In A Christmas Carol, what does this quote mean? "He turned upon the Ghost, and seeing that it looked upon him with a face, in which in some...

This quote is taken from the first stave of A Christmas Carol and, to understand its significance, we must look at its position in the text. At this point, Scrooge and the Ghost of Christmas Past have just revisited some of the most important experiences in Scrooge's early life. Specifically, Scrooge has watched the ending of the relationship with Belle, his former fiancée, and seen a glimpse of her later life, as a happily married...

This quote is taken from the first stave of A Christmas Carol and, to understand its significance, we must look at its position in the text. At this point, Scrooge and the Ghost of Christmas Past have just revisited some of the most important experiences in Scrooge's early life. Specifically, Scrooge has watched the ending of the relationship with Belle, his former fiancée, and seen a glimpse of her later life, as a happily married woman with children. Scrooge is overcome with emotion and unable to bear any more. He says:

"Spirit!'' said Scrooge in a broken voice, "remove me from this place!'' 

The above quote then follows. 

We should interpret this quote as the physical representation of the experiences which transformed Scrooge from a normal young boy into a greedy misanthrope. By seeing these faces in the ghost's, he is forced to confront and accept the fact that his past behaviours have created his own misery. For Scrooge, his only option now is to begin the process of change. We can interpret this quote as a turning point in the book, then, which Dickens highlights through this macabre and rather Gothic description.