scrooge

who is scrooge?

• scrooge is the main character in ACC

• first name is ebenezer

Scrooge is the main character in Dicken’s novella and is first presented as a miserly, unpleasant man. He rejects all offerings of Christmas cheer and celebrations as ‘Humbug’.

On Christmas eve he is visited by the ghost of his old business partner, jacob marley, who warns scrooge that he will be visited by three ghosts. Each of the ghosts shows him a scene that strikes fear and regret into his heart and eventually he softens.

stave 1

In stave 1 of ‘ a christmas carol’, dickens introduces scrooge as a wretched character. He is wrapped up in his work and cares nothing for the need of others. He is rude and demeaning to his nephew, cruel to his employee, and self-congratulatory about his disdain for christmas and those who celebrate it.

The first description of scrooge creates a cold and sharp old man:

“ the cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shrivelled his cheek, stiffened his gait; made his eyes red, his thin lips blue; and spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice”

stave 2

In stave 2, when visited my the ghost of christmas past, scrooge is taken back in time to when he was a young man attending the christmas party of his former boss. While watching the party unfold scrooge starts to feel warmth as he sees the fun and joy he was filled with in the past.

In stave 2, scrooge is presented as a man who actually remembers what christmas once meant. He cries upon seeing his younger self, alone and sad. He also fondly remembers Fezziwig’s party and his old mentor’s kindness.

This is where we start to see a change in Scrooge’s demeanour and it shows us how later on in the novella he may be lead t change his ways.