SCROOGE CHANGE AND LANGUAGE USED IN A CHRISTMAS CAROL

The novel ‘A Christmas Carol' was written during the Victorian period when a great division existed between the poor and the rich. In chapter one Dickens applies personification and rule of three to define Scrooge’s attitudes towards the poor people. The phrase,” cold, bleak, biting weather” has been used to personify who Scrooge is. He is presented to possess a cold heart which is illustrated by him being compared to weather. “Bah! Humbug! (Dickens, 10). “Scrooge is described as cold and possess no emotion. He repeatedly uses the expression in order to express his coldness towards the Christmas. "Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shriveled his cheek, stiffened his gait; made his eyes red, his thin lips blue; and spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice" (Dickens, 9). Metaphorically the author uses these words to describe how he had a very bad and twisted cold personality. When Scrooge was invited for a Christmas dinner by his nephew he asks him what right he had to merry and the reason why he had to merry and added that why should he merry yet he was poor. This portrays the cold nature of Scrooge especially towards the poor. This shows the reader how cold-hearted and merciless he is and does not feel guilty for it. "Squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching covetous old sinner!". The author uses superlative adjectives to give us a clear explanation of how he was mean. He declined to donate for the poor with a notion that the problems affecting the poor was none of his concern. He also says good afternoon to Fred to show that he did not want to have a talk with him anymore. This was a way of dismissing him to go.
In chapter two Scrooge is visited by a Christmas ghost and he came to a realization that if he does not change he was likely going to end up like Marley. “The school is not quite deserted," said the Ghost. "A solitary child, neglected by his friends, is left there still'. Scrooge said he knew it. And he sobbed". This chapter illustrates his emotional outburst showing that he could recall his memories stating that the emotions were painful that is why he blocked them. When Scrooge reexamines Fezziwigs he meets Bella and the emotion became a lot for him to contain. This shows that he is not ready to change because he was not capable of accepting his memories. He attempts to drive the spirit away. The writer uses contrast in this chapter. Scrooge remembers the past but even so he does not want to change.
Chapter 3 displays Scrooge's recognized what the poor needed when the spirit of Christmas presents offered to take him to Cratchits to show them how those people were happy and fulfilled even with the little. “Spirit' said scrooge submissively' conduct me where you will. I went forth last night on compulsion and I learnt a lesson which is working now. Tonight, if you have aught to teach me, let me profit by it" (Dickens, 93). The ghost of Christmas present took him to see how different people celebrated Christmas with their families. Scrooge had missed out on this since he never spends it with any of his family members this makes him realize that he must change. He is able to learn how the poor celebrate theirs by staying on streets and with fathers trying to collect food from the bins. When they were in Cratchits home, Scrooge questions whether Tiny Tim was going to live portraying a caring concern. Majorly this chapter makes him realize the wrong he had done. The author uses imagery and symbolism. This happens when the ghost introduced two boys called Ignorance and Want. It is impossible to have a good life when you are poor.
In chapter 4 Scrooge gets a visit from the ghost of Christmas future. He helps Scrooge to know that if he was not going to transform to a better being then he will have a bad end. The ghost described the man in the future as, "unwatched. unwept, uncared for, was the body of this man" For improvement Scrooge takes a step and offers to pay for Tiny Tim surgery. This chapter depicts how willing he was to take in the change for the better.
In chapter 5 Dickens illustrates the change in Scrooge. "No fog, no mist, clear, bright, jovial" (Dickens, 174). In this chapter he uses the phrase to show that it is not like in the beginning when it was cold, bleak and biting weather. Scrooge uses “I am as merry as a Schoolboy-I'm quite a baby" yet in chapter one he never saw any need to merry. He even greets his nephew using, "Hallo here! Whoop! Hallo!" (Dickens, 174). This portrays the new jovial person in chapter one he was cold and greeted Fred with Bah! Humbug! In chapter one he was covetous, grasping sinner while in the end he is showed to be happy and making up for what he had lost "Best and happiest of all, the time before him was his, to make amends in". " Will you come and see me," he asks Fred to pay him a visit yet in chapter one he told good afternoon because he did not want to talk to him anymore, he was bored. This chapter shows a new Scrooge. He donates to the charity, buys turkey gifts for his employees and he went to see Fred and even apologized to him and even asked him to visit him. Dickens uses this story to illustrate that bad people have a chance in life to change and become better persons.
 
Works Cited
Dickens, Charles. A Christmas Carol: In Prose Being A Ghost Story of Christmas. Print. December 1843.