'A Christmas Carol was first published in London by Chapman & Hall in 1843. It has become a Christmas classic and has been continuously in print since its first release. Also, it has been adapted into numerous plays and movies. The novel tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a cold, bitter, old miser who despises Christmas and everything about it. When the ghost of Scrooge¿s former business partner, Jacob Marley, visits him on Christmas Eve exactly seven years after his death, Scrooge is challenged to rethink his ways before it is too late. Over the course of the evening, he is visited by three more spirits: the Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present, and Yet to Come. These visits help Scrooge to realize he has behaved poorly and, by the end of the story, he eventually becomes a kinder and gentler soul. Inspired by his childhood experiences, Dickens¿s A Christmas Carol highlights the struggles of the lower class in 19th century England through an enduring and ultimately heart-warming tale. '