Scrooge’s journey from miser to philanthropist resonates with our own aspirations for a more compassionate world.
• An Intriguing Duality: Scrooge’s character embodies both the darkness of greed and the light of redemption. Join me as we dissect the intricacies of his transformation and the symbolism woven into Dickens’ narrative.
• A Universal Lesson: Scrooge’s transformation transcends time and place. It speaks to the timeless human capacity for change and reminds us that it’s never too late to rediscover our own capacity for kindness and generosity.
• An Evocative Quote: In Dickens’ own words, “No space of regret can make amends for one life’s opportunity misused.” Explore with me how Scrooge’s journey in A Christmas Carol serves as a powerful reminder of the opportunities we all possess for personal growth and transformation.
• Oguz, A. (2014). PRACTISING INTERDISCIPLINARITY: A CHRISTMAS CAROL. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/344266348_PRACTISING_INTERDISCIPLINARITY_A_CHRISTMAS_CAROL Dil ve Edebiyat Egitimi Dergisi, 2(11), 34.
• Buckwald, C. (1990). Stalking the Figurative Oyster: The Excursive Ideal in” A Christmas Carol”. Studies in short fiction, 27(1), 1. (https://www.proquest.com/openview/32c09e7884f55c2a71d8bb1dc56f3fe6/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=1820858)
• Johnson, E. (1951). The Christmas Carol and the Economic Man. The American Scholar, 91-98. (https://www.jstor.org/stable/41206862)
• Erickson, L. (1997). The Primitive Keynesianism of Dickens’s A Christmas Carol. Studies in the Literary Imagination, 30(1), 51. (https://www.proquest.com/openview/2838453e9a9da7011b736c52d34ea957/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=48227)
• Jaffe, A. (1994). Spectacular sympathy: visuality and ideology in Dickens’s A Christmas Carol. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/pmla/article/abs/spectacular-sympathy-visuality-and-ideology-in-dickenss-a-christmas-carol/5B6363CBCC63BF021719079F3B1269BB PMLA, 109(2), 254-265.

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Model Grade 9 ‘ACC’ essay: Christmas as a Joyful Time

Starting with this extract, explore how far Dickens presents Christmas as a joyful time. (30 marks)

Throughout Dickens’ allegorical novella, his aim is to passionately highlight how such a joyful season can create positive role models for Scrooge. The constant succession of images relating to joy around Christmas may well have been utilised to demonstrate how readers too can learn and improve from the inspirational characters during the novella.

Primarily, within stave 1 of the novella, Dickens utilises the characterisation of Fred as the embodiment of the Christmas spirit with all the positive virtues associated with Christmas. This is evidenced when Fred is described as coming in ‘all in a glow’ with ‘his face ruddy and handsome; his eyes sparkled.’ Here the use of the noun ‘glow’ connotes light and warmth which is strongly linked to hope and purity. This highlights the contrast between Fred and his uncle Scrooge, who was described as ‘hard and sharp as flint.’ Structurally, introducing Fred immediately after Scrooge focuses the reader’s attention on the clear variation between the two and all of the positive qualities that Scrooge lacks. Furthermore, Fred highlights the belief that Christmas is a time for unity within the social hierarchy although it ‘never puts a scrap of gold or silver’ in his pocket and he frowns upon his uncle, completely consumed in the greed for money. Dickens may have done this to foreshadow Scrooge’s transformation into a better man as a result of the inspirational role models around him during the novella. Alternatively, Dickens may have used Fred and Scrooge together to challenge the situation in Victorian Britain during the Industrial Revolution. Scrooge highlights all of the negative traits of upper class men during this time and Fred is a caring and benevolent character, who cares for people lower down on the social hierarchy.

Secondly, within the extract, Dickens utilises the characterisation of Fezziwig to suggest a clear contrast in the two employers. This is evidenced when Fezziwig ‘laughed all over himself, from his shoes to his organ of benevolence.’ The use of the abstract noun ‘benevolence’ suggests the joy and love Fezziwig has for Christmas time. Fezziwig’s kind, caring personality is another role model and catalyst for Scrooge’s transformation. Furthermore, Dickens presents Christmas as a joyful time through Fezziwig’s Christmas party. ‘Fuel was heaped upon the fire’ and the warehouse was transformed into a ‘snug, and warm’ ballroom filled with light. The use of the adjective ‘warm’ connotes kindness and comfort. The detail here in Fezziwig’s scene overwhelms the senses; his generosity is physical, emotional and palpable. As an employer he is the foil of Scrooge and presents all of the positive virtues that Scrooge lacks. Dickens may have done this to highlight a different side to capitalism. Alternatively, presenting Fezziwig as the embodiment of Christmas suggests the importance of Christmas and all of its positive qualities on everyone in society.

