The Chimes

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Dickens's second Christmas story is called "The Chimes." The main character in this story is an old messenger Toby Veck who has lost hope in people. 

He is drawn to a church's bell tower, where he meets the ghosts of the bells and the goblins who help them. He learns through a series of visions why he shouldn't give up hope that people can change for the better.

Though called a Christmas Story, it actually happens on New Year's Eve and a big theme of the story is closing off the business of the New Year and looking forward with hope to the new one.

Again, Dickens's sympathies lie with the impoverished working classes whom he paints (on the whole) as kind to each other and human as opposed to the wealthy who are seen as shallow, hypocritical and cruel.

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