The Five Staves Breakdown
Each stave has a specific job in Scrooge's transformation, making the story feel like a perfectly planned journey rather than random events.
Stave One introduces us to the miserable, money-obsessed Scrooge we all love to hate. The big moment? Marley's ghost appears and sets everything in motion - this is what we call the inciting incident.
Staves Two, Three, and Four follow the same pattern: each ghost takes Scrooge on a different journey through time. The Ghost of Christmas Past shows his younger self, Christmas Present reveals what people really think of him now, and Christmas Yet to Come delivers the ultimate wake-up call - his own lonely grave.
Stave Five is where everything pays off. This denouement (fancy word for conclusion) shows Scrooge's complete transformation into the generous, kind man he should have been all along.
Exam Tip: Remember that this structure mirrors a musical crescendo - building tension through the middle staves before reaching the joyful finale in Stave Five.