Thirdly, within the novella, Dickens utilises the Ghost of Christmas Present to personify Christmas itself. When the ghost appears it has set up an impressive feast of lights and food. This is evidenced when Scrooge’s room is filled with ‘the crisp leaves of holly, mistletoe and ivy reflected back the light, as if so many little mirrors had been scattered there, and such a mighty blaze went roaring up the chimney.’ The scene is hyperbolic and creates a clear contrast with the frugal state of Scrooge’s past Christmases. The use of the light imagery here provides a clear and undeniable tableau of the joyful Christmases Scrooge can afford but chooses to shun. Dickens may have done this to portray Christmas as a bright and familiar celebration which everyone should celebrate in harmony. A modern reader may feel hope that Scrooge will use his wealth to celebrate Christmas with all of the festivities that Christmas should include and celebrate it with the people that care for him, like his nephew Fred.

Finally, in ‘A Christmas Carol’ Dickens reinforces the theme of Christmas spirit through the Cratchit family. Dickens utilises Bob Cratchit to symbolise the true spirit of Christmas and the importance of family. This is evidenced at the Cratchit’s dinner where nobody remarked that it was ‘a small pudding for a large family’. The adjective ‘small’ emphasises the Cratchit’s lack of luxury and yet their enthusiasm in the scene is palpable. This highlights that this ‘small’ pudding was seen as an indulgence to them which is something Scrooge takes for granted. Furthermore, the Cratchit’s ‘four roomed house’ is filled with an overwhelming sense of energy and excitement, which exists as an antithesis of Scrooge’s ‘old…dreary’ abode. This is evidenced as the youngest Cratchit children ‘danced about the table’ this suggests the sense of energy despite their lowly status in society on this festive day. Dickens may have done this to suggest the importance of Christmas to all members of society. Although the Cratchit family are less fortunate than Scrooge or Fred their Christmas is filled with the love they have for each other. A reader may feel delighted to see this family enjoying Christmas day, contented with what they own and hope that Scrooge will see this family as a role model for his transformation.

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Home Essay Examples Literature English Literature

Essays on A Christmas Carol

How to structure your christmas carol essay.

- Your introduction section should provide your take on the book. There’s no need to retell the book and provide your readers with the information. If you talk about poverty, you must tell why it relates to the book and what method you are using.

- A thesis statement should make an argument or an assumption. Do not use any quotes yet for a Christmas Carol essay because these go to the body paragraph.

- Body Sections should tell about your explanations with the use of citations. Make sure to provide the pages and explain why these have been used.

- The final paragraph should sum things up and provide a moral lesson.

The Main Characters of a Christmas Carol

- Ebenezer Scrooge. The most famous feature of the main character is greed and a mixture of being lonely, miserable, and greedy.

- Bob Cratchit. Scrooge's clerk and a kind, dedicated man.

- Tiny Tim. Cratchit's son who is crippled since his birth. He is sentimental and shows sympathy. His life is a great personality that explains how is poverty presented in a Christmas Carol essay.

- Jacob Marley. Another greedy character and the partner of Scrooge. We see the narration about a person who is already in another world for seven years.

- Fred Holywell. Scrooge's nephew with a passion for Christmas.

- Ghost of Christmas Past. The reflection of a person's childhood.

- Ghost of Christmas Present. The fuss and the spirit that limits itself to Christmas Day.

- Ghost of Christmas Future. It is a silent spirit that reminds Scrooge of his loneliness and fear.

The Important Topics Raised In The Book

Why seek a christmas carol essay examples, keep your writing inspired, a christmas carol: critique of the victorian era society, imperialism in a christmas carol, social darwinism and its role in a christmas carol, scrooge transformation from an angry miser to a benevolent human being, a christmas carol: the changes of ebenezer scrooge.

