A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas , commonly known as A ChristmasCarol , is a by , first published in London by in 1843 and illustrated by . A ChristmasCarol recounts the story of , an elderly who is visited by the ghost of his former businesspartner and the spirits of , and . After their visits, Scrooge is transformed into a kinder, gentlerman.Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol during a period when the British were exploring and re-evaluatingpast , including , and newer customs such as and . He was influenced by the experiences of hisown youth and by the Christmas stories of other authors, including and . Dickens had written threeChristmas stories prior to the novella, and was inspired following a visit to the Field Lane , one ofseveral establishments for London’s street children. The treatment of the poor and the ability of a selfishman to redeem himself by transforming into a more sympathetic character are the key themes of thestory.