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Ebenezer Scrooge is the main character in Charles Dickens' classic novel A Christmas Carol.

The three spirits teach Scrooge the error of his ways towards the end of the novella, and he transforms into a nicer, more compassionate man. Scrooge's catchphrase, 'Bah! Humbug!' is often used to express disapproval with many modern Christmas traditions.

Role in A Christmas Carol[]

Scrooge is portrayed as a cold-hearted, miserable, and greedy old man. He runs the local bank and works with Bob Cratchit and his other workers mercilessly. On Christmas Eve, Bob and the others ask for Christmas Day off. After finally agreeing to, he is visited by his nephew, Fred. Fred asks his uncle if he would join him and his wife, Claire, for Christmas dinner. Scrooge denies the offer and says the phrase: "Bah, humbug". When Scrooge returns home, a ghostly spirit of his deceased business partner, Jacob Marley, appears to him. It explained that if Scrooge didn't change his selfish ways, there would be dreadful consequences. Marley says that he will be visited by three ghosts that will teach him the true meanings of Christmas.

Ghost of Christmas Past[]

Just as Marley had said, a ghost came to Scrooge. It explained that it was the Ghost of Christmas Past, and it would show him his past Christmas. First, the spirit shows him as a young boy at school, working whilst the others played. Then it took him to a Christmas party where he met Belle, a girl he fell in love with. Lastly, it showed him a scene where he and Belle were to be married. Scrooge was too obsessed with money, and Belle got frustrated and broke the engagement because of that.

Ghost of Christmas Present[]

Scrooge is then visited by a ghost who resembles a large man. He takes Scrooge to the Cratchit's house, where Bob wife and several children are working on dinner. Then Bob comes in with Tiny Tim, who is the youngest child, walking with a crutch. Scrooge starts to like Tiny Tim and watches them cook, and Bob (despite all of Scrooge's "bad behaviour") toasts the meal to him. The ghost and Scrooge then leave. Scrooge asks the ghost if Tiny Tim will live. The spirit says that he doesn't know. He also says that he can only exist on Earth for one Christmas and fades away, leaving Scrooge for the final and scariest ghost of all.

Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come[]

The final ghost is completely silent and looks like a Grim Reaper. The ghost takes Scrooge to a graveyard, and they see Bob and his wife gathered around a small gravestone. As Scrooge approaches, he sees the engraving with Tiny Tim on, which makes Scrooge really sad. When the ghost directs him toward another grave, which has no guests or flowers, it reads his name 'Ebeneezer Scrooge'. Scrooge gets frightened and asks the ghost if these things would actually happen. The spirit remains silent as a mist rolls in. Scrooge then realises that he must change in order to stop this from happening to him as the third spirit left.

Scrooge's Change of Attitude[]

Scrooge awakens and feels enlightened. He tells a young boy to go and buy him a huge turkey. Scrooge takes the turkey and goes to the Cratchit's. He then enjoys a holiday dinner, and the story has a happy ending.

Parodies and Remakes[]

Being a Christmas classic, it has had countless movies, such as A Muppet Christmas Carol', or the recent Disney remake featuring Jim Carrey.


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