enough for a man to understand his own business, and not to interfere with other
people's. Mine occupies me constantly.” This quotation shows clearly his constant
pursuit of wealth, total lack of care for others, and bitter selfishness.
Scrooge seems unhappy at his Nephew's joyous mood throughout the first stave.
He views his Nephew as a depiction of himself, and would much rather have him as a
wealthy business man, than a not-so-well-off, married, middle class gentleman. He
answers his Nephew's offer of Christmas dinner with “Why did you get married? ...
'Because you fell in love!' growled Scrooge”. Scrooge's misdemeanour against his
Nephew is partly because of jealousy; Fred has everything Scrooge could have once
had, a family, love, and happiness. Dickens emphasises Scrooge's resentment by
describing his words as the onomatopoeia – growling.
In the first stave, Scrooge uses negative, short sentences, giving brash answers
and terse instructions. He is unwelcoming and insecure; his Nephew's caring attitude
when querying Scrooge's dismissal of a dining proposal, is responded to with the
repeated use of “Good afternoon.” This is Scrooge's way of stating ”I have had
enough, get out now.” Scrooge keeps the door of his counting house open “that he
might keep his eye upon his clerk”; in this phrase, Dickens expresses his insecurity,
and hatred of things he cannot control. His generally pessimistic attitude is
expressed by his statement “... my clerk, with fifteen shillings a-week, and a wife and
family, talking about a merry Christmas. I'll retire to Bedlam.” . To Scrooge even the
thought of a poor person being merry is insane.
At the beginning of the book, people generally avoid Scrooge, with the exception
of his Nephew, and the charity workers. Dickens states that “Nobody ever stopped
him in the street to say... 'My dear Scrooge, how are you?' ... But what did Scrooge
care? It was the very thing he liked.” In Stave 3, during Scrooge's encounter with
the Ghost of Christmas Present, Bob Cratchit's wife describes Scrooge as “an
odious, stingy, hard, unfeeling man.” Scrooge's Nephew is fond of his uncle, even
finding him amusing, despite his faults; Fred feels sorry for him and this can be seen
in his speech, “He's a comical old fellow... and not so pleasant as he might be.
However, his offences carry their own punishment, and I have nothing to say against
him.” The ladies present at Fred's Christmas dinner are less charitable, “I have no
patience with him.” . Lastly, after Scrooge's apparent death in Stave 4, Mrs Dilber
exclaims “If he wanted to keep 'em after he was dead, a wicked old screw... why
wasn't he natural in life-time? If he had been, he'd have had somebody to look after
him when he was struck with Death, instead of lying gasping out his last there, alone
by himself.” . Scrooge is thought of as a worthless, wicked, lonely wreck.
Marley's initial appearance in Stave 1 begins the process of change for Scrooge.
The sudden appearance of Marley was a great surprise to Scrooge and must have
grabbed his attention - “It's humbug still... I won't believe it”; Scrooge refuses to
accept this because he believes he is in control, and releases his trademark phrase in
an attempt to retain it, and ignore what he sees before him. He then exclaims, in a
futile attempt to explain this apparition, “You may be an undigested bit of beef, a
blob of mustard, a crumb of cheese.”. Dickens explains that “Scrooge was not much
in the habit of cracking jokes... The truth is, that he tried to be smart, as a means of
distracting his own attention, and keeping down his terror.” . In this, he is acting
similarly to avoiding his colleague's emotional questions.
Marley's basic tactic to change Scrooge consists of him trying to instil fear, and
reason with him. He does this in a few ways:
Firstly, Marley explains to Scrooge how life after death is affected by a person's
behaviour while living, and explains that he wears “the chain I forged in life”; he then
attempts to scare Scrooge by querying “Is its pattern strange to you?”; in other
words, “you are wearing a similar chain, but you don't realise it”. Marley then
proverbially strikes a blow at Scrooge - “the weight and length of the strong coil you
bear... was full as heavy and as long as this, seven Christmas Eves ago”; Marley then
uses a strong, fearful adjective to increase the impact on Scrooge - “It is a
ponderous chain!”. Earlier in this paragraph, Dickens uses the verb “pursued” to
emphasise this “pounce” at Scrooge's fears.
Next, after this onslaught, Scrooge requests “Speak comfort to me, Jacob”, but he
is offered nothing. This is the first showing of Scrooge's uninhibited, real emotions,
and can be seen as a catalyst, opening his mind to change. He also starts “Pondering
on what the Ghost had said”, actually thinking about another person's words.
Marley offers him a way out, “I am here tonight to warn you to-night, that you have
yet a chance and hope of escaping my fate... You will be haunted... by Three Spirits” .
