Character Analysis Of Ebenezer Scrooge In A Christmas Carol By Charles Dickens

Socrates, an ancient Greek philosopher, once said, “The secret to change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but building the new.” No one can change what has happened, we can only change what will happen. In the play, A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, Ebenezer Scrooge, a penny-pincher, failed to notice that he cannot change what has happened but can only better himself as a person. As luck would have it, Scrooge realized that despite his vile acts he could change himself into a giving man.

Originally, Scrooge was a grumpy man. In the beginning of A Christmas Carol Scrooge speaks very disrespectfully to his nephew, Fred. Vilely, Scrooge tells Fred, “I’ll dine alone, thank you.” Scrooge admits he would rather

A new spirit helps Scrooge along this way, Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. Yet to Come shows Scrooge a group of people barging into his home and stealing things from him, showing that people only benefit from Scrooge’s death. Scrooge’s reaction to this was beyond words, “This unhappy man- this stripped-bare corpse … could very well be my own. My life holds parallel! My life ends that way now!” Scrooge can tell that he needs to change the future, for his sake. Yet to Come then shows him the death of Tiny Tim, showing him he needs to change the future for others’ sakes too. Scrooge begs, “Before I draw nearer to that stone to which you point, answer me one question. Are these the shadows of things that will be, or the shadows of things that MAY be, only?” Scrooge finds himself asking this because he is not satisfied with how things may end for him. To end, Scrooge finally says something that makes Yet to Come take Scrooge to the present and redeem himself, “I will honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all year. I will live in the Past, Present, and the Future. The spirits of all three shall strive within me.” Alas, Scrooge has, soon enough, found the key to a happy rest of his