A Christmas Carol
Who or what is responsible for Scrooge ‘s alteration of character in ‘A Christmas Carol ‘ , and what techniques does Dickens usage to demo this alteration?
Charles Dickens wrote ‘A Christmas Carol ‘ in 1843. He came from a hapless background. When he was 12 old ages of age, his male parent was taken to Marshalsea debitor ‘s prison, which was a prison for people in major debt. As a consequence of this Dickens had to work at a really immature age. He was the 2nd of eight kids and so he was sent to acquire a occupation. He got a occupation at a shoe polish mill. He had to work in a topographic point with boot gloss, this meant he did non acquire paid much and had to work long hours.
Life for the hapless was really awful in the nineteenth Century in London. The good off people made it worse, as they did non care. They thought that it was their ain mistake they were in that province ; the hapless brought it on themselves.
Dickens was born on the 7th of February 1812, in Portsmouth. His hapless background made him recognize he had to assist. He believed he had to raise consciousness of how hapless people were treated. So, he did this by composing a book about what his unprivileged childhood life was like, ‘A Christmas Carol ‘ .
I think Scrooges experience ‘s with the shades are responsible for his alteration of character. Before he met the Spirits, he was an thankless, tight fisted adult male who was selfish and had biass against the hapless. He had a bad pique and thought he was above everyone else which made him unfriendly. This made people uncomfortable and scared of him. He was clearly incognizant of this as the Ghosts showed him what he is truly similar, and what everyone truly thinks of him. He is shown the yesteryear, present and future before he realizes it will be better for him and other people for him to alter. I know this as Dickens writes from Scrooges merely friend who dies, Jacob Marley ‘I am here to-night to warn you, that you have yet a opportunity and hope of get awaying my destiny ‘ . This means he is seeking to state Scrooge to alter himself before it is excessively late.
‘Escaping my destiny ‘ tells the reader that Scrooge could stop up as a shade ( dead ) , cursed to roll the Earth but being unable to assist those in demand if he does non go more loving.
Before Scrooge is visited by anyone, he is an nescient, selfish and tight-fisted adult male. He is prejudiced against the hapless and hates Christmas. He believes no 1 has the right to be happy if they are hapless, ‘what right have you to be merry? You ‘re hapless plenty ‘ nevertheless, he is non happy either.
When Marley ‘s shade appears, Dickens ‘ varies the length of the sentences. This is to demo the physique up of the fright and tenseness from Scrooge towards Marley. Scrooge ‘s short answers besides show vacillation. I can state this because he says ‘Do it so ‘ , ‘I do n’t ‘ and ‘I do. I must ‘ . As Scrooge gets used to the presence of the shade, he asks more inquiries and becomes more cognizant of whom Marley was as a individual, and of what his intent is as a shade. Dickens writes why Marley is covered in ironss, ‘I wear the concatenation I forged in life ‘ . This conveys that he knows he deserves to have on it. Marley besides says ‘I made it ‘ and ‘of my ain free will I have on it ‘ , which in add-on shows he knows what he made it.
Marley is one ground why Scrooge has a alteration of character. He makes Scrooge believe about what he has done when Jacob Marley says ‘In life I was your spouse ‘ . It is directed to Scrooge to do him believe about how they are connected as ‘partners ‘ .
Another ground Scrooge has a major alteration of character is because of the three shades that follow after Marley and come to see him ; the Ghost of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to come.
The Christmas Past spirit shows him what he has done what he has done to in the yesteryear to do him a melancholy adult male in his present. It is to demo him the mistake of his ways so he knows why he is non a much liked adult male, trusting to alter him. ‘Your public assistance! ‘ shows that the shade is giving short and to-the-point replies about what is incorrect. He takes Scrooge back to his childhood when he was neglected as a kid, which doing him in a nostalgic temper, ‘I was bred in this topographic point. I was a male child here ‘ . This conveys he was happy every bit good as surprised to be at that place, as he sees himself as a alone male child. It reminds him of what it is like to be lonely at Christmas clip.