Scrooge objects to this, however Marley explains that “Without their visits... you
cannot hope to shun the path I tread” . This somewhat contradicts his earlier words
that there is no comfort to give Scrooge.
Marley's final words are “Look to see me no more; and look that, for your own sake,
you remember what has passed between us!” . The final exclamation emphasises the
urgency of Marley's plead for Scrooge to change.
The Ghost of Christmas Past is the first Spirit that Marley sends to try to
reconcile Scrooge. This Spirit attempts to change Scrooge by showing him nostalgic
times in his past. Also, events that have shattered or hurt Scrooge in the past are
brought up and dealt with, much as a psychiatrist would do today.
Before the first Spirit appears, Scrooge is totally pre-occupied with it – “He could
no more go to sleep than go to Heaven”, “He was endeavouring to pierce the darkness
with his ferret eyes”. Dickens uses the “very foggy and extremely cold” weather as a
metaphor for how Scrooge is feeling (a foggy mindset, and cold heart). Scrooge
ponders whether the Marley encounter was “a dream or not”, wishing for the latter;
this is shown just before the Spirit appears. “Ding, dong… ‘The hour itself,’ said
Scrooge, triumphantly, ‘and nothing else!’” - He obsessively wants to regain control of
his life.
To Scrooge’s dismay this was not to be, “The curtains of his bed were drawn
aside… by a hand.” The Spirit of Christmas Past is described as having a “soft gentle
voice”, which is reassuring; however Scrooge is frightened by the appearance of the
Spirit and “begged him to be covered”, for this the Spirit queried Scrooge - “would
you so soon put out, with worldly hands, the light I give?”. To Scrooge the light is
terrifying, as he believes it will show events, and other things he does not want to be
exposed to.
Scrooge, suddenly realises how vulnerable and helpless he is; he “clasped its robe
in supplication” ; supplication is a prayer for help, which he desperately needs, and in
effect, is asking the Spirit for. The Spirit treats Scrooge kindly; when Scrooge
enquires “what business brought him there”, the Spirit exclaims – “Your welfare!”. In
this context, the exclamation mark emphasises the Spirit’s great desire to aid him.
Also, in sharp contrast to the usual way Scrooge is looked at, the Spirit “gazed upon
him mildly”; in the Spirit's eyes Scrooge should not be judged but helped, and the
Spirit understands his pitiful situation.
First of all, the Spirit of Christmas Past takes Scrooge back to his childhood,
since this time must have had a large effect on how Scrooge has developed. Scrooge
begins to show real emotion, “'Your lip is trembling' said the Ghost... And what is
that upon your cheek'”, and breaks out of his usual behaviour “To hear Scrooge
expending all the earnestness of his nature on such subjects, in a most extraordinary
voice between laughing and crying and to see his heightened and excited face; would
have been a surprise to his business friends in the city”. In this way, the Spirit is
trying to make Scrooge regret what he has missed, and to begin to want to feel again:
“These sights and memories 'fell upon the heart of Scrooge with softening influence
and gave a freer passage to his tears'”. Scrooge's curtain of self-protection has
begun to fall.
After this ordeal Scrooge is whisked away to see his old employer, Fezziwig, with
whom he has obviously shared some happy memories. At this point, Scrooge shows
affection for the very first time in the novel: “Bless his heart!”. Fezziwig is not the
sort of person which Scrooge would be acquainted with at the start of the novel; his
voice is described as “comfortable, oily, rich, fat, jovial”, while he is generous and
jolly, “Yo ho, my boys! ... No more work to-night... Christmas, Ebenezer”. This is a
sharp contrast to how Scrooge treats his Clerk; Scrooge notices this and states that
“I should like to be able to say a word or two to my clerk just now!”. He suddenly
understands that an employer “has the power to render us happy or unhappy; to make
our service light or burdensome; a pleasure or a toil.”.
The next scene shown by the apparition is deeply painful to Scrooge. He sees
himself, as a young apprentice, who is fiancé to a “fair young girl in mourning-dress”.
He never married this girl for the “Idol” of “Gain” had taken over his life, his face
“had begun to wear the signs of care and avarice” , and the love of his life was lost.
His reaction to revisiting this event is strong; he exclaims, “Spirit… show me no more!
… Why do you delight to torture me?”.
The reader can now feel sympathy for Scrooge, since they have now got an
understanding of why Scrooge has become a “shrivelled” sinner; however, the reader
might also judge Scrooge as it was his own greed that turned him towards the love of
money, and he had had a choice. He seems to regret what the past holds, and “cannot
bear” re-visiting it; he is “tortured” by the state of how his life could have been.
Scrooge “wrestled” with the Spirit, to extinguish the light, a metaphor for his
unhappy memories, and the insight they bring.
