'A Christmas Carol': Marley's Ghost's regret

Marley's Ghost represents the Christian ideas of repentance and redemption. Marley expresses regret at his own immoral behaviour: ’and never raise [his eyes] to that blessed Star’. The line ’[...] Marley had no bowels’ links these being the seat of compassion, referred to in the New Testament. Dickens also uses Marley to allude to the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, showing us the consequences of greed. Dickens draws parallels between Marley and Cain to show that Marley’s eternal ‘wandering’ is punishment for his sins.