Key learning points

1. Marley’s ghost visits Scrooge and warns him of his impending damnation if he does not change his ways
2. Dickens uses Marley's ghost to convey Christian ideas of penance and remorse
3. The chains and cash boxes that Marley's ghost wears show that he wasted his life in pursuit of solely material gain
4. Marley's ghost verbalises Dickens' message about the importance of being charitable and socially responsible
5. Marley's ghost's visit could be said to be a catalyst in Scrooge's transformation

Keywords

• Penance - Penance is an action performed by somebody who has sinned to show remorse or regret for their sins.

• Remorse - Somebody showing remorse would apologise for their actions and try to make amends.

• Culminate - The culmination of something is the direct result of it.

• Social responsibility - Somebody who believes in social responsibility invests in their community and supports those in need.

• Catalyst - A catalyst is the cause of an important change.

Common misconception