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A Christmas Carol Essay: Character Analysis

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The Theme of Redemption In Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol"

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A Christmas Carol

Charles dickens, everything you need for every book you read..

Scrooge is a caricature of a miser, greedy and mean in every way. He spends all day in his counting house looking after his money but is so cheap that he keeps his house in darkness, his fire small and allows no extravagance even on Christmas day. But we soon learn that he is the most impoverished character – he is lacking love, warmth and the spirit of Christmas, all of which make lives like Bob Cratchit ’s so worth living despite their hardships.

The story’s structure and Scrooge’s character development are engineered so that as Scrooge becomes aware of his own poverty and learns to forgive and listen to his buried conscience, he is able to see virtue and goodness in the other characters and rediscovers his own generosity – he even becomes a symbol of Christmas in the final stave.

Scrooge is remedied in the novella by the Christmas-conscious characters that surround him, including his own nephew and Bob Cratchit and his family, who show Scrooge in the Ghost of Christmas Present ’s tour the true meaning of goodness. All of the generous characters in the story are financially downtrodden but succeed in being good and happy despite their lot, whereas Scrooge needs to go through a traumatic awakening in order to find happiness. But the virtue that really ensures Scrooge’s transformation is forgiveness – it is this key of Christian morality that saves him when the characters that he has always put down—Fred, Bob Cratchit—welcome him into their homes when he undergoes his transformation, giving Dickens’ tale the shape of a true religious redemption.

Greed, Generosity and Forgiveness ThemeTracker

Greed, Generosity and Forgiveness Quotes in A Christmas Carol

Oh! But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner! Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster.

'A merry Christmas, uncle! God save you!' cried a cheerful voice. It was the voice of Scrooge's nephew, who came upon him so quickly that this was the first intimation he had of his approach. 'Bah!' said Scrooge, 'Humbug!'

'Business!' cried the Ghost, wringing its hands again. 'Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!'

'Our contract is an old one. It was made when we were both poor and content to be so, until, in good season, we could improve our worldly fortune by our patient industry. You are changed. When it was made, you were another man.'

The sight of these poor revellers appeared to interest the Spirit very much, for he stood with Scrooge beside him in a baker's doorway, and taking off the covers as their bearers passed, sprinkled incense on their dinners from his torch.

Oh, a wonderful pudding! Bob Cratchit said, and calmly too, that he regarded it as the greatest success achieved by Mrs Cratchit since their marriage. […]Everybody had something to say about it, but nobody said or thought it was at all a small pudding for a large family. It would have been flat heresy to do so.

'God bless us every one!'

'Ghost of the Future!' he exclaimed, 'I fear you more than any spectre I have seen. But as I know your purpose is to do me good, and as I hope to live to be another man from what I was, I am prepared to bear you company, and do it with a thankful heart. Will you not speak to me?'

'If he wanted to keep them after he was dead, a wicked old screw,' pursued the woman, 'why wasn't he natural in his lifetime? If he had been, he'd have had somebody to look after him when he was struck with Death, instead of lying gasping out his last there, alone by himself.'

He recoiled in terror, for the scene had changed, and now he almost touched a bed: a bare, uncurtained bed: on which, beneath a ragged sheet, there lay a something covered up, which, though it was dumb, announced itself in awful language.

Scrooge crept towards it, trembling as he went; and following the finger, read upon the stone of the neglected grave his own name, Ebenezer Scrooge.

'I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future!' Scrooge repeated, as he scrambled out of bed. 'The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. Oh, Jacob Marley! Heaven, and the Christmas Time be praised for this! I say it on my knees, old Jacob, on my knees!'

He went to church, and walked about the streets, and watched the people hurrying to and fro, and patted children on the head, and questioned beggars, and looked down into the kitchens of houses, and up to the windows, and found that everything could yield him pleasure. He had never dreamed that any walk – that anything – could give him so much happiness.

'Now, I'll tell you what, my friend,' said Scrooge, 'I am not going to stand this sort of thing any longer. And therefore,' he continued, leaping from his stool, and giving Bob such a dig in the waistcoat that he staggered back into the Tank again; 'and therefore I am about to raise your salary!'

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