Download A Christmas Carol: Scrooge Character Analysis Grade 7 and more Exams Business in PDF only on Docsity! A Christmas Carol: Scrooge Character Analysis Scrooge’s perception of or actions toward other characters Scrooge’s interactions with other characters The way other characters perceive Scrooge Scrooge’s perspective on a person’s “business” i.e., what one should value, how one should live Stave I Scrooge’s actions toward his clerk show that he does not trust him, and does not allow him enough coal to stay warm and comfortable while he works: “The door of Scrooge’s countinghouse was open that he might keep his eye upon his clerk, who in a dismal little cell beyond, a sort of tank, was copying letters. Scrooge had a very small fire, but the clerk’s fire was so very much smaller that it looked like one coal. But he couldn’t replenish it, for Scrooge kept the coalbox in his own room; and so surely as the clerk came in with the shovel, the master predicted that it would be necessary for them to part.” Scrooge’s interaction with his nephew demonstrates that he does not understand the Christmas spirit of others, and believes that Christmas is a sham of a holiday and just another excuse for people to spend and for him to not make money. He says: “What else can I be,” returned the uncle, “when I live in such a world of fools as this? Merry Christmas! Out upon merry Christmas! What’s Christmas time to you but a time for paying bills without money; a time for finding yourself a year older, but not an hour richer…” Scrooge’s interaction with his nephew demonstrates that he prefers to be alone and unbothered: “Let me leave it alone, then,” said Scrooge. “Much good may it do you! Much good it has ever done you!” Scrooge’s nephew does not understand why he is so dismal and disgruntled with life, the holidays, and other people. He says: “Come, then,” returned the nephew gaily. “What right have you to be dismal? What reason have you to be morose? You’re rich enough.” Despite Scrooge’s attitude, his nephew wishes to be his friend. However, Scrooge rejects him: “I want nothing from you; I ask nothing of you; why cannot we be friends?” “Good afternoon,” said Scrooge. “I am sorry, with all my heart, to find you so resolute.” Scrooge tells the men who come for charity that his business is his work, and it is not his business to interfere in the lives of others: “It’s not my business,” Scrooge returned. “It’s enough for a man to understand his own business, and not to interfere with other people’s. Mine occupies me constantly. Good afternoon, gentlemen!” Grade 7: A Christmas Carol When two men approach Scrooge about donating to charity, he asks them whether there are prisons and workhouses for the poor. He then tells the men that he pays taxes to support the poor, and he does not need to give anything else. He also tells the men that the men who wish to die should do it and “decrease the population.” Stave II Scrooge returns to his past with the Ghost of Christmas Past and sees himself as a young boy, alone at his school. “At one of these a lonely boy was reading near a feeble fire; and Scrooge sat down upon a form, and wept to see his poor forgotten self as he used to be.” In the next experience, Scrooge visits a party thrown by his old boss, Fezziwig. Scrooge is overjoyed to see his old boss, and explains to the Ghost why Fezziwig's actions are so important because they made When Scrooge sees himself as a boy, he shares the following with the Ghost: “I wish,” Scrooge muttered, putting his hand in his pocket, and looking about him, after drying his eyes with his cuff: “but it’s too late now.” “What is the matter?” asked the Spirit. “Nothing,” said Scrooge. “Nothing. There was a boy singing a Christmas Carol at my door last night. I should like to have given him something: that’s all.” When the Ghost tells Scrooge that Fezziwig’s actions were In the scene where Scrooge sees himself at Fezziwig’s party, Fezziwig appears to appreciate and enjoy Scrooge’s company. He says, ““Yo ho, my boys!” said Fezziwig. “No more work tonight. Christmas Eve, Dick. Christmas, Ebenezer. Let’s have the shutters up,” cried old Fezziwig, with a sharp clap of his hands, “before a man can say Jack Robinson.” Scrooge and the others help prepare for the party. In the final scene, Belle’s husband shares the following about Scrooge’s conversation with the Ghost and his regret about not giving something to the boy singing carols suggests that Scrooge feels bad upon seeing himself as a lonely boy and that his perspective has changed from the previous day to some degree. Scrooge’s reflections to the Ghost about why Fezziwig’s actions mattered (because they made others happy) show that Scrooge is starting to see that how you make others feel is important. Grade 7: A Christmas Carol unconscious company in return, and thanked them in an inaudible speech, if the Ghost had given him time. But the whole scene passed off in the breath of