Dickens wrote some of the best-loved stories of all time, and this one is definitely up there. Part of its appeal is its simple but effective narrative arc. Even if you haven't read the story, you probably know Ebenezer Scrooge, an irritable old guy who hasn't got a kind word for anyone and who responds to Christmas cheer with his trademark "bah humbug!"
One night, Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his former business partner, who lived a selfish life and is paying the price. He tells Scrooge to expect a visit from three more ghosts showing him his past, present, and future. Sure enough, these ghosts arrive and give Scrooge a few home truths. This reality check is just what Scrooge needs, and by the end of the story, he has learned the value of kindness and is on the road to redemption.
Why may Dickens have chosen to use a third-person narrator rather than have Scrooge narrate his experiences firsthand?
What role do binary oppositions play in this text?