AN ANALYSIS OF MORAL LESSON IN CHARLES DICKENS’
A
CHRISTMAS CAROL
A THESIS
BY:
JUNASTRI ELFINA R. SIAHAAN
Reg.No:060705019
UNIVERSITY Of SUMATRA UTARA
FACULTY Of LETTERS
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
MEDAN
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
All praise and grateful to the almighty God, and his son Jesus Christ who has given the writer health, chance and ability to finish this thesis in the proper time.
There are so many steps has been done by the writer to make this thesis complete and ready to presented as a thesis of the first graduate. The writer gets so many helps, support and motivation from many people to process of doing this thesis, from the beginning until the end.
First, the writer would like to thanks to her supervisor and co-supervisor, Drs. Parlindungan Purba, M.hum and Drs. Siamir Marulafau, M.hum for their guidance, support, advice and constructive comments during the writing of this thesis.
Her sincere gratitude also goes to the dean of faculty of letters, University of Sumatra Utara, Prof. Syaifuddin, M.A, Ph.D., the head and the secretary of English department, Dra. Swesana Mardia Lubis, M.hum, Drs. Parlindungan Purba, M.hum, and all the lectures, and the staffs of English Department for the facilities and opportunities given to me during my study in this university.
Her special thanks to her beloved parents, her late mother, B. Napitupulu, who has love her very much, has given her support and prayer. And her beloved sister Yusi Siahaan for giving her a great love, support, attention and material during her study. Furthermore, my great thanks are for all of my brother Bollonner Siahaan, Ronny Siahaan, Tulus Siahaan, Fengky Siahaan, Chandra Siahaan and my other sister Vera Siahaan and the last Natalia Siahaan who also support and pray for her. Thanks also for all of my nephews, thanks for your pray.
ABSTRACT
TABLE Of CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDMENTS
ABSTRACT
TABLE Of CONTENTS
CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION
1.1 The Background of the Analysis
1.2. The Problems of analysis
1.3 The Objectives Of the Analysis
1.4. The Significance of the Analysis
1.5 The Scope Of the Analysis
1.6 Review Of The Related Literature
CHAPTER II. THE METHOD OF ANALYSIS
2.1
The Source of Data
2.2. Data Collecting Procedure
3.3. The Analysis of Data
CHAPTER III. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
3.1. General Concepts of Moral
3.2. Characters
3.3. Novel
CHAPTER IV. MORAL LESSON ANALYSIS IN “
A CHRISTMAS
CAROL”
CHAPTER IV. CONCLUSSION AND SUGGESTION
5.1. Conlussion
5.2. Suggestion
BIBILIOGRAPHY
APPENDICS
Appendix 1. SUMMARY OF THE NOVEL
ABSTRACT
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
1.1.The Background of Analysis
The word Literature derives from the Latin ‘littera’ (‘letter’) that refers to the written or printed works (Wellek 1965:1). But, not all of the written and printed works can be said as literature because literary languages are different with the other writing text. The subject matters of literature is subjective because its language is connotative, while other writing such as the medical, history, geography use the scientific language, so they can not be classified as literary works.
According to Wellek and Warren (1965:15) literature is creative, an art. Said creative because literature is product of mind; it means that literature comes from the imaginative mind of author who had the talent to create stories. He perceived what was happening around them from natural phenomena to the lives of the people in their community, and makes them in a written form. However, here the writers did not just tell what had happened, they select the sources or the events they had seen or read and organized a series of related events into a plot and combine them to be an artistic writing. Literature said as art because the language used is beautiful in terms of exaggerate such as the using of figure of speech.
Character is an important element in novel. Character is a person who acts in the story. Characterization is the author’s way in describing his characters in a literary work, or it is the author’s means of differentiating one character to another, how the behavior of every characters, whether she/he is a good person or a bad person.
Novels may provide their readers with some knowledge, since novels contain some aspects of human life such as social aspects, cultural aspects and moral aspect. Through the moral aspects the readers can get some lessons that conveyed by authors in their novel. Usually moral values are described through the characters’ attitude, conduct and behavior; whether the characters have good value or bad value according to moral standard. Moral standard form some rules which acceptable in society, appreciated and believed is truth.
