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Personification
Explanation and Analysis—Laughter:
In Stave 2, when the first of the three spirits comes to visit, he shows Scrooge scenes from childhood. Among the happiest is a scene of boys playing in the fields:
All these boys were in great spirits, and shouted to each other, until the broad fields were so full of merry music, that the crisp air laughed to hear it.
This moment stands in stark contrast to the dismal day at the counting-room described in the initial pages. It contains a fanciful bit of personification that mirrors the delights of childhood. The laughing air suggests compatibility between nature and happy children and reminds old Scrooge of youthful joy.
The last line of A Christmas Carol in Stave 5 personifies Scrooge's heart in a very similar way:
His own heart laughed: and that was quite enough for him.
Personification creates a parallel moment that shows how Scrooge was able to internalize the ghosts' lessons. At first, Scrooge could only listen to laughter in the past. Now he laughs in the present. It seems strange to personify an internal organ, but here it is an important reminder that Scrooge is aware of his own heart and is satisfied by creating emotional value (unlike at the beginning of the story, when he cared only for money).
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