The Key to Happiness Does Not Lay in the Hands of Money but One’s Heart Often times, many people enjoy the gift of money and the happiness it brings. However, Charles Dickens writes to persuade otherwise. A Christmas Carol authored by Charles Dickens, a fiction story, and is about a man, Scrooge, who despises Christmas with all his heart whilst he lives in London. Furthermore, Scrooge regrets not appreciating people, not realizing that money is not everything, and is happy to live in all the stages of Christmas. Foremost, Scrooge regrets not appreciating his clerk’s work. For instance, when Scrooge and the Ghost of Christmas Past visit Scrooge’s old boss, Scrooge whispers, “No. I should like to be able to say a word or two to my clerk just now” (40). Scrooge mistreats his clerk due to his off day on Christmas. He does not enjoy other people mooching off of his money. However, the events of his past life change Scrooge to the point of thinking about others. He imagines his clerk who can barely support his family and works cold as ice in his working quarters. Furthermore, when Scrooge meets his former self when he visits his past, he mutters, “I should like to have given something” (33). Scrooge strangles a kid who comes caroling to his door the night before. He hates Christmas with all his heart. However, after seeing his lonely self he imagines what that caroler felt. He regrets not granting that kid a gift of some sort. Hence, Scrooge regrets his hasty
To begin, with the result of the past showing him as a young Scrooge has made him become loving.The ghost of Christmas past showed him as a young apprentice wanting to become like his master, a loving person who he worked for.The memory from act one scene five caused change for Scrooge because the memory showed his younger self that wanted to treat his apprentices well but he didn't in the present.As
Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol was first published in London on the 19th of December 1843, the novella was instantly popular and still is to this day. Dickens inspiration for the short story seems to come from his childhood experiences and his sympathy for the poor. In the story a miserable old man, Ebenezer Scrooge, is shown the error of his ways and what will come of it if he doesn’t make drastic changes. Various ghosts and spirits slowly transform him into a kinder more pleasant man. A Christmas Carol is a powerful novella that uses symbolism like the children Ignorance and Want, Scrooge’s transformation, and Scrooges nephew Fred, to reinforce significant themes like social isolation, rebirth, and family.
In Scrooge’s past and present, his actions had not been admirable. In reaction to this, Scrooge had closed himself off and become cold and impenetrable by any kindness. He had no empathy for others. The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come changed this mindset by showing Scrooge the most severe consequences of his cold hearted actions. In
I should like to have given him something that is all.” (Dickens 36) This passage truly marks the beginning of the metamorphosis and transformation that Scrooge will undergo throughout the story, which also happens to be the overall theme of Dickens’ novella. The Ghost of Christmas Past takes the greedy Scrooge and forces him to experience the Christmases of his past; when he lived at school and never saw a Christmas, when his sister Fan told him he was coming home for Christmas, and even the party thrown by Fezziwig. Even at this party the light of the Ghost of Christmas Past as he comes to realize that the boss of the workplace truly influences the mood and environment, and he even tells the reader this when he says, “It isn’t that, Spirit. He [Fezziwig] has the power to render us happy or unhappy; to make our service light or burdensome; a pleasure or a toil. Say that his power lies in words and looks; in things so slight and insignificant that it is impossible to add and count ‘em up: what
Charles Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol, which took place in 1843. The main character, Ebenezer Scrooge was very wealthy and greedy. Three ghosts try to help him become a kinder and generous man by haunting him. A Christmas Carol is the story of how Ebenezer Scrooge transformed from an uncaring greedy man to one who realized there was more to life than money.
This first stave of the book discusses about the hatred that Scrooge has for Christmas and everyone. Some evidence that Scrooge had a hatred for Christmas is on page 6. He says, “What’s the point of being merry,” and “ Christmas time is a time for paying bills without money.” Another quote from Scrooge is, “every idiot who goes about with Merry Christmas on his lips, should be boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart.” On page 11, there is another quote of hatred from Scrooge saying, “If they would rather die, they have better do it.” These were a few of the many quotes, in A Christmas Carol.
A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens is a compelling tale of greed, love and charity. Studying this short novel at school is necessary because it concedes the threats of holding and leading a selfish life and how acting greedy is notorious on your fate and your perspective of life. Through his representation of Scrooge, Dickens wants the reader to learn from his miserable personality and encourages others
In A Christmas Carol, an allegory of spiritual values versus material ones, Charles Dickens shows Scrooge having to learn the lesson of the spirit of Christmas, facing the reality of his own callous attitude to others, and reforming himself as a compassionate human being. The reader is shown his harshness in the office, where he will not allow Bob Cratchit enough coal to warm his work cubicle and begrudges his employee a day off for Christmas, even claiming that his clerk is exploiting him. In the scene from the past at Fezziwig’s warehouse, Scrooge becomes aware of the actions of a conscientious, caring employer and feels his first twinge of conscience. The author suggests an origin for Scrooge’s indifference to others as Scrooge is portrayed as a neglected child, the victim of a harsh father intent on denying him a trip home for the holidays and only reluctantly relenting.