According to Oxford Dictionary (2004:98) defines moral is concerned with goodness or badness of characters or disposition, or with the distinction between right and wrong. A person said has moral if he/she good in character or conduct, virtuous according to civilized standards of right and wrong, capable of understanding right and wrong. In addition, Rachels (2006:2) said that moral is the attempt to achieve a systematic understanding of the nature of morality and what it requires of us, how we must live and why. It means that everyone cannot separate from the arrangement based on the principles of right in their custom and obey to life norm as a moral standard which acceptable in society.
from this novel such as about greediness, charity, goodness, miserly and selfishness that described through some characters of this novel and what the relations of them with the moral are.
A Christmas Carol is one of the most recognizable stories in English literature. The story tells about Ebenezer Scrooge as the protagonist. He is an owner of a London counting house. A wealthy, elderly man, but Scrooge is known as miser, greedy, never help the poor person, and misanthropic: he has no wife or children and have no friend; he throws out two men collecting for charity; he underpays his loyal clerk, Bob Cratchit; and he dismisses the Christmas dinner invitation of his kind nephew, Fred. He does not like about Christmas, he said it as a humbug.
1.2.The Problem of Analysis
There are some problems in this novel, which need to find out. The problems that the writer find out as having relation to:
1. How the greediness, miserly, selfishness, kindness, charity, described in A Christmas Carol through the characters?
2. What are relations of greediness, miserly, selfishness, kindness, charity, with moral?
1.3. The Objectives of the Analysis
Concerning with the problem above, this analysis is intended to achieve some objectives:
1. To find out greediness, miserly, selfishness, kindness, and charity, in A Christmas carol.
2. To find out relations of greediness, miserly selfishness, kindness, and charity with moral.
1.4. The Significance of the Analysis
There is some significance in writing this thesis. The first significance of the analysis is to make me understand about literary works especially of Charles dickens’ works.
1.5. The Scope of Analysis
In writing this thesis, the writer limits the scope of my analysis. In Charles dickens’s A Christmas Carol, only discuss about moral lesson through the characters, which described in this story. Moral lesson can be found just from what they say and do as portrayed in the novel, whether that is bad or good according to moral value.
1.6. The Review of Related Literature
To support my analysis, I have used some books, which are related to this topic. The following books are the main sources in finding data and information to analyze this novel, such as:
1 Theory of Literature by Rene Welleck and Austeen Warren. This book describes how literature as a social institution using language as its medium in creating social relationship and the novelist becomes the member of the society.
2 The elements of moral philosophy by James Rachels. This book tells about what is moral.
3 Literature an Introduction to reading and writing by Edgar V. Roberts and Henry E. Jacob. This book tells about what is literary work, kinds of literary works and elements of literary works.
CHAPTER II
THE METHOD OF ANALYSIS
2.1
The Source of Data
The sources of data for this thesis are from the novel Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and some critical books have close relation with novel, which will be discussed later. In analyzing this novel, writer would have picked out many books to be looked into other references and as guidance. The data is not fully copied, although there are some quotations.
2.2
Data Collecting Procedure
In collecting the data, writer needs some instrument for this thesis. The technique used by gathering all the data from the library or from internet and other supporting material relevant to the topic of the thesis as her as possible, then she begin to read the data carefully, to take down notes and composes it properly. The whole data, the quotation will be put in her thesis later on and find out the relation with the study. The right data is divided into parts to suit the parts of the study. All of the data are read carefully line by line to find out the relation with the study.
2.3
The Analysis of Data
to get deep understanding about the novel, second, the writer selects the important information about moral lesson in that novel. Third, the writer quotes the text and makes the quotation as the data to support the analysis. Fourth, the writer would make interpretation base on the data that have been already taken before. The last is the writer would make further analysis about moral lesson that found in novel A Christmas Carol.
