To answer this
question, take a look at the conversation between the ghost of Jacob Marley and Scrooge in Stave
One. According to Jacob, his visit to Scrooge has a key purpose:
"I am here to-night to warn you, that you have yet a chance and hope of escaping
my fate."
In other words, Marley hopes that he can
prevent Scrooge from having to endure the same fate in the afterlife. For Marley, life after
death has been very hard. Because of his endless pursuit of money, for example, Marley must wear
a chain around his body for the rest of eternity. This chain is "forged" from the
symbols of his greed: padlocks, purses, and keys. If Scrooge continues to be a greedy miser,
only interested in the success of his business, Marley is certain that he will also have to wear
a chain.
Marley's warning, therefore, is that Scrooge must focus less on
materialistic matters and instead begin to care about those around him. If he does not, he will
spend the rest of eternity paying for it.
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