Scrooge's Awakening and Time Confusion

Scrooge awakens in complete darkness, struggling to make sense of his surroundings. The chimes of a nearby church strike, causing great confusion as they continue from six to twelve. Scrooge, certain he went to bed after two, is baffled by this apparent time discrepancy.

Highlight: Scrooge's disorientation sets the stage for the supernatural events to come, blurring the lines between reality and the spiritual realm.

In his bewilderment, Scrooge considers various explanations for the time anomaly, from a malfunctioning clock to the impossible notion of sleeping through an entire day. He even entertains the idea that something might have happened to the sun itself.

Quote: "Why, it isn't possible," said Scrooge, "that I can have slept through a whole day and far into another night. It isn't possible that anything has happened to the sun, and this is twelve at noon!"

Scrooge's attempts to make sense of his situation highlight his rational mind grappling with the inexplicable, foreshadowing the supernatural encounters to come.

Vocabulary: Repeater - A watch that chimes the hours on demand when a button is pressed.

As Scrooge tries to reconcile his confusion, he recalls Marley's Ghost and the warning of a visitation at one o'clock. This memory sets the stage for the imminent arrival of the first spirit.