CHAPTER III
THEORYTICAL FRAMEWORK
3.1. General Concept of MoralThe word moral derives from Latin word, mores, the plural of mos. It has meanings that are “manners, custom, conduct, and the way of life”.
According to Runes (1977:202) moral is sometimes used as equivalent to “ethics” more frequently it is used to designate the codes, conduct, and custom of individuals, or of groups, as when one speaks of the morals, of a person or of a people. Here it is equivalent to the Greek word ethos and the Latin mores. Ethics (also referred to as moral philosophy) is that study or discipline which concerns itself with judgments as to the rightness, or wrongness, goodness, or badness, virtue or vice desirability or wisdom of actions, dispositions, end, objects or states of affairs.
Some meanings of moral are:
1. Having to do with human activities that are looked upon as good or bad, right and wrong, correct and incorrect
2. Conforming to the accepted rules of what is considered right (virtuous, just, proper conduct).
3. Having a capacity to be directed by (influenced by) an awareness of right and wrong, and the capacity to direct (influence) others according to rules of conduct judged right or wrong.
4. Pertaining to the manner in which one behaves in relationship with others. (Peter A Angeles 1981:179)
among right and wrong intensions, thoughts or actions and to arrange of human conducts. Based on Burhanuddin Salam (2000: 2-3) moral is:
“Moral mempunyai pengertian yang sama dengan kesusilaan, memuat ajaran tentang baik buruknya perbuatan. Jadi, perbuatan itu dinilai sebagai perbuatan yang baik atau perbuatan yang buruk. Penilaian itu menyangkut perbuatan yang dilakukan dengan sengaja. Etika ialah suatu ilmu yang membicarakan masalah perbuatan atau tingkah laku manusia, mana yang dapat dinilai baik dan mana yang jahat”.
Translation; “Moral has the same meaning with ethics, which contains the lesson about the good and bad of our conduct. So, conduct is evaluated as the good conduct or the bad conduct. The evaluation concerns the action, which is done expressly. Ethics is science, which talks about of human action or behavior, which can be evaluated as good and bad conduct”.
A moral is the right to do. A person said has moral if he/she is good in character or conduct, virtuous according to civilized standards of right and wrong. A person gets a moral from what they do, think, and say. Moral employs terms such as good and bad, right and wrong to express preferences, decisions and choices or to criticizes, grade, persuade, praise, blame, and encourage. In other word, moral norms are standards to decide whether human conduct is right or wrong and bad or good.
World book encyclopedia (2006:1349) says:
Moral is good in character or conducts, such as:
2. capable of understanding right and wrong 3. Having to do with character or with the difference between right and wrong
4. based on the principles of right conduct rather than on law custom. 5. teaching a good lesson; having a good influenced.
Moral has three principal meanings:
In its "descriptive" sense, moral refers to objectively right or wrong, but only referring to what is considered right or wrong by thought to cause benefit or harm, but it is possible that many moral beliefs are based on prejudice, ignorance or even hatred.
In its regardless of what people think. It could be defined as the conduct of the ideal "moral" person in a certain situation. This usage of the term is characterized by "definitive" statements such as "That act is immoral" rather than descriptive ones such as "Many believe that act is immoral."
Like moral, ethics also described goodness and badness of humans conduct. However, a distinction is sometimes made between morals and ethics.
According to dictionary philosophy (1981), ethics derives from Greek, ethikos, from word ethos, that has some meanings: “usage,” “character, “custom,” “disposition,” and “manners”) which explain further as:
1. the analysis of concepts such as “ought,” “should,” “duty,” “moral rules,” “right,” “wrong,” “obligation,” “ responsibility,” etc.
2. the inquire into the nature of morality or moral acts. 3. the search for morally good life.
Based on wikipedia, free encyclopedia; ethics (also known as moral philosophy) is a branch of philosophy, which seeks to address questions about moral; that is, about concepts such as good and bad, right and wrong, justice, and virtue.
group to which the individual belongs. This could be national ethics,
A moral theory can be conveniently divided into three parts.