the last word spoken by his nephew; and he and the Spirit were again upon their travels. When Scrooge sees the children of the Spirit, who belong to man, he is appalled at the dreadful state they are in: “Scrooge started back, appalled. Having them shown to him in this way, he tried to say they were fine children, but the words choked themselves, rather than be parties to a lie of such enormous magnitude. “Spirit, are they yours?” Scrooge could say no more.” Scrooge asks the Spirit about the children: “Have they no refuge or resource?” cried Scrooge. “Are there no prisons?” said the Spirit, turning on him for the last time with his own words. “Are there no workhouses?” “His wealth is of no use to him. He don’t do any good with it. He don’t make himself comfortable with it. He hasn’t the satisfaction of thinking – ha, ha, ha! – that he is ever going to benefit us with it.” “I am sorry for him; I couldn’t be angry with him if I tried. Who suffers by his ill whims? Himself, always. “I was only going to say,” said Scrooge’s nephew,” that the consequence of his taking a dislike to us, and not making merry with us, is, as I think, that he loses some pleasant moments, which could do him no harm. I am sure he loses pleasanter companions than he can find in his own thoughts, either in his mouldy old office, or his dusty chambers. I mean to give him the same chance every year, whether he likes it or not, for I pity him.” Fred’s guest play a party game like 20questions where Scrooge is the person being described: “It’s your Uncle Scrooge!” direct result of his ignorance and refusal to care for others. Grade 7: A Christmas Carol Which it certainly was. Admiration was the universal sentiment, though some objected that the reply to “Is it a bear?” ought to have been “Yes,” inasmuch as an answer in the negative was sufficient to have diverted their thoughts from Mr Scrooge, supposing they had ever had any tendency that way. Stave IV Scrooge overhears businessmen who are talking about the dead man, but does not know why the Spirit shows him this/ who they are talking about: “Well, I am the most disinterested among you, after all,” said the first speaker,” for I never wear black gloves, and I never eat lunch. But I’ll offer to go, if anybody else will. When I come to think of it, I’m not at all sure that I wasn’t his most particular friend; for we used to stop and speak whenever we met. Bye, bye.” Speakers and listeners strolled away, and mixed with other groups. Scrooge knew the men, Scrooge is fearful of the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come: “He felt that it was tall and stately when it came beside him, and that its mysterious presence filled him with a solemn dread. He knew no more, for the Spirit neither spoke nor moved.” Scrooge’s interactions show that he does not understand what the Ghost is showing him/ that he is the dead man: “Spirit,” said Scrooge, shuddering from head to foot. “I see, I see. The case of this unhappy man might be my own. My life tends that way, now. Merciful Heaven, what is this?” Note: Because the man is not revealed to be Scrooge until the end of the Stave, students will not record notes here. They will record notes on a different handout when comparing the man’s death with Tiny Tim’s. When Scrooge realizes he is the dead man, he is saddened and promises to change: “No, Spirit! Oh no, no!” The finger still was there. “Spirit!” he cried, tight clutching at its robe, “hear me. I am not the man I was. I will not be the man I must have been but for this intercourse. Why show me this, if I am past all hope?” “I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach. Oh, tell Grade 7: A Christmas Carol and looked towards the Spirit for an explanation. The Phantom glided on into a street. Its finger pointed to two persons meeting. Scrooge listened again, thinking that the explanation might lie here. Scrooge is horrified when he realizes the people are stealing and selling the dead man’s possessions: “Putting it on him to be buried in, to be sure,” replied the woman with a laugh. “Somebody was fool enough to do it, but I took it off again. If calico an’t good enough for such a purpose, it isn’t good enough for anything. It’s quite as becoming to the body. He can’t look uglier than he did in that one.” Scrooge listened to this dialogue in horror. As they sat grouped about their spoil, in the scanty light afforded by the old man’s lamp, he viewed them with a detestation and disgust, which could hardly have been greater, though they demons, marketing the corpse itself. Scrooge’s request to see a tender death shows a change in perspective: “Let me see some tenderness connected with a death,” said Scrooge; “or that dark chamber, Spirit, which we left just now, will be for ever present to me.” me I may sponge away the writing on this stone!” In his agony, he caught the spectral hand. It sought to free itself, but he was strong in his entreaty, and detained