The Ghost of the Christmas Past takes Scrooge to his old occupation where he was apprenticed as a immature adult male. At this memory, he is presented the Christmas party that his foreman Fezziwig held on Christmas Eve. I think the Spirit takes him at that place to demo what his foreman did for his employees. It should demo Scrooge how easy it is to do person happy, ‘he has the power to render us happy or unhappy ‘ , as does Scrooge, this conveys that Scrooge is in the same place now that Fezziwig was in so, and Fezziwig chose to do everyone happy, although it cost him some money. Scrooge realizes that what he said to his nephew earlier was wholly out of order ; he said ‘what right do you hold to be merry? You ‘re hapless plenty ‘ . He now knows that you do non necessitate money to be happy and what he said was incorrect as he is rich and is still non happy. The Ghost says ‘A little affair… to do these cockamamie folks so full of gratitude ‘ , which means it is so easy to do person happy.
The following topographic point Scrooge is taken by the Spirit is to a clip when he had merely had a changed personality, from hapless to rich, he is more stuck up and tight with money. The Spirit shows him when his ‘fianc & A ; eacute ; e ‘ interruptions up with him because of this alteration. She says ‘I have seen your baronial aspirations fall off one by one ‘ , which I believe means that he is going hopeless with the wealths he is acquiring. The immature Scrooge thinks he is the same individual, ‘I have grown so much wiser… I am non changed towards you ‘ , which conveys he thinks he is more cagey, yet has the same personality.
His ‘changed nature ‘ Tells Belle they should non be together any thirster ; she says ‘Our contract is an old one ; and ‘happiness when we were one in bosom, is fraught with wretchedness now that we are two… I have thought of it and can let go of you ‘ . Scrooge is distressed after being reminded why Scrooge broke his bosom, ‘why do you please to torment me? ‘ , ‘No more. I do n’t wish to see it. Show me no more ‘ . This shows he is uncomfortable with what he has merely seen.
However, the Ghost of the Christmas Past shows him one concluding thing, Belle, her hubby and her kids at Christmas. I think the Spirit takes him to that minute to demo him what he could hold had, how happy he could hold been and how he could do others happy and that is what the Spirit does. Scrooge goes in to deep idea, ‘I would n’t for the wealth of all the universe have crushed that braided hair ‘ and ‘I should ‘ve like, I do confess, to hold had the lightest licence of a kid, and yet been a adult male adequate to cognize its value ‘ . This tells us he is highly sorry towards the way he decided to take, which was because of his tight fisted and selfish ego. Last, he hears her hubby speaking about how he saw lonely Scrooge in his work office. Hearing this, he feels truly disquieted and wants to travel place instantly.
The Ghost of the Christmas Past makes Ebenezer Scrooge recognize what a bad individual he is, he realizes how selfishness can non acquire you anyplace. As a consequence of this he felt sorry for himself, vulnerable and he knows he has made errors.
The Second of the three Liquors comes to demo Scrooge what is go oning at Christmas clip in the present. However, Scrooge is ready for the Phantom before he comes so he can be on top of things and this shows that Scrooge is ready for a alteration. Before the Ghost appears Scrooges room is transformed in to a Christmas party. Then the Ghost is ready and waiting for him. The first topographic point the Ghost of the Christmas Present takes Scrooge is to the houses to demo how Christmas spirit is impacting everyone. ‘Full of hilarity ‘ shows the felicity, which Scrooge now knows is a good thing to see people happy.
Following, they go to the Grocers where they see how everyone is acquiring along, as it is Christmas clip ‘it was a shame to dispute upon Christmas Day ‘ , this tells us, and Scrooge that Christmas is a clip to forgive and bury.
After that, Scrooge is taken to his clerk, Bob Cratchits house. He gets to see how Cratchit managing on the ‘fifteen ‘Bob ‘ a-week ‘ he gets, paid my himself. The Cratchit household are really hapless and consist of Mr. and Mrs. Cratchit and their five kids, which included their full clip working girl Martha and ill Tiny Tim. Martha comes place for Christmas and this completed the Cratchits gay twenty-four hours. They are all appreciative for what they have, even though it is non much at all, ‘feebly cried Hurrah ‘ shows the thankfulness towards Mrs. Cratchit and her cookery. ‘Nobody said or thought it was at all a little pudding for a big household ‘ Tells us that they understand what state of affairs they are in and make non oppugn it. Ill Tiny Tin thinks he is really about better, though Bob Cratchit knows it is the complete antonym, ‘wished to maintain him by his side and dreaded that he might be taken from him ‘ conveys he is worried and knows of the issue which is due to non holding adequate money. This informs Scrooge he cam make things better, he is responsible for other peoples lives every bit good as his ain. He wants reassurance that Tiny Tim will decidedly populate, ‘tell me if Tiny Tim will populate ‘ , shows a caring side of Scrooge.