First, there is a moral standard, a criterion or test of what is right or wrong. It has the general form:
"Those actions are right that possess characteristic X."
Thus, those and only those actions are right that possess some characteristic X. We could fill in X by a phrase such as, "producing the greatest total amount of human well-being" or "equally respect the humanity of each person." Obviously these expressions need further definition. What do we mean by human well-being? What do we mean by respect for the humanity of each person? These questions would have to be answered in an adequate moral theory.
Second, moral principles serve to categorize different types of actions as right or wrong. Moral principles have the following form:
"Those actions of type Y are right (or wrong)."
Such actions are right because they conform to the moral standard by
Third, moral judg ments are statements about the rightness or wrongness of particular actions. Moral judgments have the following form:
"Action Z is right (or wrong)."
Examples of moral judgments would be "someone should not have bribed the foreign official to buy his product" or "someone should not have agreed to work on the defensecontract". Moral judgments apply moral standards or moral principles to specific situations. They are thus the ultimate goal of moral reasoning.
From distinguish between moral and ethic can be concluded that moral is a conduct, which has been determined by ethic. Conduct that has been determined by ethics concerned with good and bad and said as moral. Said good if the conduct, which is absolutely known by ethics as goodness, and said bad if the conduct, which is absolutely known by ethics as badness.
Moral is divided into two parts; they are personal moral and social moral. There is a fundamental difference between personal moral and social moral. Personal moral defines how we personally respond to life from or within our own integrity, and within our own personal values. Social moral defines how we respond to our environment, our immediate community and the world community. We are all personally guided by our own sense of what is right and wrong. Socially, we must be guided as well.
Moral also can be measured subjectively and objectively. Conscience gives subjective criterion, while norm give objective criterion. When Conscience wants implying something right, then norm will help to search a moral goodness.
out someone’s conduct. Moral related to morality. Morality is politeness, everything that related with etiquette and politeness. Morality is guidance, which is had of individual or society concerning to what is wrong and right according to moral standard. Morality can source from tradition and custom, religion or ideology. Moral standard is a standard, which interrelated to a case that having serious consequence, based on good reasoning not power authority, more than own interest, impartial and its breaches is associated withfeelings of guilt, shame, regret, etc.
In literature moral is a themselves, or may be explicitly encapsulated in a often be taken from the story itself; for instance, that "arrogance or overconfidence in one's abilities may lead to failure or the loss of an event, race, or contest". The use of complexity of personality and so spelling out the issues arising in the interplay between the characters, enables the writer to generate a clear message. With more rounded characters, such as those typically found in may be more nuanced but no less present, and the writer may point it up in other ways
(for example, th
3.2. Character
Dictionary of Literary Terms (1972:70) defines that:
Character is the aggregate of traits and features that form the nature of some person or animal. A person represented in a story, novel, play, etc.
Characters also refer to moral qualities and ethical standards and principles. In literature, character has several meanings notably that a person represented in a story, novel, play, etc. In 17th century England, a character was a formal; sketch or descriptive analysis of a particular virtue or vice as represented in a person, what is now more often called a character sketch.
In his book aspects of the novel (1990) E.M. Foster distinguishes two kinds of characters, those are:
1. Flat: a flat character is constructed round a single idea or quality; he is unchanging, static; at the end of the novel he I essentially what he has been throughout. His every response is predictable, the readers can anticipate exactly the character will react.
2. Round: quite the opposite is a character portrayed in the round. He is profoundly altered by his experiences. His responses take us by surprise. He does not embody a single idea or quality, but is much more complex.
1. Stereotypes
A stereotype is a conventional character representing a particular group or class or occupation. Because the character is conventional, he acts according to set patterns. His appearance is familiar, his speech is predictable, and his actions are standardized. Stereotyping is a simplified way of looking at people representative of a group rather than as individuals.