Bringing back these memories accomplishes what Scrooge has been attempting to
avoid throughout the novel up to this point; he has to come to terms with his past
before he can change. I think this visitation has had a positive effect on Scrooge’s
character; he is beginning to think about other people, and have empathy and regret.
This event has unlocked his cold heart, and he has begun to feel, and care.
The second spirit Marley sends is the Spirit of Christmas Present. This spirit
attempts to amaze Scrooge. When the Spirit arrives, Scrooge acts very differently
to the way he behaves before the first visit, “Scrooge entered timidly, and hung his
head before this Spirit. He was not the dogged Scrooge he had been.” Scrooge is
not as stubborn as he was, “said Scrooge submissively... Scrooge did as he was told”.
He seems to be more thoughtful and open compared to the start of the novel, “Good
Afternoon!”.
The Spirit's nature was the description of his earlier anathema, “kind, generous,
hearty nature, and his sympathy with all poor men”. He shows the amazement and
wonder of Christmas to Scrooge, “People... jovial and full of glee... laughing heartily”,
and how “The Cratchits were happy even in their extreme poverty” (in contradiction
to Scrooge's earlier statement, “why should you be happy? You're poor”).
The Spirit of Christmas Present also attempts to appeal to Scrooge by showing him
the emotional openness, gratitude, and general affection in the Cratchit household.
“Mrs Cratchit entered: flushed, but smiling proudly... nobody said or thought it was
at all a small pudding for a large family.” Instead of wanting more, the Cratchits are
grateful and happy for what they have, however small it is, a contrast to Scrooge's
unquestionable passion for monetary gain. This reminds Scrooge of the happiness he
could have experienced if he had not left his fiancée, and had allowed himself to
stand tall against his obsession. Contemplating this could have been a factor in his
sudden change during the visit to the Cratchit household.
The greatest change in this visit is when the Spirit's focus turns to Tiny Tim. In
this novel, Tiny Tim is an important character – his pitiful figure restores Scrooge's
empathy and care for others, the poor especially, for whom Tiny Tim could be seen as
a metaphor. “Tiny Tim bore a little crutch, and had his limbs supported by an iron
frame!” . This scene with the Cratchits makes Scrooge feel pity and realise why his
attitude to the poor is wrong. Scrooge begins to show compassion for another person
(Tiny Tim), “'Spirit,' said Scrooge, with an interest he had never felt before, 'tell me
if Tiny Tim will live.'”. Scrooge actually feels and cares for him, an important and
large stage in the path of change. The Spirit capitalises on this event by showing
Scrooge how he usually responds, quoting: “if he is going to die 'He had better do it,
and decrease the surplus population'”. Scrooge reacts with “penitence and grief”,
this emphasises the change, since before the visitations he would have viewed his
attitude as law.
The last place the Spirit of Christmas Present takes him is to his Nephew's annual
Christmas party. Here Scrooge learns that although though his family treats him
with humour, his Nephew really cares for him - “A Merry Christmas and a happy New
Year to the old man, whatever he is!”. His Nephew has not given up on him, and makes
him contemplate with a remarkable show of loyalty: “I mean to give him the same
chance every year, whether he likes it or not, for I pity him”. Scrooge “begged like a
boy to be allowed to stay until the guests departed”, in contrast to his opposition to
all human input when working in his Counting House. In fact, he had “imperceptibly
become... gay and light of heart”. Although Scrooge opposes leaving, the Spirit,
without so much as a warning, takes him away. They travel to other households to
witness and participate in the Christmas spirit, while the Spirit “left his blessing, and
taught Scrooge his precepts”. He is teaching him how one should treat others.
The Spirit, in an attempt to expel Scrooge's callousness and greed, reveals “two
children; wretched, abject, frightful, hideous, miserable”. He states “They are
Man's... This boy is Ignorance. This girl is Want.” Scrooge has changed how he views
these urchins, and cries, “Have they no refuge or resource?”, in contrast to “Are
there no workhouses... The Treadmill and the Poor Law are in full vigour, then?”
Suddenly “The bell struck twelve... Scrooge looked about him for the Ghost, and
saw it not.”. He “beheld a solemn Phantom, draped and hooded, coming, like a mist
along the ground, towards him.” This appearance of the Spirit of the Future is a
metaphor for Scrooge's fate, which is rapidly approaching; the mist is engulfing,
blinding, imperceptible. Death, in stories and myths, is always personified with a
black hood and cloak – symbolising darkness – the lack of light/life. This Spirit is like
Death's alias, beckoning him. He points downwards, suggesting “Christmas Yet To
Come” will not be in this realm, but in Hell. The Spirit, and its actions, are described
in morbid detail. His gaze is cold, silent. “The unseen eyes were looking at him... it
made him shudder and feel very cold.” Scrooge's response to this is of total horror,
“his legs trembled beneath him”, but none the less he addresses the Ghost, and
realises its purpose “I fear you more than any other spectre I have seen. But I know
your purpose is to do me good... I hope to live to be another man.” Scrooge now wants
to change, and is willing to accept the efforts for him to do so; the use of the word
“hope” emphasises Scrooge's now discovered humility.
