A CHRISTMAS CAROL - CHARLES DICKENS Introduction Charles Dickens was the most popular British novelist of his day. At the age of 24 he was famous both in Britan and America. When he died at the age of 58, he was known and loved everywhere in the world. "A Christmas Carol" is one of Dickens' best known novels. This extract has been dramatized by Walter Hackett as a radio play. Characters EBENEZER SCROOGE TWO BOYS NARRATOR FRED Scrooge's nephew BOB CRATCHIT, Scrooge's clerk GENTLEMAN GHOST OF JACOB MARLEY FIRST GHOST FAN BELLE SECOND GHOST TIM CRATCHIT MRS. CRATCHIT MARTHA CRATCHIT THREE OTHER CRATCHIT CHILDREN THIRS GHOST TWO MEN SOUND: Church Clock strikes three times. A group of young people sing "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen." At its climax a door opens . SCROOGE : (barking) Stop it! Stop it, I say! (Singing stops) Get away from here. We'll have no singing around here. Understand me! No singing! Boy : A Merry Christmas, sir. SCROOGE :