During the first haunting Scrooge was haunted by The Ghost Of Christmas Past. In this trip he learned how greedy he had become. Scrooge visited his childhood home. On page 656, His sister Fan said, “You’re a man and never to come back here, but first, were to be together all Christmas long, and have the merriest time in the world.” The young child Fan would only say this because Scrooge had never come home for Christmas. He also visited the Christmas’ in his life when he loved and lost his ex-fiance. He met his fiance during an apprenticeship from Mr. Fezziwig, a warehouse owner, and they were both poor and didn’t care that they were so. A few years later they were engaged and the woman left Ebenezer, saying, he was to in love with money and no longer in love with her. This is shown on page 659, “Our contract is an old one. It was made when we were both poor and intended to be so.” These lessons helped Scrooge to learn what amount of greed he had in his soul, and it
Christmas is the time of year where everyone seems to be happy no matter what is going on currently in the world around them. But not for Ebenezer Scrooge. Everyone makes mistakes, but some that Scrooge had made, made a big impact on his life. Because of his lack to spread kindness and charity, Scrooge’s consequences were three lovely visits from the Spirit of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come that made Scrooge reflect on his previous decisions so he can have an even greater future. When Scrooge’s partner, Marley, passes away, he lives an even more greedy and selfish life, finding another reason to strongly hate Christmas. Thus one part of why his poor action will provide a future consequence. Secondly, since Scrooge had been so selfish to everyone, including the whole town of London, it is pretty certain that all of London dislikes Scrooge. Although the Spirit of Christmas Yet to Come shows Scrooge that if he does indeed stay selfish, he most certainly will not be missed when he passes away. Lastly, his mistake in life was from his past when he decides to worry and obsess over making money and being successful rather than making sure he and his fiance’s future was more secure rather than secure finances. A Christmas Carol displays actions and consequences depend on one's own actions and decisions whether good or bad.
Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is a moral tale that depicts the protagonist’s Ebenezer Scrooge’s moral journey from selfishness to redemption. It can be seen that his new found way of life is derived from the desire to be a good man of the community and to assist others such as Tiny Tim. The idea of Scrooge’s transformation not being selfish can also be seen in his aspiration to contribute to the wider community that suffers from a poverty stricken way of life. In addition to this, Scrooge also reforms his way of life in order to feel love and care from family, which satisfied his nephew Fred aswell as himself. However, this selflessness is only to an
Ebenezer Scrooge is a miserable and greedy old man, who focuses mainly on his business and continues with his greedy ways on Christmas Eve. He is always grumpy and yells at his employees, and most of all at Bob Cratchit. Scrooge’s desire is to be by himself on Christmas Eve, and rejects his nephew Fred’s, invitation for dinner. One night, the ghost of Jacob Marley, a former colleague of Scrooge, who has passed away seven years ago, visits the old man. Marley reminds Scrooge of his cruel lifestyle and encourages him to change it before it is too late. He tells Scrooge that three spirits will visit him. When Scrooge falls asleep, The Ghost of Christmas Past visits him first. The Ghost shows him scenes from the past the reveal Scrooges’ live; from a lonesome young boy to a man who has allowed greed to overcome his life, a man who does not know love and compassion. Scrooge is touched by what he has seen and even allows emotions to overcome his stone-cold heart. Secondly, the Ghost of Christmas Present visits Scrooge. The Ghost takes Scrooge to several Christmas celebrations, including the party at Fred’s house. Also the Ghost takes Scrooge to the Crachit’s house, and warns him that unless the future is changed the crippled young son of Bob, Tiny Tim will die. The ghost warns Scrooge to be carful of his ignorance. Lastly the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come visits Scrooge. The old man becomes aware that several people discuses the death of someone. At last, he learns that this is
A Christmas Carol teaches society to help the poor, build happiness from relationships, and that money isn’t everything. At first, Scrooge tries not to care about those who are poverty stricken. Most anybody would be disturbed by the somber picture of nothingness, most people would try to help. Dickens shows how reluctant society can be to give aid through Scrooge when he says “If they would rather die… they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.”
“ Money is power, freedom, a cushion, the root of all evil, the sum of blessings, ” said Carl Sandburg. Throughout the story A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, he shares a clear message about wealth or having an abundance of money. The love of money can make mankind greedy and hateful, but wealth can also be used for thoughtful and generous purposes. His view goes hand in hand with the teachings of the Bible. In A Christmas Carol, Scrooge shows that his love of money makes him selfish and full of greed, but once he is shown his past, present, future he realizes his ways and changes them to help others, and he specifically embraces the Cratchit family in many ways.
“Does Money Really Make People Happier?”, an article by Jessica Krampe, discusses the idea that money cannot completely buy one happiness. She states that it is, however, true that one can buy some happiness using money as a tool, but that this won’t be a sustainable amount of happiness. Krampe argues that money does not just buy one happiness automatically, but instead that it requires much effort and scrutiny in spending to get any of this happiness. She lays special emphasis on her point that money should not be spent primarily on luxuries for oneself, but instead should be spent on others. Ultimately, she suggests that one must figure out what they already enjoy about life and who supports them, and use the money they have to help them