Scrooge's Change in 'a Christmas Carol'

In the novel A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge is a man who is portrayed as very cold hearted, “the cold within him froze his features”. He always kept attention to himself and never cared about anyone else. The whole town knew him as a bad man, even “the blindmen’s dogs knew him… and would tug their owners into corners away from him”. Jacob Marley was his partner in life, and even though their relationship was for business only, he was Scrooge’s only friend. In regret from his own life, Marley and the Three Ghosts of Christmas change Scrooge’s attitude towards life.

Jacob Marley was much like Scrooge in his life. He also was cold hearted and only cared about money. In his death, he learnt that it was too late for him to change, but he wanted to give Scrooge the opportunity to become a better person. Marley came to Scrooge to warn him about how he regretted not helping people or being kind. Marley now wanted to help people in life, but he wore “the chain (he) forged in life”. Marley’s visit startled Scrooge, but he still brushed off the warning and thought that Marley was a dream. Jacob Marley regrets not doing all the things he could have in life, but Scrooge is yet to realise why he needs to change.

The first ghost that is sent by Marley is the ghost of Christmas past. The ghost takes Scrooge back in time to where Scrooge was born and raised. At the sight of the village, Scrooge softens and is excited for a moment before returning to his old personality. A change is shown at this point because Scrooge reflects on the good past life he had. Scrooge is shown a scene from when he was a boy, left alone at Christmas whilst everyone else was celebrating. It shows how Scrooge is imagining friends because he is so lonely. After seeing himself Scrooge he regrets not paying attention to the people he’s seen celebrating Christmas. “There was a boy singing a Christmas carol at my door last night, I would have liked to have given him something, that’s all”. This