Stereotypes often seem true experience, not because they are exact replicas of people who walk in the streets, but because people whom we meet show some of the same traits of talking, dressing, and acting associated with types. Unquestionably, stereotypes in literature have had their effect in social attitudes. Despite the serious social and personal implications of stereotyping, it persists in literature as a quick means of characterization. The typical senator, the typical servant-these are all characterization that may be used by writer for a purpose, perhaps for comedy or satire. Stereotypes may also be related to races and ethics group. As an example, it is often said that the Irish are people who easily get angry.
2. Stocks characters
Closely related to stereotypes are stock characters. Even though the word ‘stock’ has close association with drama, stock figures appear in other genres as well. They are figures who because of their customary associations with dramatic situations have become conventions.
of a long tradition. Among other stock figures, one could talk of traditional scapegoats and fallen women.
3. Allegorical and symbolical characters
Allegorical characters are usually not given human names; they represent human attitudes and emotions. Allegorical characters are not symbolical ones. Any character may be interpreted as symbolical when it appears that his actions and words seem to represent some thought, view, or quality. A symbolical figure is one whose accumulated actions lead the readers to see him as something more than his own person, to see him as the embodiment of redemptive power or hope.
4. Full-dimensional characters
Full dimensional characters in literary works are usually described at greater length and revealed in more detail-they are capable of greater individuation. No doubt, many people whom we encounter casually and see only as stereotypes- the waitress, the cab driver, the servant-would be interesting subjects for study, but, just as in life, literature does not permit us to know every character equally well. Leading characters of a literary work are drawn in full; others are only sketched in to fill out the scene. Though poetry ordinarily does not permit the same space for character development that fiction and drama do, it is still possible to describe the full dimensionality of its characters.
Now let us see what the meaning of characterization is. Characterization is the author’s way of describing his characters in a literary work; or it is the author’s means of differentiating one character to another. Characters are closely related to the plot because character means actions, while actions from the plot of literary work.
Dictionary of Literary Terms (1972:71) defines that:
The creation of images of imaginary persons in drama, narrative poetry, the novel and the short story is called characterization. In effective narrative literature, fictional persons, through characterization, become so credible that they exist for the reader as real people.
Every reader is interested in people, or should be, because people are the most important single factor in individual lives. In fiction, a reader, primarily interested in individual concerned, has a natural tendency to identify with the ‘hero’ and to hate the ‘villain’ or to feel “for” “with” one individual or group and “against” another.
Writers uses any or all several basic means of characterization: a characters is revealed by (1) his actions, (2) his speech, (3) his thought, (4) his physical appearance, (5) what other characters say or think of him. Without characterization no thesis, no plot, and no setting can developed genuine interest for a reader or cause him to care what happen, to whom, and why.
Characterization, no mere by –product, is an essential part of plot. Character generates (causes) plot and plot result from, and is dependent upon, character.
An author may present his characters in two general ways, those are,
1. Directly, telling his readers the characters’ qualities.
2. Through actions, showing the characters’ deeds by which his characters may be revealed.
It has often been assumed that characters in a literary work can be judged from four levels characterization. These four levels of characterization are helpful for us to see the very basic description of characters. The four levels of characterization are:
1. Physical: physical level supplies such basic facts, as sex, age, and size. It is the simplest level of characterization because it reveals external traits only. 2. Social: A social level of characterization includes economic status,
profession, religion, family and social relationships –all those factors that place a character in his environment.
3. Psychological: this level reveals habitual responses, attitudes, desires, motivation, likes and dislikes –the inner workings of the mind, both emotional and intellectual which lead to action. Since feeling, thought, and behavior define a character more fully than physical and social traits and since a literary work usually arises from desires in conflict, the psychological level is the most essential parts of characterization.
moral crisis show whether he is selfish, a hypocrite, greedy, miserly, or he is the one who always acts according to his belief. A moral decision usually causes a character to examine his own motives and values, and in the process, his true nature is revealed both to himself and to the readers.
Reading a literary work, we often feel sympathy for a character; on the other hand, we may feel unsympathetic for another. A character’s honesty, boldness, or suffering may create a moving story that stirs our emotion and feeling. On the contrary, a character who is wicked, cruel, dishonest, etc, may give rise to our dislike. The ability of an author to describe his characters makes a reader feel that he is watching the reality of human life, and, consequently, the literary work becomes more interesting.
