“He became as good as a friend, as good as a master, and as good as a man, as the good old city knew…”
Discuss Scrooge’s transformation in A Christmas Carol
In Charles Dickens Novella a Christmas Carol, the protagonist Ebenezer Scrooge transforms himself from a self-centred cold old man to a person who realises the true meaning of life and Christmas. Scrooge came to a point in life where he was confronted by his dead friend/business partner Jacob Marley to change his ways in order to escape the fate of ending up like him. In the process of changing his ways he had learnt to value important things in life such as happiness, love, and family more than the way he valued himself and his wealth. However Scrooges agreement to change could also be based on the fact that he didn’t want to lose his wealth and pass on which is quiet selfish.
Dickens chooses to transform Scrooge in order to highlight the importance of kindness and its effects. Initially dickens introduces scrooge into the Novella as a selfish, cold, miser who cared about nothing more than himself and money. As he is confronted by the ghost of Christmas past, present and future he begins to transform himself. The ghost of Christmas past had showed him the kind of employer Fezziwig was towards Scrooge and this contrasts to how Scrooge mistreated Bob Cratchit. Fezziwig was a happy lively old man who made everyone around him happy “the happiness he gives is as great as if it costs a fortune”. Upon seeing and remembering the way in which Fezziwig treated him and Dick scrooge now begins to think about the ways he mistreats Bob and feels that “he would like to be able to say a word or two to his clerk”. The ghost of Christmas present showed him how his selfishness and attitude affected the people around him. We can see that he starts caring when he saw that Tiny Tim’s chair would be empty next year where he had to beg the ghost to spare Tiny Tim’s life. “oh no kind spirit say he will be spared”. The ghost of Christmas yet to come shows Scrooge his gravestone and shows Scrooge how no one would even miss him when he was gone whilst some people even celebrated his death because he had done nothing good in his life to make people remember him when he is dead.
Furthermore Jacob Marley seems to symbolise Scrooges life as they have lived their lives in similar ways. They were both misers and were interested in making money and being selfish. In the novella Dickens uses Marley as an example of what Scrooge would end up like if he continued to live in the same way. Marley had appeared in the first stave to warn scrooge “I am here tonight to warn you that you have yet a chance and hope of escaping my fate”. Scrooge would have to change his ways or will end up like Marley who wears the chain he forged in life. Upon hearing what Marley had said Scrooge had no choice but to consider changing his ways.
On the other hand I could say that Scrooges transformation from evil and cold to being generous and kind could be a tad bit selfish. He only cared about his wealth and nothing more than that initially hence he could’ve have transformed to save himself from losing all his wealth and passing on into the afterlife. “Scrooge regarded everyone with a delighted smile”, something he had never done before. This could be seen as selfish because the only reason as to why he changed is because of his fear and his fear makes him act. Due to his fears he acts to avoid unwanted consequences.
Scrooge’s journey to change had allowed him to recognise the duty he had to fulfil towards others and the how helping those around him gives him pleasure and joy. Possibly the reason for him to change was selfish but the consequences and result of his change were certainly not selfish.