Ebenezer Scrooge: the Three Ghosts

Scrooge learned a great deal about himself during the visitations

of the three ghosts in A Christmas Carol. He learned things that not only

changed his life, but also the lives of others such as Tiny Tim and his

family. At first these changes came gradually, probably because they where

not really "fueled" by fear of what might be, but instead by remorse for

things he had already done. Not until the second and third spirits visit

Scrooge can a true change due to fear, not only in fear for what might be

during his life but also in the end.

His realization of what might be is seen first with the second of

the spirits. This spirit shows him people from all walks of life, miners,

sailors, and even lighthouse attendants, but of all the places he went, his

nephew's and the Cratchit's homes were probably the most disturbing. Fred,

Scrooge's own flesh and blood, began mocking his own uncle in a game he and

his guests played. In a way this is when Scrooge began to realize that the

truth hurts, and the truth was his life was a terrible mess of loneliness

and misery. He knew if he didn't do something soon his testimony to life

would be much like the things his nephew said about him in the game played

at the party.

Then there was the Cratchit's who seemed to be more grateful

towards Scrooge, a man who gave them barely enough money to buy food and

shelter, then they really should have been. At first when Scrooge sees Bob

stand to toast him he's almost filled with pride or at least an enlarged

ego, but when Mrs. Cratchit says in a fit of rage "I'll drink his health

for your sake, and the Day's, not for his. Long life to him! A merry

Christmas and a happy New Year! He'll be very merry and very happy I have

no doubt!" (Dikens, 80) Scrooge is only reminded of what he is and what he

may end up as.

The third and final ghost brings Scrooges own fear of his existence

into a new light by actually scaring Scrooge into realizing what his life

is and what will happen if something doesn't change. The first scene is one

especially disturbing for Scrooge it takes place in the "market", a place

he spent a great deal of his life in. He sees some friends, or at least

some acquaintances he thought he could call friends, talking about his

death. They chatted casually about his death and of how cheap they thought