A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas , commonly known as A Christmas Carol , is a by , first published in London by in 1843 and illustrated by . A Christmas Carol recounts the story of , an elderly who is visited by the ghost of his former business partner and the spirits of , and . After their visits, Scrooge is transformed into a kinder, gentler man.

Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol during a period when the British were exploring and re-evaluating past , including , and newer customs such as and . He was influenced by the experiences of his own youth and by the Christmas stories of other authors, including and . Dickens had written three Christmas stories prior to the novella, and was inspired following a visit to the Field Lane , one of several establishments for London's street children. The treatment of the poor and the ability of a selfish man to redeem himself by transforming into a more sympathetic character are the key themes of the story.