Millie and Yates (1982:228) say, “There are at least six methods by which an author can show characters”. They give an example of some ways that we may follow. The character describes in the example below has a strong will and won’t give up.
1. by what the person says:
“Give up? Don’t be silly. I haven’t even started yet!” 2. by what someone else says:
“Jenkins? A bulldog is a quieter compared to him”. 3. by his or action:
Wearily Marlene straightened her shoulders, took a deep breath, and tried again, as she had trying for hours, to make the figure balance.
4. by indicating his or her thoughts:
5. by the way that other people treat him or her:
Here was a mission on which only a person who would never quit could succeed. The colonel’s glance went swiftly down the eager line standing before him. Then, “banter you’re the one,” he barked.
6. By the author’s direct words: Sophia was a person who never gave up.
Roberts and Jacobs use five ways to present characters:
1. Action. What characters do is our best way to understand what they are. For example, walking in the woods is creation for most people, and it shows little about their characters.
2.description, both personal and environmental. Appearance and environment reveal much about a character’s social and economic status, of course, but they also tell us more about character traits.
3.dramatic statements and thought. 4. statements by the other character
5. statement by the author speaking and storyteller or observer.
3.3. Novel
his time. The novel is now the most widely read all of kinds of literature, and the new form of such kind of prose was then called ‘novel’ (novel means ‘new’).
Taylor (1981:460 says Novel is a form of literary work. Novel is normally a prose work of quite some length and complexity, which attempts to reflect and express something of the quality or value of human experience or conduct. Therefore, novel creates by authors to represent their life experience that they put in written form.
The novel deals with a human character in a social situation, man as a social being. The novel places more emphasis on character, especially one well-rounded character, than on plot. Another initial major characteristic of the novel is realism--a full and authentic report of human life.
The novel can be considered a work of imagination that is grounded in reality. On the other hand, during the middle Ages a popular literary form was the romance, a type of tale that describes the adventures, both natural and supernatural, of such figures of legend as the Trojan heroes, Alexander the Great, and King Arthur and his knights. Thus, the modern novel is rooted in two traditions, the mimetic and the fantastic, or the realistic and the romantic.
There are certain elements, which every novel has, and these are:
Plot
can be a series of apparently unrelated scenes, which are not shown to be connected until the end of the novel - there should be a beginning, middle and an end.
Sestting
The setting of a novel encompasses a number of different, but linked, elements:
• Time: day or night; summer or winter; the historical period (an actual date)
• Place: inside or outside; country or city; specific town and country; real or fictional
• Social: the minor characters who take little part in advancing the plot, but whose presence contributes to the realism of the novel
Characterization
Characters in a novel are the vehicles by which the author conveys to us his / her view of the world.
We learn about individual characters from their own words and actions; from what other characters say about them and the way others act towards them. Characters help to advance the plot and characters must grow and change in response to their experiences in the novel.
Theme
when confronting obstacles and resolving conflict in pursuit of their goal. It can be considered the foundation and purpose of your novel. Without purpose, the story becomes trivial.
. The theme gives the story focus, unity, impact and a 'point'. The theme becomes clear by looking at what happens to the major characters. If the main character survives while others do not, it shows us that the author is rewarding his (or her) behavior.
Point of view
Point of view is who is telling the story. This can be done several ways. In first person, one character is speaking in the "I" voice. Second person, which uses "you," is the least common point of view. Third person, which can be handled in a variety of ways, is the most often used method. In third person limited, the narrator can only go inside the head of the character telling the story. This requires the character to be in every scene, which must be told through their eyes. Third person omniscient gives the author the most freedom. Using this, the author can have different point of view characters for different scenes.
Style and presentation.
This is the way the story is written.
