" 'But you were always a good man of business, Jacob," faltered Scrooge, who now began to apply this to himself. 'Business!' cried the ghost, wringing its hands again. 'Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance and benevolence were, all, my business."
- Scrooge does not understand Marley's punishment
- Dickens uses the phrase "But you were always a good man of business," to illustrate his lack of comprehension
- Business is why Marley is suffering now
- The ghost argues for social responsibility
- Dickens portrays Scrooge's realisation
- Common welfare should have been his business but he ignored this to favour money
- Scrooge has also rejected these virtues to favour pursuing money