it. The Spirit, stronger yet, repulsed him. Holding up his hands in a last prayer to have his fate aye reversed, he saw an alteration in the Phantom’s hood and dress. It shrunk, collapsed, and dwindled down into a bedpost.” Grade 7: A Christmas Carol Spirit of Tiny Tim, thy childish essence was from God. Stave V Scrooge wants the turkey to send to the Cratchits as a surprise gift: "I'll send it to Bob Cratchit's!" whispered Scrooge, rubbing his hands, and splitting with a laugh. "He sha'n't know who sends it. It's twice the size of Tiny Tim. Joe Miller never made such a joke as sending it to Bob's will be!" Scrooge asks the boy to buy a turkey, offers to pay him, wishes him Merry Christmas: "What's today, my fine fellow?" said Scrooge. Today!" replied the boy. "Why, CHRISTMAS DAY." "It's Christmas Day!" said Scrooge to himself. "I haven't missed it. The Spirits have done it all in one night. They can do anything they like. Of course they can. Of course they can. Hallo, my fine fellow!" "Hallo!" returned the boy. "Do you know the Poulterer's, in the next street but one, at the corner?" Scrooge inquired. "I should hope I did," replied the lad. "An intelligent boy!" said Scrooge. "A remarkable boy! Do you know whether they've sold the prize The men who collected for charity are shocked by Scrooge’s donation and change of heart: "Lord bless me!" cried the gentleman, as if his breath were taken away. "My dear Mr. Scrooge, are you serious?" Fred is overjoyed when Scrooge comes to his house on Christmas, and shows him love and appreciation: “Why bless my soul!" cried Fred, "who's that?" "It's I. Your uncle Scrooge. I have come to dinner. Will you let me in, Fred?" Let him in! It is a mercy he didn't shake his arm off. He was at home in five minutes. Nothing could be heartier. His niece Scrooge is a changed man. His actions show that he believes his business is showing kindness and compassion to others, giving instead of receiving, and building meaningful relationships with those close to him. “Scrooge was better than his word. He did it all, and infinitely more; and to Tiny Tim, who did NOT die, he was a second father. He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough, in the good old world. Some people laughed to see the alteration in him, but he let them laugh, and little heeded them; for he was wise enough to know that nothing ever happened Grade 7: A Christmas Carol Turkey that was hanging up there?Not the little prize Turkey: the big one?" "What, the one as big as me?" returned the boy. "What a delightful boy!" said Scrooge. "It's a pleasure to talk to him. Yes, my buck!" "It's hanging there now," replied the boy. "Is it?" said Scrooge. "Go and buy it." "WalkER!" exclaimed the boy. "No, no," said Scrooge, "I am in earnest. Go and buy it, and tell 'em to bring it here, that I may give them the direction where to take it. Come back with the man, and I'll give you a shilling. Come back with him in less than five minutes and I'll give you halfacrown!" Scrooge apologizes and gives money to the men who were collecting for charity: "My dear sir," said Scrooge, quickening his pace, and taking the old gentleman by both his hands. "How do you do? I hope you succeeded yesterday. It was looked just the same. So did Topper when he came. So did the plump sister when she came. So did every one when they came. Wonderful party, wonderful games, wonderful unanimity, wonderful happiness!” Bob thinks that Scrooge is crazy or something has happened because his words and actions are so uncharacteristic for him: “Bob trembled, and got a little nearer to the ruler. He had a momentary idea of knocking Scrooge down with it, holding him, and calling to the people in the court for help and a straitwaistcoat.” on this globe, for good, at which some people did not have their fill of laughter in the outset; and knowing that such as these would be blind anyway, he thought it quite as well that they should wrinkle up their eyes in grins, as have the malady in less attractive forms. His own heart laughed: and that was quite enough for him.” Grade 7: A Christmas Carol very kind of you. A merry Christmas to you, sir!" "Mr. Scrooge?" "Yes," said Scrooge. "That is my name, and I fear it may not be pleasant to you. Allow me to ask your pardon. And will you have the goodness"here Scrooge whispered in his ear. "Lord bless me!" cried the gentleman, as if his breath were taken away. "My dear Mr. Scrooge, are you serious?" "If you please," said Scrooge. "Not a farthing less. A great many backpayments are included in it, I assure you. Will you do me that favour?" "My dear sir," said the other, shaking hands with him. "I don't know what to say to such munifi" "Don't say anything, please," retorted Scrooge. "Come and see me. Will you come and see me?" Scrooge plays a trick on Cratchit by pretending to be mad, then raises his salary: "Hallo!" growled Scrooge, in his accustomed voice, as near as he Grade 7: A Christmas Carol