There are four main ways a story can be presented (and countless combinations of these):
3 the author refers to all characters in the third person, but reveals only what can be seen, heard or thought by a central character
4 the author refers to each character in the third person and describes what most or all of the characters see, hear and think; the author can also describe events which do not concern any of the characters
The author can adopt:
1 a subjective point of view, which means he / she judges and interprets the characters for the reader
2 or an objective view, in which the author presents events and allows the reader to make judgments
CHAPTER IV
Moral Lesson Analysis in “A Christmas Carol”
In this thesis the writer would like to analyze about moral in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol; greediness, miserly, selfishness, kindness, charity. The story is about the personal transformation of the protagonist, Ebenezer Scrooge, the owner of a London counting house. He is a wealthy, elderly man, but is considered greed, miserly and misanthropic. He has no wife, friend and children and because of his bad attitude nobody likes him, it can be seen from quote below:
Nobody ever stopped him in the street to say, with gladsome looks, “My dear Scrooge, how are you? When will you come to see me?” No beggars implored him to bestow a trifle, no children asked him what it was o’clock, no man or woman ever once in all his life inquired the way to such and such a place, of Scrooge. Even the blind men’s dogs appeared to know him; and when they saw him coming on, would tug their owners into doorways and up courts; and then would wag their tails as though they said, “No eye at all is better than an evil eye, dark master!” (Dickens 1983:8)
He cares nothing for the people around him and humanity except only for the money that can be made through exploitation and intimidation. He do not care although all of people hate him, it can be proved how his opinion toward them in quote below:
But what did Scrooge care! It was the very thing he liked. To edge his way along the crowded paths of life, warning all human sympathy to keep its distance, was what the knowing ones call “nuts” to Scrooge.
be converted into caring, and socially conscious members of society. His partner Jacob Marley who was dead seven years ago comes to warn him and sends him three ghost; ghost of Christmas past, ghost of Christmas present and ghost of Christmas Yet to come. Marley warns Scrooge that he is living the wrong way. He pays too much attention to his money and not enough attention to the people around him. Scrooge's interest should be in fellow human beings in helping them and loving them not in counting his own wealth. Marley did not learn until he became a ghost that charity and kindness were the important aspects of living, but by then it was too late. Quote below showing how ghost Marley comes to warn Scrooge that every people who bad in character will be punished. Marley wants Scrooge changes his attitude so that he will not get punishment like Marley:
“Hear me!” cried the Ghost. “My time is nearly gone.”
“I will,” said Scrooge. “But don’t be hard upon me! Don’t be flowery, Jacob! Pray!”
“How it is that I appear before you in a shape that you can see, I may not tell. I have sat invisible beside you many and many a day.”
It was not an agreeable idea. Scrooge shivered, and wiped the perspiration from his brow.
“That is no light part of my penance,” pursued the Ghost. “I am here to-night to warn you, that you have yet a chance and hope of escaping my fate. A chance and hope of my procuring, Ebenezer.”
“You were always a good friend to me,” said Scrooge. “Thank’ee!”
“You will be haunted,” resumed the Ghost, “by Three Spirits.” Scrooge’s countenance fell almost as low as the Ghost’s had done.
“Is that the chance and hope you mentioned, Jacob?” he demanded, in a faltering voice.
for our community. The writer found so much moral lesson from the process of Scrooge’s attitude transformation.
4.1. Greediness
Scrooge's greed keeps Bob Cratchit and his family poor by underpaid Bob Cratchit, a weekly salary of fifteen shillings. Fifteen shillings of course not enough for his family, and that salary unrelated with his job as a clerk in full time. Actually, Scrooge can afford to pay Bob well, but he offers just a little salary. Of course, this is a bad attitude for us as a human. As an employer, Scrooge must be justice for his employee and give a good salary. That is his duty to treat Bob well. His greed can be proved from quote below:
“There’s another fellow,” muttered Scrooge; who overheard him: “my clerk, with fifteen shillings a week, and a wife and family, talking about a merry Christmas. I’ll retire to Bedlam.” (Dickens 1983:14)
Scrooge also forced his clerk, Bob Crachit working in Christmas day in fulltime, in beginning Bob said that it better if just a half, but Scrooge will not pay him if he do not. He was asked to work on Christmas Eve day as he has done many times. According to Scrooge, it is impossible if he paid Bob for no work in fulltime. Of course, it is not relevant, because that time everyman celebrated Christmas. The dialog between Scrooge and Bob in quote below shows Scrooge’s greed:
“You’ll want all day to-morrow, I suppose?” said Scrooge. “If quite convenient, sir.”
