Change In Scrooge: Changes In The Christmas Carol

Everyone goes through changes. Some of these changes are welcomed and some are detested, but changes must take place for one to the best version of themselves possible. Ebenezer Scrooge is a tight fisted hand on the grindstone, a self contained, covetous old sinner. The bitter, refractory, and pitiless Ebenezer finds love ridiculous, but not nearly so as Christmas. Having no apparent positive feelings, opinions, or behaviors of any sort, Scrooge is as unpleasant as they come.

The first time a change in Scrooge can be detected is on pg. 9-10 Scrooge sees Marley’s face in the knocker of his home and says that “To say that he was not startled, or that his blood was not conscious of a terrible sensation to which it had been a stranger from infancy,

Here he positively reacts to another memory he has been shown. Being so rejoiced at the memory, Scrooge expends all the earnestness of his nature in an extraordinary voice between laughing and crying. We later learn from Scrooge, who is surprised by his own actions, that these reactions, “would have been a surprise to his business friends in the city.” In this excerpt, we are told outright directly from Scrooge that this behavior was not normal, thus proving that he was showing signs of

During this time, Scrooge is shown a memory in which the man he was an apprentice for when he was a boy hosts a Christmas party. During this vision Charles Dickens writes that Scrooge “enjoyed everything.” After the celebratory party in the vision comes to an end, the ghost is surprised to see how happy young Scrooge and his fellow apprentice were at said party. He said that it was a “small matter” to make so many fools full of gratitude; their boss must not have spent but a few pounds, yet received so much praise from the boys. This remark dumbfounds Scrooge who later explains to the ghost that, “the happiness he gives, is quite as great as if it cost a fortune.” This realization shows us that Scrooge has changed once again, thus becoming more aware of feelings and the value of happiness. We see proof that this change has taken place when Scrooge admits to the ghost that he wishes he could have a word with his clerk. Another proof supporting said revelation can be found on pg.27, “his former self turned down the lamps as he gave utterance to the wish.” Remembering how much value he placed on his bosses opinion of him, he likely regrets the way he has treated his clerk.

Once again we see Scrooge change during his visit from the Ghost of Christmas Present. We see this change on pg. 40; Scrooge feels sympathy for a child he has doubts