Characters in Dickens' "A Christmas Carol", Pt 1 Quiz

Answer:

Here are the characters that we meet in "A Christmas Carol":

Ebenezer Scrooge is one of the very most memorable characters in all of literature. So memorable that his name alone has become a sort of basic vocabulary word meaning a "squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner." Well, that is who the ageing, London businessman miser was in the beginning of the story. At first loathing Christmas and humanity, he then is visited by spirits that show him scenes from his life and a cold lonely future if he doesn't get his act together. Thankfully he does, repenting and becoming a generous benefactor and "as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man" as anyone knew.

We meet Scrooge's cheerful nephew, Fred, early in the story when he pays a visit to Scrooge at the "counting-house" the, a small financial business Scrooge operates. Fred, full of affection, wants to invite Scrooge over for Christmas dinner, but Fred is rebuffed. The Ghost of Christmas Present later has Scrooge observe Fred's lively Christmas party, the one Scrooge declined attending, and we see Fred toast his uncle, despite Scrooge's unkindness to him earlier. Climactically, a changed Scrooge surprises Fred on Christmas, arriving in time for the party.

At Fred's Christmas party one of the guests, named Topper, is one of the more comically lighthearted characters in the story. He takes part in a game of Blindman's Buff, clearly smitten with Fred's wife's plump sister, and flirts with her, following her "to the top of the stairs; and there she met him, and they both laughed heartily together."

The Ghost of Christmas Past arrives at 1 a.m. on Christmas Eve, just as was foretold to Scrooge. The Ghost is a strange figure, "like a child: yet not so like a child as like an old man, viewed through some supernatural medium". A beam of light emanates from his head, and he is clothed in a white robe, green holly, and summer flowers. The Ghost forces Scrooge to confront scenes from his past-scenes of both joy and sorrow.

One of the scenes the Ghost shows is an emotionally charged scene between Scrooge and his beloved sister Fan, who is the mother of Scrooge's nephew Fred. We see Scrooge spending his lonely boyhood at boarding school, and one day a reunion with his young sister Fan who runs up to him there at school, throwing her arms around him, kissing his neck calling him "dear dear brother". She comes with the news that their father is a changed man and that Ebenezer is to come back home "and are never to come back here; but first, we're to be together all the Christmas long, and have the merriest time in all the world!"

The Ghost of Christmas Present also shows Scrooge the Cratchits' modest home, and shows them having their Christmas dinner of goose and pudding, and the games they entertain themselves with. And he shows frail Tiny Tim's speaking the immortal line "God bless us, every one!" The ghost further warns that without extra care, Tiny Tim will die.

Tiny Tim does survive thanks to Scrooge's transformation, later becoming like a "second father" to him.

Mrs Cratchit is the matriarch of the Cratchit family, not mentioned by her first name in the novel however. She has become known as Emily Cratchit in many TV, film, and musical adaptations of "A Christmas Carol" and the first confirmed instance of Mrs Cratchit being named "Emily" was in the 1992 film "The Muppet Christmas Carol", played by Miss Piggy.

Peter Cratchit is the oldest son of the Cratchit family. Dickens describes him helping his younger siblings set the table, and mashing the potatoes for dinner "with incredible vigour." The story also mentions that his father is trying to arrange a job for Peter that pays "five and sixpence" a week.

Mrs Dilber is Scrooge's laundress; she washes his clothes and linens and doesn't appear until the final ghostly visit when Scrooge is shown a vision of his own death. In that possible future timeline, a charwoman, an undertaker's man, and Mrs Dilber are pawning Scrooge's personal belongings that they have stolen from the his rooms after he died. Mrs Dilber says, "He frightened every one away from him when he was alive, to profit us when he was dead."

The following characters do not appear in "A Christmas Carol":

Henry Potter, is the Scrooge-like diabolical banker villain from the classic Christmas movie, "It's a Wonderful Life". He is played with odious menace by Lionel Barrymore, a great performance.

Martha May, or Martha May Whovier by her full name, is a character from the live-action film version of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (2000), portrayed by Christine Baranski.

Miles Finch is from the 2003 Christmas comedy film "Elf", portrayed by actor Peter Dinklage, whom you may remember as Tyrion Lannister from "Game of Thrones". In "Elf", Miles is a best-selling children's book author hired by Buddy's (Will Ferrell) father, Walter Hobbs (James Caan), to save his failing publishing company.

Linnie is the older sister of Kevin McCallister in the Christmas movie "Home Alone" (1990); she was played by Angela Goethals.

Mr Whittle, played by Peter Boyle, is Scott Calvin's (Tim Allen) boss at the B and R Toy Company in the 1994 film "The Santa Clause."

Elsie Marley was a real-life 18th-century English alewife (pub landlady) from the Newcastle area of England, celebrated in a traditional folk song called "Elsie Marley," published by 1784, written about her hospitality and lively pub.