Cheerful Ghosts

“I am the ghost of Christmas Present,” said the spirit. “Look upon me!”

Scrooge reverently did so. It was clothed in one simple deep-green robe, or mantle, bordered with white fur.  This garment hung so loosely on the figure that its capacious breast was bare, as if disdaining to be warded or concealed by any artifice. Its feet observable beneath the ample folds of the garment, were also bare, and on its head it wore no other covering than a holy wreath, set here and there with long shining icicles. Its dark-brown curls were long and free as its genial face, its sparkling eye, its open hand, its cheery voice, its unconstrained demeanor, and its joyful air.  Girded round its middle was an antique scabbard, bud no sward was in it, and the ancient sheath was eaten up with rust.

“You have never seen the like of me before!” exclaimed the spirit.

“Never,”

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Pg. 54

                                                                                                                        A Christmas Carol

                                                                                                                        Charles Dickins

The ghost of Christmas present was a sight to see for sure, as nothing so innocent had ever given a second thought to the likes of Scrooge.  This thing was perfect in every way, even in the clothes it wore there was perfection, nothing so beautiful as this creature, and although unknown to Scrooge, nothing so misleading either.

The description of the Ghost of Christmas Present is so full of symbolism that I might even call it overdone. The green robe symbolizes life, the new life that Scrooge will be granted after he repents.  The white fur is innocent and pure like a powdery new snow.  Unable to be disguised, the clothes have an elegance that was only completed with a wreath of holly around his jolly head.  This, the holly that there never seems to be enough of for the holidays, people end up mass producing it out of plastic.  Icicles hang off his head not in an ironic way, but in a romantic lovely way that makes onlookers blink at the phenomenon.  His face is peaceful; his chocolate curls hang unconstrained around his head.  He makes your pride melt away at the sight of him, but the heat radiating from him has to be very hot in order to melt the ice layered onto Scrooge’s soul.

I think that this ghost is used because he represents the joy of Christmas. This representation is different than the ghost of Christmas past because the other ghost is described as being an old man, but looking like a child, its features are old and worn down but it’s energy and light signifies youth.  I think that this ghost is described this way because depending on which eyes you see it through the past is completely different.  The ghost of Christmas Past is Old because the events that it will be retelling are long past, but it has a certain youth to it, because the true past never gets old, Scrooge can push his past out of his mind however much he wants, but it will still be there, each memory just as bright as they were the day they were made. 

The ghost of Christmas Present also differs from the Yet to Come Ghost, because that ghost is mysterious and unspeaking.  The future is also unknown just like the ghost, we all know that, but I also think that there was a specific reason behind why this ghost doesn’t talk. The ghost message needs to be interpreted individually by Scrooge.  If the ghost tells Scrooge why he should be afraid of the future, it wouldn’t nearly affect him as much as it would if he were to see and experience it himself. Many questions will drift through Scrooge’s mind, but they aren’t questions that he needs to ask, they are questions of doubt.  Scrooge cannot believe his eyes, and if the ghost were to snap its fingers and announce that none of it was actually real it wouldn’t influence Scrooge at all.  Fear and doubt are different, with doubt usually comes hope, but Scrooge has no hope so he cannot have doubt either.

                       

Christmas Present is a gift.  We can see and experience it, we can make the best of it and love with it and have joy with it. Christmas past is gone.  Christmas yet to come is unknown, you cannot love the unknown.  I believe that the symbolism in the ghost of Christmas present not only represents the joy the whole world is feeling, but it reflects on the joy Scrooge could have if her were to repent. 

“Yesterday is history.  Tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift, that is why it is called the present.”

-Alice Morse Earl