Representative of memory, the Ghost of Christmas Past, enables Scrooge to reflect on his formative years, and this is the beginning of Scrooge's journey toward rekindling his goodness and humanity. Scrooge is initially shown the shadow of himself as a schoolboy, "lonely, solitary and neglected by his friends," and by reminding him of a time when he was in need of kindness. The spirit helps Scrooge "open his shut-up heart", thus beginning the redemptive process. .
Upon observing his past, Scrooge realizes that he "should like to have given something" to the caroler at his door the prior evening; an indicator that he is emerging from a life devoid of care for those around him. Here, we see that he is actually able to begin to reconnect with society.
The memory of Fezziwig's ball confirms this, and builds upon the previous Stave's lesson of social responsibility. Scrooge realizes through the remembrance of "the happiness [his former employer could] bring" that he had a duty to take care of his clerk, Bob Cratchit, a member of the struggling London lower class. Dickens uses the power of memory to advocate his belief that those in abundance must aid those in want. This is the key to fulfillment in connecting to others. .
Through the character of Fred in Stave Three, Dickens reveals his belief in the necessity of generosity by claiming that materialistic "gain" is only worthwhile if it is used to benefit others; that Scrooge's "wealth is of no use to him. He doesn't do any good with it." Indeed, this is supported by the conduct of the Cratchit's in the same stave. Although representative of the poor and underprivileged classes of Victorian London, the Cratchit's are able to put their meager wealth and time to good use by providing their family with a Christmas dinner that is appreciated so intensely that it is regarded by Bob Cratchit to be his wife's 'greatest achievement since their marriage'.
Dante, spokesman in his Christian day, writes a guidebook for Hell and, in doing so, questions his own rocky past and his chances for Hell, for Heaven. Dante, a Christian poet living during a Christian age, sets out to write a poem about his fictionalized version of Hell. I believe Dante...