Bob Cratchit looks up to him – ‘the laminitis of the banquet ‘ . This presents he is thankful for the small sum that he receives. However, his married woman wholly disagrees with this, she hates him as he is the ground why there is a possibility that they will lose their boy everlastingly – he supplies their money. ‘Scrooge was the Ogre of the household. The reference of his name casts a dark shadow over the party ‘ , this shows once more that the Cratchit household is non a fan of Scrooges. But they merely need each other to be happy. This tells Scrooge that he does non necessitate money to be happy, he needs love and support. He is more caring than he was before as earlier he said ‘if he be probably to decease, he had better make it, and diminish the excess population ‘ which in short, means ‘Good, hurry up and make it ‘ . Now, he is concerned and I know this as, ‘he had his oculus upon them, particularly on Tiny Tim ‘ . This shows he has changed from heartless to lovingness. He has feelings.
He is so taken to a topographic point where Miners live, which was like a ‘burial-place of giants ‘ . This is where they celebrate Christmas, they are thankful and are basking themselves none the lupus erythematosus. There are coevalss of households populating in a bad province ; nevertheless they have each other and are cheerful. Scrooge gets brought here so he can cognize that he is privileged to hold a roof over his caput, he needs to recognize how lucky he is that he has a batch, and he does. The Ghost merely brought him at that place rapidly to demo how happy the mineworkers are.
Again, the Spirit moves on in a haste. The following halt was Scrooges nephews ‘ house, where they were basking themselves, even whilst they were speaking about their ‘Uncle Scrooge ‘ and how much of a despicable adult male he is. Although his nephew knows he is tight-fisted and unemotional, he still thinks he is a good adult male, and Scrooge hears this from him, ‘not so pleasant as he might be… his offenses carry their ain penalty, and I have nil to state against him ‘ which means fait will demo how Scrooge will be treated because of his actions, so his nephew had nil against him. ‘His wealth is of no usage to him. He do n’t make any good with it ‘ , this shows that he understands that Scrooge ‘s money means nil truly. ‘I am regretful for him ‘ , this presents that Scrooges nephew is a really good hearted individual, and he still likes his stubborn, selfish uncle Scrooge. The effect of his actions is that he loses out on all right memories, which are good for everyone, ‘he loses some pleasant minutes, which could make him no injury ‘ . He needs close friends to do his ‘pleasant moments’- ‘he loses pleasanter comrades ‘ . The Ghost shows with to Scrooge as a intimation he should do his friends and first-class memories to look back on. He sees love and fondness between his niece and his married woman, which makes him experience lonely.
Sing how his nephew spends Christmas compared to the manner he does, he realizes that love does non be anything. He sees everyone happy even when they are speaking bad, ‘there is nil in the universe so overwhelmingly contagious as laughter and good-humor ‘ which tells us Scrooge needs to be contaminated with laughter and good-humor. His nephew and niece drama a game where they had to think who was being described. A barbarian animate being that growled and grunted was described, and guessed by the nephew – it was Scrooge. This tells Scrooge what other people see him as, and what he needs to alter. However, they still wish the best for him which shows they love their ‘enemies ‘ .
The following people he is introduced to are Want and Ignorance, who are ‘yellow, meager, ragged, scowling, wolflike ‘ , they are kids of ‘Man ‘ . Their names are personification. I think they are called ‘Want ‘ and ‘ignorance ‘ because that is what many people ( such as Scrooge ) love. The visual aspects of them demo how ugly and horrid wanting and nescient people truly are.
