a christmas carol... 5 ghosts??!?!?

in our english class today, we were discussing how many ghosts can be found in a christmas carol

we discussed what it meant to be a ghost (an apparition which has first died) and the differences between a ghost and a spirit.

we concluded that although jacob marley is the only one who has actually died, he is the only one who technically is a ghost. BUT, ("the thing that I will forever hate Dickens for" ~my teacher) is that Dickens uses ghost, spirit, phantom, apparition...etc interchangeably in a christmas carol.

therefore: a christmas carol has four "ghosts"... jacob marley, ghost of christmas past, ghost of christmas present and ghost of christmas future... right???

no.

so far, my only clues are:
1. its not belle
2. and its not tiny tim

ok lol sorry for the unnecessary context, WHOS THE FIFTH SPIRIT?!?!?!?!?

ps. mar mar if ur reading this I dont think ur wrong I just want to see what other ppl think <333

(edited 1 year ago)

i haven't read the novella for a while, but are ignorance and want (the two children that appear at the end) both spirits?

Reply 2

5hyl33n

Volunteer Team, Clearing and Applications Advisor

21

Original post by flaurie

i haven't read the novella for a while, but are ignorance and want (the two children that appear at the end) both spirits?

They are referred to as ‘monster’s’ within the novella. I don’t think they are referred to as spirits anywhere.

Reply 3

5hyl33n

Volunteer Team, Clearing and Applications Advisor

21

Original post by natnat_ehehe

X

I find it odd that your teacher just claimed she knows who it is and not tell you. Attending Oxford University is simply irrelevant.

The four main ghosts that Scrooge interacts with are:
1. Marley’s Ghost
2. Ghost of Christmas Past
3. Ghost of Christmas Present
4. Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come

Scrooge also sees ghosts roaming around, but doesn’t interact with them.
‘The air was filled with phantoms, wandering hither and thither in restless haste, and moaning as they went. Every one of them wore chains like Marley's Ghost; some few (they might be guilty governments) were linked together; none were free. Many had been personally known to Scrooge in their lives. He had been quite familiar with one old ghost, in a white waistcoat, with a monstrous iron safe attached to its ankle, who cried piteously at being unable to assist a wretched woman with an infant, whom it saw below, upon a door-step. The misery with them all was, clearly, that they sought to interfere, for good, in human matters, and had lost the power for ever. Whether these creatures faded into mist, or mist enshrouded them, he could not tell. But they and their spirit voices faded together; and the night became as it had been when he walked home.’

Maybe, she is referring to the above ghosts?

Do let me know when you find out who the fifth ghost is? :smile:

(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 4

natnat_ehehe

OP

7

thank you for all your responses!!

I do feel a little bad that I didn't clarify that my english teacher probably didn't tell us who the fifth spirit was because she thought it would get us hyped up if she left our lesson at a cliffhanger. she did tell us that we will continue this topic in our lesson tmr. she is actually the loveliest teacher with the most iconic nails, and an amazing sense of fashion and we think she's engaged to one of the biology teachers and its rumoured they are going on their honeymoon together soon. (that's what my bio teacher said but we don't know if he was joking)

anyways, after discussing with the other class (who are slightly ahead of us) IVE FOUND THE FIFTH SPIRIT!!!

it is actually the narrator, who is omniscient (all-knowing). the narrator addresses the reader directly and has a jovial tone and an all-too-clear personality. (I'm sorry my reasoning is phrased so badly, my english teacher isn't going through it until tomorrow)

at one point, the narrator addresses us:
The curtains of his bed were drawn aside; and Scrooge, starting up into a half-recumbent attitude, found himself face to face with the unearthly visitor who drew them: as close to it as I am now to you, and I am standing in the spirit at your elbow.

hoped that resolved everything: will give a proper explanation tmr!!! :biggrin:

(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 5

5hyl33n

Volunteer Team, Clearing and Applications Advisor

21

Original post by natnat_ehehe

thank you for all your responses!!

I do feel a little bad that I didn't clarify that my english teacher probably didn't tell us who the fifth spirit was because she thought it would get us hyped up if she left our lesson at a cliffhanger. she did tell us that we will continue this topic in our lesson tmr. she is actually the loveliest teacher with the most iconic nails, and an amazing sense of fashion and we think she's engaged to one of the biology teachers and its rumoured they are going on their honeymoon together soon. (that's what my bio teacher said but we don't know if he was joking)

You know what, I’ve never thought of the narrator as a ghost. That’s an interesting and valid observation.

I do apologise for my harsh words about your teacher. :smile:

Reply 6

Leoni759

1

Original post by natnat_ehehe

in our english class today, we were discussing how many ghosts can be found in a christmas carol

we discussed what it meant to be a ghost (an apparition which has first died) and the differences between a ghost and a spirit.

we concluded that although jacob marley is the only one who has actually died, he is the only one who technically is a ghost. BUT, ("the thing that I will forever hate Dickens for" ~my teacher) is that Dickens uses ghost, spirit, phantom, apparition...etc interchangeably in a christmas carol.

therefore: a christmas carol has four "ghosts"... jacob marley, ghost of christmas past, ghost of christmas present and ghost of christmas future... right???

no.

so far, my only clues are:
1. its not belle
2. and its not tiny tim

ok lol sorry for the unnecessary context, WHOS THE FIFTH SPIRIT?!?!?!?!?

ps. mar mar if ur reading this I dont think ur wrong I just want to see what other ppl

I am 7 months late and this may sound entirely stupid but the narrator? Ah never mind I see the other replies now

(edited 6 months ago)

Reply 7

QScrew

1

Original post by natnat_ehehe

in our english class today, we were discussing how many ghosts can be found in a christmas carol

we discussed what it meant to be a ghost (an apparition which has first died) and the differences between a ghost and a spirit.

we concluded that although jacob marley is the only one who has actually died, he is the only one who technically is a ghost. BUT, ("the thing that I will forever hate Dickens for" ~my teacher) is that Dickens uses ghost, spirit, phantom, apparition...etc interchangeably in a christmas carol.

therefore: a christmas carol has four "ghosts"... jacob marley, ghost of christmas past, ghost of christmas present and ghost of christmas future... right???

no.

so far, my only clues are:
1. its not belle
2. and its not tiny tim

ok lol sorry for the unnecessary context, WHOS THE FIFTH SPIRIT?!?!?!?!?

ps. mar mar if ur reading this I dont think ur wrong I just want to see what other ppl think <333

I'm so, so late to this. but you could've retaliated to your teacher by mentioning the ghost-carriage that goes up the stairs, with a ghost-driver and maybe six ghost-horses!!

a christmas carol... 5 ghosts??!?!?

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