Scrooge’s Transformation: a Christmas Carol Character Analysis

Bah Humbug! Yes you got it I am talking about the one and only Ebenezer Scrooge. Which means that this book report must be about the revolutionary story The Christmas Carol. Well you are right my fine fellow very right you are. We have all heard of Ebenezer Scrooge before. Grumpy old man who has lost all of his christmas spirit. And cares about nothing and none else then his money. Ah yes I know I know does not sound very merry or jolly right? Well that's just it! How does this story lead up to the Christmas cheer we all expect and desire for that my fine fellow you will just have to keep your ears and eyes open and continue reading!

Oh goodie you have continued on this wondrous adventure with me! What better way to start off than with the very first chapter. The book starts off with a melancholy begging that is not expected from a story that has Christmas in the title. I am talking about death. The title of Stave 1 is “Marley’s Dead”. The first sentence was “Marley is dead: to begin with” “ There no doubt whatever about that” To describe Marley and his death Scrooge used the very popular term “Old Marley was as dead as a doornail”. Little did poor old Scrooge know that he was gone in the site of the living people. But that really he was roaming around the earth serving all his so called sins that he did while still in life but not being able to go back and fix them. And very little did he know that on that very night he would be paid a visit by Marley’s spirit in itself. Marley’s intention was on the one night he had to be seen by those living once again was to warn Scrooge. About how life after death has been for him on the path that Scrooge himself is on. And last but definitely not least telling Scrooge he still has time to change and escape the future that he was not able to. He also comes to warn him about the 3 Spirits that would come to pay him a visit. Which were the ghost of Christmas past,present, and future. During Stave 1 the ghost of Christmas past played Scrooge a visit. He took Scrooge back to christmas as a child. And one of the most important events took him back to when his sister came to get him from school. In which he realized how bad of an uncle he had been to his nephew Fred.

In stave two, Scrooge has already started to want to change his actions. He just has not done so yet. In stave 2 Scrooge is once again visited this time by the ghost of christmas present. The ghost would come to revile many thing of the christmas just a few days away. He was reviled to himself as always melancholy, anti social, and lonely. He also got to experience and see a part of the Cratchit Family he yet to know about. For example he had children. And not just one many. Then he got to meet the youngest of the Cratchits. Tiny Tim, Tiny Tim was the youngest in the family. And had a very serious illness. And was soon expected to die. He also got to see how his nephew’s Fred party would be without him. Once again he was starting to repeal from his prior actions. He got to once again see his family and how they would comment over “poor old Scrooge”. He also saw the charity worker he had formally rejected and what he was doing to help the people. He also got a chance to see the poor people he had earlier on wished death upon (“ then they should die and decrease the surplus population”) and how they were trying to be happy with the little that they had. “ But frankly hey rather die than live there” “ We haven't got much but with this it should do.” This shows how all people were just trying to make the best of what they had. And rappelling Scrooge’s actions therefore making him disappointed in himself and they had no idea about it what they were doing and how they were helping Scrooge in his change.

In stave three the ghost of Christmas present continue his mission. Which is to show Scrooge what Christmas will be like in a couple of days. And to make him feel guilty. He has laid eyes upon all the poor folk and ask the ghost if they will please be spared. And the ghost hit him back with a taste of his own medicine using what Scrooge himself had said in stave one. Which was “ then they should die and decrease the surplus population”. Those words hit Scrooge very strongly and changed his perspective of being and really made him feel bad about his prior statement. He now had wanted to apologize to all those poor folk who had been very insulted by his prior sayings he no longer knew what to do but hoped that when he once again opened his eyes and wake that he would be able to make up for all his wrong doings.

In stave 4 we have started to come to and end. Or starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Scrooge awakens once more. And for the last time wakes up to another ghost awaiting him. In this case it was the ghost of Christmas yet to come. The ghost was not really a man of words as the other 2 had certainly been. He just did what was asked of him. Cut to the point and did not mingle whatsoever. He started off by showing Scrooge a dead body that resembles with extreme detail his bedroom and bed. Although he had not wanted to believe the possibilities of that dead body being him. Then the ghost tried to give poor Scrooge another hint with a couple of men standing outside a big what sounded to be office like building saying “ well this funeral ought to be small for which I can't see anyone who would like to attend it”. He still did not want to catch on to the situation. The hint that really gave it away was his old maid stealing all his bed sheets, pillows, curtains etc. He really did not want to face the final straw that would make sure of it being him the body that now lay in the ground motionless. But cold hearted as always. He was brought his most unwanted place his tombstone! Which had said “ Ebenezer Scrooge, Birth date February 7th, Death date December 25”! “ NO NO this is not possible” he pleaded. He laid on his knees asking the ghost for mercy the ghost said nothing.

In stave 5 we draw the final slab of the story. Instantly he woke up in happiness and woke up determined to be a better Scrooge. He started doing so by buying the Cratchits a turkey. He donated a lot to Charity. Helped out the poor. And most importantly. Helped save Tiny Tim . To who in Mr.Dickens words “ Became like a second father.”

To wrap everything up, I will give my general opinion over the book, ratings and recommendations. My personal opinion is that is turned out to be very nice book with a fantastic moral. And inspiring ways of writing. My Rating for this book grade wise is 7th grade and up. So the students will really be able to understand the message the story is trying to bring to its fellow readers. For age 12+ because once again the students will understand the moral much clearer. Would I recommend this book of course! I would do so because I think in can teach children maral, begins, love, and most of all hope.

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