Finally, Scrooge is visited by the 4th and concluding Spirit, the Ghost of the Christmas hereafter. Although, he had seen and exhausted clip with other Apparitions, he was still scared of this ‘tall and stately ‘ shade. I know this as ‘his legs trembled beneath him ‘ . Dickens has used onomatopoeia when he says ‘trembled ‘ as this gives more accent on Scrooges feelings towards the concluding shade. The Ghost seems scarier than the other three shades as he is non a individual ; he is more of a hooded shadow. The Ghost does non talk, he merely leads. The first topographic point Scrooge was directed to was a funeral of a really disliked adult male.
The people who attended this funeral were non really contrite, they were express joying about the state of affairs. These concern work forces were merely disquieted about where Scrooges ‘ money. These concern work forces were merely disquieted about where Scrooges ‘ money was traveling, ‘what has he done with his money? ‘ and ‘I idea he ‘d ne’er decease ‘ demo the sloppiness and selfishness of the concern work forces, that is all they were to him, non friends, ‘strictly concern ‘ . I think they had the same attitude as the old, unchanged Scrooge had. This tells Scrooge that to them money is more of import than life, so he wants to alter that. At first, he believed that it was the decease of Jacob Marley, nevertheless it is the hereafter, non the yesteryear. This makes him believe that whoever has dies, he knows he is being shown this ‘for his ain betterment ‘ . He truly believes he can alter, ‘treasure up every word, every word he heard, and everything he saw ‘ , this nowadayss he is truly seeking to alter himself for the better.
They so progress the eventide on to the people who found out about the dead adult male, they took his properties and laughed about it. ‘Why was n’t he natural in his life-time? If he had been, he ‘d hold had person to look after him when he was struck with Death ‘ said the adult female, which means if he loved, people would love back, so there would be person who could assist him with any jobs or troubles.
They give out his properties and one adult female receives bed-curtains. ‘You do n’t intend to state you took ’em down, rings and all, with him lying at that place? ‘ which shows daze, and how small regard they had for him. Scrooge listens in horror and was disgusted by what he was hearing. This is when he realizes that they have been speaking about him, the dead adult male was him, ‘the instance of this unhappy adult male might be my ain ‘ .
The scene alterations one time once more and they were now in a room with a ‘bare, un-curtained bed ‘ . Scrooge did non recognize where he was as the room was ‘too dark to be observed with any truth ‘ . When he knew that there was something in that room, he wanted to cognize what it was. He was worried about what he might happen, ‘the gesture of a finger upon Scrooges portion, would hold disclosed the face… felt how easy it would be to make ‘ , this conveys that he is intrigued. He is scared but has learnt his lesson, ‘a fearful topographic point. In go forthing it, I shall non go forth its lesson. However, the Ghost believed he should cognize who the organic structure belongs to. I think this is so it has more of an impact on Scrooge who is larning. ‘Pointed with an unaffected finger to the caput ‘ , but Scrooge can non make anything about that. So they move on to ‘any individual in the town, who feels emotion caused by this adult males decease ‘ , who are a female parent and a kid. These are the people that feel emotion caused by this adult males decease. The female parent and kid are waiting for some intelligence ; this intelligence will impact their lives, whether it is good new or bad intelligence. ‘We are rather ruined? ‘ and ‘To whom will our debt be transferred ‘ show that it is related to their money jobs. When Scrooge said ’emotion ‘ , he did non state which type of emotion, so the Ghost nowadayss him with pleasant, ‘we may kip tonight with light Black Marias ‘ conveys alleviation. . Dickens uses a drama on words as emotion can be happy or sad, angry or relieved.
As they travelled to the following topographic point, Scrooge looked for himself, paying his respects. However he was nowhere to be seen. They come to Bob Cratchits house one time once more. When he had come here with the Ghost of Christmas Present, he felt guilty the most out of all the placed he had visited. This conveys he is altering as he now feels for people.
At the Cratchits family, everyone who are normally ‘noisy small Cratchits ‘ are really quiet, this shows oddness. There is tenseness which Scrooge picks up on. ‘He was light to transport ‘ shows what was in the yesteryear, this could intend that Tiny Tim is non light to transport any more, or possibly he is non around to be carried. Scrooge feels responsible for this as he know he has the power to do it better, to alter what has happened – Tiny Tim ‘s decease. Scrooges nephew is a gentleman, particularly towards the Cratchits, he is seen as the ‘pleasantest-spoken gentleman you have of all time heard ‘ and he is as he does what Scrooge should hold done a long clip ago. He offered to assist, ‘if I can be of service to you in any manner ‘ , and the Cratchits are thankful for what they needed earlier.
