A Christmas Carol was written by Charles Dickens (1812-1870) and published in 1843. The novel was the first of five in a series of Christmas books that Dickens wrote instructed to write. Many of the darker episodes in his novels are thought to be based on his personal experiences, for example when his father spent a few months in a debtors' prison in London. Memory serves as an important tool for the ghosts to reach Mr. Scrooge's feelings of sympathy, thus contributing to the personality change that Mr. Scrooge undergoes towards the end of the novel. The First of the Three Spirits: The first of the three spirits is the "Ghost of Christmas Past" who represents the memory of Mr. Scrooge. The memory here serves to remind Mr. Scrooge that he is still emotionally connected to other people, despite his withdrawal. The first memory that ignites Mr. Scrooge's feelings is the scene of his childhood: the little boy Ebenezer who had to spend the Christmas holidays alone in his school. down on a form, and wept to see his poor forgotten self as it once was." (38). We see that he is immediately very touched when he sees this scene before him, which is precisely the reaction the ghost was hoping for. After This scene, Mr. Scrooge sees his sister who tells him that their father has given his consent for Scrooge to return home. We learn that she is now dead and has left behind a child: