scrooge

• Humbug


  Famous catchphrase belonging to Ebenezer Scrooge, the protagonist of Charles Dickens' short novel A Christmas Carol
• Ebenezer Scrooge


  • The protagonist of Charles Dickens' short novel A Christmas Carol
  • His character has inspired movies, theater productions, and adaptations around the globe
• Scrooge is a crotchety old miser
• The story of A Christmas Carol is a tale of Scrooge's miraculous transformation
• Charles Dickens


  The author of A Christmas Carol, a master of characterization who created some of the most beloved and most vile characters in literature
• Scrooge


  • Immediately unlikable yet very memorable
  • Has a biting tongue
  • Has a total disregard of the struggles of the working class
  • Has an incredibly bleak attitude towards the Christmas holiday
• Scrooge is far from a two-dimensional character
• A Christmas Carol is a redemption story which gives hope that even the worst of humanity have the ability to change their ways
• Scrooge's initial description


  A scathing one, using an exaggerated number of vivid adjectives to create a long-lasting impression of his character
• Scrooge being described as "secret and self-contained and solitary as an oyster"


  Suggests that his hard outer shell stops people from getting close to him, even though he is surrounded by the hustle and bustle of the city
• Scrooge's interactions with other characters

  Reveal a lot about where his priorities lie
• Scrooge's association of joy and value of life with the amount of money someone has


  Confirmed by his interactions with his nephew and the charity workers
• Scrooge's harsh statements about the "surplus population" are relevant to many readers even today, as we can all do more to recognize the needs of the less fortunate and be more charitable
• Jacob Marley


  Scrooge's former partner and soul friend, the older version of Scrooge
• Marley's lonely life and death


  Is the only hope to make Scrooge want to change
• Scrooge's humor


  A defense mechanism, but also helps us to relate to him and soften his otherwise unlikable behavior
• Scrooge's Redemption


  1. Guided by the visits of the three Christmas ghosts

  2. The Ghost of Christmas Past provides a glimpse into the major events of Scrooge's childhood and formative years
• Scrooge's childhood loneliness


  Strikes an emotional reaction in him, allowing readers to sympathize with him
• Scrooge's lack of a loving home during his childhood


  Brings to light one of his core issues: abandonment
• Scrooge's attempts to shut out his sister's son Fred


  Likely due to his fear of being abandoned again
• Fezziwig's generosity with a small amount of money shows that even if you're not well off, a simple gesture of kindness can make a big difference
• Scrooge


  A character who tries to shut his sister's son Fred out of his life as he fears Fred will one day abandon him too, due to his past trauma of being abandoned
• Scrooge's past trauma of abandonment


  Leads him to shut himself off from the world and become miserly
• Scrooge's engagement to Belle ends


  Due to his obsession with money-making
• Scrooge sees the life he could have had if he had made different choices, which triggers an epiphany
• Scrooge's violent reaction to the Ghost of Christmas Past

  Shows his attitude has improved as a result of the experience
• The Ghost of Christmas Present


  An explosion of all things Christmas, which would have been off-putting to the Scrooge at the beginning of the story
• Scrooge's interest in Tiny Tim

  Stems from his own childhood abandonment and the desire to provide the fatherly love he never received
• Scrooge is determined to change after his encounters with the Ghosts
• Scrooge's fear of the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come


  Indicates the atmosphere of foreboding around the ghost
• Scrooge realizes the dead man referred to is himself
• Scrooge's desire to "live in the past, the present and the future"


  Means he must stop letting his past trauma influence his present behavior and make choices that will affect the future
• Scrooge undergoes a "rebirth" with childlike excitement for Christmas
• Scrooge's interactions with other characters

  Show his sudden and complete transformation
• Scrooge becomes "as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man" as the city knew
• Scrooge's perspective on many aspects of life has changed in one night
• Scrooge


  A squeezing, covetous old sinner
• Scrooge is creating a long lasting impression of his character
• Scrooge


  Obsessed with money
• The dynamic and dramatic words were important for the entertainment value as the story was meant to be read aloud to the family at Christmas time