Scrooge knows that is how he should be, although he is still non definite about whom the uncared for, dead individual is. This shortly is cleared up. He is showed a grave, on which it says Ebenezer Scrooge. It so hits him how much he has changed through out the journey with the Ghosts and how much power he has to alter peoples lives. He pleads that the terminal consequence is non what he has presented in forepart of him, ‘I am non the adult male I was… I yet may alter these shadows, you have shown me, by an altered life ‘ . He tries his hardest to do certain that the grave will be in the close hereafter, ‘The Spirits of all three shall endeavor within me. I will non close out the lessons that they teach me ‘ , this conveys that he will ne’er alter back the Christmas hating Scrooge, he will appreciate life and Christmas as it comes. At that the Phantom did his occupation and left. He taught him that he has a batch of duties and more power than he thinks, he is responsible for other people ‘s lives every bit good as his ain.
He has a sudden alteration of personality when the Ghost disappears. He is highly happy, which shows he is already moving and experiencing different, ‘I am every bit light as a plume, I am every bit happy as an angel ‘ . As a consequence of this felicity, he spreads it with everyone else. ‘Hello, my all right chap! ‘ , this shows the new friendly and gay side of Scrooge. He says how his feelings are similar to an angel- ‘as happy as an angel ‘ . This shows similarity as it is a simile, he feels relieved as all the weight of sadness has gone, ‘light as a plume ‘ shows he is comparing how alleviated he is. ‘As merry as a school male child ‘ tell us that he is happy like a school male child ( immature and no duties ) . When he says he is ‘as giddy as a bibulous adult male ‘ he means that he has the head of a rummy, no attentions for anything, jus being happy. ‘Hallo! ‘ shows the exhilaration that Scrooge has towards his changed ego. He asks a favour to demo his generousness. He pays a immature male child and buys a monolithic Meleagris gallopavo for the Cratchits. This conveys a monolithic difference in personality. He even gives Bob a salary rise. This shows that he has had a wholly alteration of bosom, more generous, loving and understanding. This consequences in Tiny Tim lasting. Scrooge has changed and makes good usage of the power he has.
There is a large alteration in the conditions every bit good. Before, it was dull, cold, black and foggy, which matched his personality. Now it is filled with aureate sunshine, brightness with clear skies, which besides matches his personality as he feels that sunshine has shone over his life.
He besides spends that Christmas with his household who are happy to forgive and bury the yesteryear, bask the yesteryear and expression towards the hereafter. Scrooge has realized that thanks to the Ghosts, he is more appreciative of the household he has.
At the beginning of ‘A Christmas Carol ‘ , Scrooge is a heartless, selfish and unkind individual. He hates kids, Christmas and felicity. His nephew is hapless and happy, whereas he is rich and lonely. He changes and learns throughout his experiences. The Ghost of the Past shows him what he used to be like, back in the twenty-four hours, what went incorrect and how he ended up with this hideous personality and solitariness.
The Ghost of the Christmas Present shows him how everyone else is observing. This tells him he does non necessitate money to be happy. It besides shows him what other people think of him. Another thing he finds out is that he has a batch more power and duty than merely him. He has the power to do other peoples lives a batch easier, and the duty to do certain they have adequate resources to populate off. When he finds out that he is a disliked and hated individual in that society. He feels hurt and realizes he needs to alter in order to do friends and have people around him. He besides finds out that no-one demands money to be happy and loved, including him.
The Ghost of the Christmas Future shows Scrooge what will go on if he does non alter his ways of life. That is when he knew if he did non alteration, he would be a homicidal lonely old adult male, who killed a small male child. He besides finds out that if he does see a necessity to alter the manner he is, he will decease a homicidal lonely old adult male, who no 1 cares about. This teaches him that he is responsible for other people ‘s lives, which means if he alters his personality, he changes other people and the manner they live.
Dickens has used guilt and sorrow to alter Scrooge for the better ; this is affectional as it shows that he does sympathize for other people. As a consequence, he is a changed adult male because he has started to value his life, value other people and think of the effects of his actions.