The Spirit shows Scrooge a devastating picture of the future, which he can
expect, based on his past life:
Firstly, he takes Scrooge to the heart of the city and he listens to the dreadful
murmurings of his former colleagues - “Old Scratch has got his own at last, hey?”.
They treat his death, although Scrooge has not realised it, with disrespect, contempt
and lack of care. He is surprised not to find himself amongst the other businessmen
or citizens. The Spirit then shows him a scene at pawn shop where a dead man's
stolen goods are being sold. A judgement is pronounced by a looter, “a wicked old
screw... lying gasping out his last there, alone by himself”. He is shown his body
“Unwatched, unwept, uncared for, was the body of this man“, however he is still
oblivious to the fact the body is his own. A sordid picture is then described by
Dickens, “A cat was tearing the door, and there a sound of gnawing rats... What they
wanted... Scrooge did not dare to think.”. Unfortunately for the dead man, “The only
emotion that the Ghost could show him, caused by the event, was one of pleasure.”
The Ghost leads Scrooge to the Cratchit household which was unusually - “Quiet.
Very quiet”. The one person whose welfare Scrooge has taken an interest in, Tiny
Tim, is dead, and Scrooge witnesses a very touching scene.
An unusually subdued Scrooge asks the Spirit “Tell me what man that was whom we
saw lying dead?”; at this he is led silently to a Church Yard, and then to a gravestone.
The Phantom points morbidly towards the stone. Before Scrooge dares to read the
inscription, he asks, “Are these the shadows of the things that Will be, or are they
shadows of things that May be, only?” The finger of the Phantom, interestingly,
points towards the inscription and Scrooge himself, linking – him, his grave, and hell
(when he points to the ground). The inscription reads “EBENEZER SCROOGE”. This
result is shattering to Scrooge and Scrooge begs the Ghost to give him a chance to
change the future, promising to amend his ways. “I will honour Christmas in my
heart, and try to keep it all the year... I will not shut out the lessons that they
teach.”.
When Scrooge realises he is still alive he is ecstatic, “Best and happiest of all, the
time before him was his own, to make amends in!”.
The buoyant language used by Scrooge is a huge contrast to his general tone at the
start of the novel. “Hallo here! Whoop! Hallo!”, has replaced “Bah! Humbug!”. He has
lost all his inhibitions with his pride and declares “I am as merry as a schoolboy... I'm
quite a baby”.
The weather itself has changed to reflect Scrooge's transition; “No fog, no mist;
clear, bright, jovial” has replaced the earlier“very foggy and extremely cold” - a good
example of pathetic fallacy.
Christmas had been anathema, an irritant, and annoyance to Scrooge, however now
he greets it with the joy of a child “It's Christmas Day! ... I haven't missed it.” . He
despised giving, and especially had no regard for the poor - “Hard and sharp as flint”,
but now he generously treats a passing boy to more than an average week's wage as a
tip for a large gift directed at the Cratchits: the Prize Turkey! He takes pleasure
and amusement from this, and “chuckled till he cried.” . He shouts “Merry Christmas”
to everyone he meets: how unlike the Scrooge of the beginning of the novel, who
uttered “every idiot who goes about with 'Merry Christmas' on his lips, should be ...
buried with a stake of holly through his heart”.
Instead of generally avoiding anything living, Scrooge almost leaps out into the
street to make amends to everyone he meets. He asks the Portly Gentleman “Will
you come and see me” - he is actually requesting company, a thing he used to detest
“Self-contained and solitary as an oyster”.
This theme is continued as he visits his Nephew Fred. Scrooge is now affectionate
to everyone he meets, calling Fred's servant girl “my love”; before he was cold and
self-centred. He stays, and exclaims “Wonderful party, wonderful games, wonderful
unanimity, won-der-ful happiness!”. The alliteration and repetition of “wonderful”
conveys Scrooge's sweet excitement, while the partitioned “won-der-ful” just reemphasises
his feeling.
Scrooge is now mischievous and playful, whereas formerly he was suspicious and
cruel, when he tries to catch Bob Cratchit arriving late at work. “Now I'll tell you my
friend... I am not going to stand this sort of thing any longer... therefore I am about
to raise your salary!”. “In fact Scrooge adopted Bob Cratchit's family; and to Tiny
Tim, who did NOT die, he was a second father”.
