The study guide provides an overview of key elements to understand the story A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. It includes a list of major characters and their traits, important themes around caring for others, greed, family, and the ability for people to change. The plot section outlines the major events in the story's chronological order, including Marley's ghost visiting Scrooge and Scrooge seeing his own tombstone. Settings covered are London in the 1840s and various locations Scrooge, the Cratchits, and others experience throughout the story. Elements of drama like dialogue, acts, scenes, and stage directions are also defined.