# Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come — A Christmas Carol character guide

> Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come in A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** the Phantom, Phantom, the Spirits, Spirits

**First appearance:** 0005-stave-iv-the-last-of-the-spirits

## Snapshot

A silent phantom shrouded head to foot in black, pointing only with a spectral hand at what is still to be.

## Who they are

Where the other spirits speak and shine, this one says nothing and shows everything, gliding ahead of Scrooge through scenes he does not yet understand. Its terrible reticence forces Scrooge to read the future for himself, and to beg for the mercy of an altered ending. The phantom's wordless pointing is the book's sharpest instrument, and the reason Scrooge's final vow to 'live in the Past, the Present, and the Future' lands so hard.

## Relationships

### [Ebenezer Scrooge](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_christmas_carol_se/characters/ebenezer_scrooge)

_psychological_

The silent, ominous Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come terrifies Scrooge by showing him his lonely death.

### [Ghost of Christmas Past](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_christmas_carol_se/characters/ghost_of_christmas_past)

_psychological_

The two ghosts are part of the same supernatural trio, working in sequence to reform Scrooge.

### [Ghost of Christmas Past](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_christmas_carol_se/characters/ghost_of_christmas_past)

_psychological_

The two ghosts are part of the same supernatural trio, working in sequence to reform Scrooge.

## In the story

### [Stave IV: The Last of the Spirits](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_christmas_carol_se/chapters/stave-iv-the-last-of-the-spirits)

The silent, shrouded phantom shows Scrooge the grim future, including his own death and the Cratchits' loss, without speaking a word.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_christmas_carol_se/characters/ghost_of_christmas_yet_to_come
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_christmas_carol_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_christmas_carol_se/characters