In Scrooge, Dickens creates an ugly character. A miser, hard-hearted man. A character that’s stands for money and greed. He creates the character, firstly through description and imagery. ‘Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out a fire.’ This quotation shows that Scrooge is hard in business and very focused but does not give anything away. No one can make him spark. His appearance is affected by his cold nature. ‘No warmth could warm him, nor wintry weather chill him.’ The quotation means that nothing affects him, no matter how good or bad things are. He unchangeable.
Dickens introduces 3 characters to show scrooges shortcomings as an employer, relation and citizen. He is shown as a bad employer ‘for scrooge kept the coal-box in his own room.’ Scrooge didn’t give anything-away not even coal to keep his workers warm. The working conditions were terrible ‘the clerks fire was so very much smaller that it looked like one coal.’ Scrooge wouldn’t give his workers Christmas day off, he says ‘its not convenient, and its not fair. If I was to stop half a crown, you’d think yourself ill-used, ill be bound.’ This shows that scrooge is a bad employer and cold at heart, but as there would be no other people to do business with and the fact that he didn’t want to waste money on useless coal. Scrooge infrequently showed some kindness and he gave them the day off but told they had better ‘be there all the earlier next morning.’
Scrooge lacks family values and the Christmas spirit, to emphasize his meanness he is placed in contrast with his nephew. Scrooge is extremely different to his nephew, Fred is jolly and is enlightened with the joys of Christmas, ‘a good time: a kind time, a forgiving, charitable and pleasant time.’ This is the only time of the year were his nephew may
