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Character Development of Scrooge in Dickens' A Christmas Carol

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Character Development of Scrooge in Dickens' A Christmas Carol
Prose coursework: How does Dickens develop the character of scrooge throughout the novel?

In the story A Christmas Carol , my reaction changed towards Scrooge through each stave. In the first opening stave, you felt as if Scrooge was an inconsiderate, horrible man. Throughout the rest of the staves you start to feel bad for Scrooge and almost forgive him. Also his past reflects his personality in the future. This influences my reaction towards Scrooge as Dickens uses contradicting and contrasting techniques. The moral I received was; dickens is trying to convey to the reader is that you can always be forgiven for what you have done in the past.

In stave one Dickens uses aggressive language ‘Oh! But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner!’ this gives you the impression that Scrooge is a wicked man.

Scrooge treats poor people unfairly. Dickens includes images of the workhouses were the less wealthy people work. , ‘``Many can't go there; and many would rather die.''
``If they would rather die,'' said Scrooge, ``they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population. Besides excuse me I don't know that”’ This shows the difference between rich and poor in that time period, As well as producing a stronger dislike towards Scrooge.

In stave two dickens changes the readers perception of Scrooge changes. This is done by showing the past of scrooge, when he was a little boy. ‘“The school is not quite deserted,'' said the Ghost. ``A solitary child, neglected by his friends, is left there still.”’ You feel sympathy for Scrooge because he is shown a deserted and solitary child, this also reflects on the previous text “solitary as an oyster”. This is were we begin to think of the reflection on his presence.

Fezziwig is introduced, he treats Scrooge nicely and with respect. You feel sympathy towards him because he does not have anyone like this in the presence ‘“Why,

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