Ebenezer Scrooge a Classical Hero - Essay Example

July 17, Ebenezer Scrooge A ical Hero Charles Dickens comments on the perils of capitalism and materialism in his story, “A Christmas Carol.” The protagonist, who also starts out as the antagonist, is Ebenezer Scrooge, a wealthy and stringy businessman. Scrooge's miserly ways coincide with modern ideas of cost-efficiency. The lack of warmth in his office, as well as the smaller fire in the office of Scrooge's clerk, Bob Cratchit, symbolizes the coldness of a human heart that is only focused on amassing wealth. This paper explores a different reading of Scrooge and argues that he is a classical hero. He is a classical hero, because his life exemplifies the seven stages of development of a hero, where in the end, his internal redemption brings about social changes. The first stage of being a classical hero is spurning society. Ebenezer Scrooge abhors social relations and values his wealth only. Dickens describes him as “Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster” (11). The closest, in the literal sense, relationship that Scrooge has is with his clerk and that is even the lowliest form of social connection. If Scrooge is a miser to his needs, he is even more so to Bob: “...the clerk's fire was so very much smaller that it looked like one coal” (Dickens 12). Scrooge hates Christmas, furthermore, because it means that businesses close for a day and he hates that. He would rather work, as he tells his nephew Fred, rather than spend a night of Christmas with his family. The second stage of turning into a classical hero is being called to action. The dead Marley calls Scrooge to action and change, when he appears to him, clasping a chain that is made of “cash-boxes, keys, padlocks, ledgers, deeds, and heavy purses” (Dickens 22). Marley tells Ebenezer that he will suffer the same fate of walking amongst the living in perpetual chains, because he does not value the true meaning of living. He says that three spirits will visit Ebenezer, from which he will be given the hope of changing his future. This calling represents the power of the individual to change his fate, by responding to his/her responsibility as a human being: “....people will one day have to answer for their failure to fulfill their responsibility” (Vann 2). This call to action prompts Scrooge to deeply reflect on the beginnings and endings of his life. The third stage of turning into a classical hero is confronting the supernatural. Three Christmas spirits visit Ebenezer: Ghost of Christmas Past, Ghost of Christmas Present, and Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. These are supernatural beings that Scrooge confronted in order to realize that all his life, he has not fully lived at all. The Ghost of Christmas Past reveals Scrooge's past, where he learns to not love others, because he himself felt excluded from humanity as a child. Goldstein calls this the “suppressed memory” that explains the root causes of Scrooge's indifferent to human emotions and relations. While his friends enjoyed Christmas, Scrooge is left alone at school: “A solitary child, neglected by his friends, is left there still” (Dickens 35). The Ghost of Christmas Present presents to Scrooge the outside world that celebrates the spirit of Christmas with love and happiness. They visited the Cratchit's where Scrooge meets the sickly and dying Tim. He observes: “There was nothing of high mark in this...But, they were happy, grateful, pleased with one another, and contented with the time...” (Dickens 62). Even people in limited spaces such as mines and lighthouses had more cheers in their hearts than Scrooge inside his lofty home. The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come shows Scrooge's future, where the life he amassed is stolen indifferently by others too. By confronting these spirits, Scrooge knows that he must change or else his future will bear the “social costs” of his materialism (Boan 2). The fourth stage of being a hero is changing, because of these supernatural experiences. Indeed, Scrooge promises to change completely by living with the spirits “inside him” (Dickens 91). The fifth stage of turning into a hero is finally returning to the natural world. Scrooge is happy to be back in his house. He recognizes his bed and relishes the idea that he has been given a second chance to change himself and have a greater impact on his society: “The bed was his own, the room was his own. Best and happiest of all, the Time before him was his own, to make amends in!” (Dickens 91). The sixth stage of being a hero is sharing his wealth. He immediately sends a large turkey to Bob Cratchit’s. He also makes a large donation to the men who went to ask for donations the day before. He accepts Fred's invitation to Christmas dinner and enjoys the merriments there. And afterwards, he increases Bob Cratchit’s salary. Soon, he even becomes a “second father” to Tiny Tim. Indeed, Scrooge changes from being a loner to a “good...friend...master...” (Dickens 97). The seventh stage of turning into a classical hero is the society improves, because of the hero (Dickens 97). Boan stresses that “the story implies that a renewed connection to humanity is, in fact, the very essence of redemption” (Boan 2). For through internal redemption, Scrooge brings about widespread social changes: “he knew how to keep Christmas well...” (Dickens 98) and by this Christmas Spirit, he makes his society a much better place. Scrooge is more than the usual protagonist, for he is a classical hero. Initially, he hates the society he lives in, but he confronts the supernatural to understand his purpose in life. After meeting the supernatural, he changes and shares his wealth. He learns that living is about giving and the Christmas Spirit is not only for Christmas but for daily existence. Scrooge is a hero who has significantly contributed to enduring positive social changes; he is a hero to all the lives he has touched. Works Cited Boan, Devon. “A Christmas Carol.” Masterplots II: Christian Literature (2007): 1-2. Print. Dickens, Charles. A Christmas Carol. Web. 16 July 2011 . Goldstein, Marc. “Christmas Carol.” Masterplots, Fourth Edition (2010): 1-3. Print, Vann, J. Don. “A Christmas Carol.” Masterplots II: Juvenile & Young Adult Literature Series (1997): 1-2. Print. Read More