Ebenezer Scrooge
from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Now here's a character that has created quite the bad reputation for himself! Granted, he is one of the meanest, crustiest, greediest, orneriest guys in literature. Yet, in the end, we sometimes forget the great turn around he makes.... that change of heart that many people could benefit by if they understand fully the message of this story, which for me is contained in this wonderful quote:
"I will honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all year long."
Too bad he is not remembered for that one, but instead for "Bah! Humbug!"
There's been many many portrayals of Scrooge over the years, and I've seen very few of them. The one that usually comes to my mind when I think of him is the Alastair Sim versions done in 1951. (Here's the clip I wanted to show, but of course I can't embed it this time, so if you want to see which one I'm talking about, click on over to YouTube!) Watching this movie must have been the first time I'd even heard of this story.
So what's your feeling about Scrooge? Do you think he deserves to be remembered as the bad guy? Or do you think we should focus more often on the change he made? And finally, what/who is your favorite portrayal of Ebenezer Scrooge?
"Bah! Humbug!" is just so fun to say! I am sure that is why that quote stuck. But I think he should get more credit for the change that he made in the end and not be remembered as the bad guy.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't really thought about it, but you are right that he has a bad reputation when he really shouldn't. At least he did see what he had become and make the effort to change and then actually follow through with it. How many people would have gone through what he went through and still said, "Bah, humbug!" I had completely forgotten that Christmas quote. You know he gets it when he says that. It's not just the season, it's a feeling that we should strive for throughout the year.
ReplyDeleteAs for my favorite Scrooge? It's gotta be Scrooge McDuck. Mickey's Christmas Carol was probably my first exposure to the story.
Great, thought-provoking post!
There's nothing better than seeing the crusty, miserly, cold-hearted Scrooge make his remarkable change. Too bad that he's more associated with "Bah humbug!" than with keeping the spirit of Christmas all year long. I think Patrick Stewart made a good Scrooge!
ReplyDeleteI'm re-reading A Christmas Carol right now--I love Scrooge!
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