Excellent postings, everyone! This week may be difficult for all of us since I am sure we will all be quite distracted, but do the best that you can! Have a merry Chirstmas!
This week's reading: Read chapter 4 by Dec. 27
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I'm first! I win! :) (I know, I'm a brat!) I liked this chapter a lot. I think partly because it was so creepy. This is not a ghost I would ever like to run into. Scrooge didn't seem very fond of him either. I liked how the ghost never spoke just did a slight nod and pointed. Scrooge was able to answer his own questions. I think he already knew the answers, it's just hard to accept the answers.
ReplyDeleteHow depressing it must be to know that no one will mourn your death, infact they are glad. Some are much better off. How awful to know people are stealing from you while you are laying there dead. What a horribe truth for Scrooge to face. I also can't imagine having to pull the sheet off my own dead face. It was sad how Tiny Tim had died and how the family is trying to be brave and try to live happily with Tim's memory and all they still have. This chapter, for me, is Scrooge hitting bottom. He can only rise up from here!
This has been a hard week to get to this but I have read my chapter and here I am. First of all, I agree with Andrea with her explanation of the interaction between Scrooge and the Spirt of Christmas Present over the people going to church. It again shows Scrooges focus on only making money.
ReplyDeleteLike Elisa I liked how the new spirit only pointed an nodded. It would make the experience even more unnerving to be with a spirit or even a person who would not talk with you. By making Scrooge observe and figure it out for himself would make it go to his heart more. I thought it was interesting that no matter what was showed to him he couldn't figure out till the end that it was himself who was dead. He coun't figure out why he couldn't see himself. He made the comment once that it wouldn't be his future because he was going to change. I wonder though if he would have without this extra insight - if he would have still procrastinated.
I was also touched when Cratchit said the nephew asked about "his good wife" and he wondered how he knew she was such a good wife. The children respond that everyone knows she is good. Is this to give a contrast of what we should be striving for?
One last comment - When Scrooge asked the spirt at the end about if it was things that would be or might be he said his hand shook when he pointed. Was this to show uncertainty for the future?
I think you are right, Rosena, about Scrooge needing this ghost to keep him from procratinating. Like I said, it was Scrooge hitting bottom. I think he needed to be scared and unnerved to realize it was now or never. I also liked your comment about the ghost's hand shaking. I think you may have it right! I was wondering that myself!
ReplyDeleteI think the reason that the third ghost doesn’t speak is to make the point that we don’t need someone to explain what our consequences will be—we already know in our heart. We are all born with a sense of right and wrong and a desire to do what is good. I think that the same form of intelligence also gives us insight as to what may result from our choices. Unfortunately, sometimes it is hard to know (or use this gift) because we have become unpracticed or are used to rationalizing ourselves and our actions. I think that this is partially why it takes so long for Scrooge to figure out that it is him that is dead. He doesn’t want to believe it and doesn’t recognize himself in other people’s eyes because in his eyes he is a good, decent, practical fellow (a result of his rationalizations). Because Scrooge has already learned a lot from the Marley and the Ghosts of Present and past, he is beginning to see things for what they are and doesn’t need the ghost of the future to tell him what he should already know. Seeing what he was shown of the future certainly set his present character in stone—He is what he is and there is no disputing it! Fortunately when we finally recognize what we have become, with faith (believing × action) it becomes changeable.
ReplyDeleteIf Elesia won, then have I lost?? Sad days!!
ReplyDeleteI was so eager to read this chapter because we're almost done! I spent some time today to finally finish. I Love all the comments before and I'm not sure what else needs to be added to them, but here I go.
The Ghost of Christmas' yet to come. The description of this particular ghost and the way that it seems to just flow and carry Scrooge away is terrifying and beautiful all at the same time. Mist and Fog is something always changing and never holding a true form so I felt it very fitting for this ghost to have the form. How unshaped, dark, and distant this ghost is I believe is part of the shaking hand at the end. The future is always changing so how can you tell what's under the cloak when you've not formed it yet??
I'm with all of you that Scrooge needed that last push. I think we've all had times when we've been taught a lesson several times but it's not until we slip on the slick roads, or hurt someones feelings, that we realize and fully grasp what those lessons meant. I believe it was the same for Scrooge with this last ghost, the last push to shove him over the edge and make sure that the lesson was not just listened too and learned, but absorbed and taken fully into his life. He might have been better than he was with the lessons of the other ghosts, but I don't believe he would be as good as he could be without the last lesson to help change his heart.
I think it is exciting to already see the change start to take place in Scrooge. At first, he was reluctant to listen to Marley, and go with the ghosts (it was all humbug), but by the time he was with the last ghost, his character had already shown significant and important change. Even though he was frightened of the third ghost, he expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to learn more about himself and to have better insight on how to change.
ReplyDeleteGreat comments! I am excited to see that everyone has been so dedicated even during this busy time. I am gaining a lot to think on and appreciate being able to discuss the book with all of you. I really liked Lana's comment that "we know". I think this is true. Many times we just don't like to take responsibility and admit this to ourselves. Also we look at the story through the eyes of an observer and I for one forgot to completely look at where Scrooge was comming from. His values may have been messed up but he would have felt justified in his attitudes. He needed help seeing the whole picture so he could change his attitude and rethink his values.
ReplyDeleteAndrea, you didn't lose. You may have been last but we were still watching for you and you were in before the week was out! I liked your comment that "the future is always changing so how can you tell what's under the cloak when you've not formed it yet?" This really gets to the meat of the story. We can change. Many give up because they convince themselves that they can't. The future is not laid in stone. It will be what we make of it. This is the big lesson Scrooge is learning.