How does the appearance of the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come contribute to the text in this excerpt from Charles Dickens's A Ch
ristmas Carol? The Phantom slowly, gravely, silently, approached. When it came near him, Scrooge bent down upon his knee; for in the very air through which this Spirit moved it seemed to scatter gloom and mystery. It was shrouded in a deep black garment, which concealed its head, its face, its form, and left nothing of it visible save one outstretched hand. But for this it would have been difficult to detach its figure from the night, and separate it from the darkness by which it was surrounded. He felt that it was tall and stately when it came beside him, and that its mysterious presence filled him with a solemn dread. He knew no more, for the Spirit neither spoke nor moved. A. The ghost's dramatic appearance shows Scrooge how severely materialistic he has become over the years. B. The ghost's unassuming appearance reminds Scrooge that he has overrated his own self-importance. C. The ghost's mysterious appearance heightens the horror that Scrooge feels about the results of his life choices. D. The ghost's dark appearance emphasizes the sense that Scrooge is doomed to hopelessness and desolation. E. The ghost's powerful appearance reminds Scrooge that he holds the power within himself to change.
Answer: I would contend that the right answer is the C. The ghost's mysterious appearance heightens the horror that Scrooge feels about the results of his life choices.
Explanation: Just to elaborate a little bit on the answer, it can be added that the ghost's appearance is neither dramatic nor unassuming, so options A and B should be discarded. Likewise, his appearance is not powerful, either, so option E should also be discarded. The narrator relates how the ghost's "mysterious presence" filled Scrooge with a grave fear, and since this ghost was the last one in visiting him, and by then he had seen very upsetting scenes, it can be concluded that his visit intensified the horror that he had been already feeling about the results of his life choices — such as his stinginess.