The clerk observed that it was only once a year.
“A poor excuse for picking a man’s pocket every twenty-fifth of December!” said Scrooge, buttoning his great-coat to the chin. “But I suppose you must have the whole day. Be here all the earlier next morning.” (Dickens1983:14-15)
Actually, Scrooge’ greediness was influenced by his partner, Jacob Marley who was dead seven years ago. During his life, he also lives as a greedy man. Marley's greed caused him to miss the most important part of living people. He was so focused on business and so money. He missed so many opportunities for happiness. He neglected the people around him and focused only on his own wealth, and for that, he is punished to spend eternity walking in chains and watching joy without being a part of it. .Marley is forced to spend eternity wandering around wanting to help people and being unable to do so. He is being punished in death for his greed in life. This punishment just only a sanction for them who have a bad attitude when their life, for them who have a bad moral as a human being. It can be seen from quote bellow:
“It is required of every man,” the Ghost returned, “that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellowmen, and travel far and wide; and if that spirit goes not forth in life, it is condemned to do so after death. It is doomed to wander through the world—oh, woe is me!—and witness what it cannot share, but might have shared on earth, and turned to happiness!” Again the spectre raised a cry, and shook its chain and wrung its shadowy hands.
“You are fettered,” said Scrooge, trembling. “Tell me why?” “I wear the chain I forged in life,” replied the Ghost. “I made it link by link, and yard by yard; I girded it on of my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it. Is its pattern strange to you?” Scrooge trembled more and more.
“Or would you know,” pursued the Ghost, “the weight and length of the strong coil you bear yourself? It was full as heavy and as long as this, seven Christmas Eves ago. You have laboured on it, since. It is a ponderous chain!” …..
Ghost had said, he did so now, but without lifting up his eyes, or getting off his knees.(Dickens 1983:22)
Another Scrooge’s greed is when he drives Belle, the young woman he loves and his fiancé in the past. She cannot stay with him anymore because Scrooge has made profit his main priority and she will not be second priority in his life. Scrooge really is so interested in his own profit that he does not make her stay with him because he realizes that she is right about his priorities. Because money is all that matters to him, money is all he is left with and he love money more than love to the girl. Belle marries and has a family while Scrooge grows old, and rich, alone. Quote below shows the event when Belle determines to left Scrooge because his greed for money and wealth:
“It matters little,” she said, softly. “To you, very little. Another idol has displaced me; and if it can cheer and comfort you in time to come, as I would have] tried to do, I have no just cause to grieve.”
“What Idol has displaced you?” he rejoined. “A golden one.” (Dickens 1983:40)
“Belle,” said the husband, turning to his wife with a smile, “I saw an old friend of yours this afternoon.”
“Who was it?” “Guess!”
“How can I? Tut, don’t I know?” she added in the same breath, laughing as he laughed. “Mr. Scrooge.”
“Mr. Scrooge it was. I passed his office window; and as it was not shut up, and he had a candle inside, I could scarcely help seeing him. His partner lies upon the point of death, I hear; and there he sat alone. Quite alone in the world, I do believe.” “Spirit!” said Scrooge in a broken voice, “remove me from this place.”
“I told you these were shadows of the things that have been,” said the Ghost. “That they are what they are, do not blame me!” “Remove me!” Scrooge exclaimed, “I cannot bear it!”(Dickens 1983:43)
The Scrooge the final consequences of his greed and even toys with him a few times. Scrooge sees in his future that he has died, alone, unloved by anyone and no one care with his death. However, there is more comfort than grief in the wake of his death, the men attending his funeral only going for a free lunch. In addition, Fred is glad to be inheriting his wealth, and Scrooge is even robbed by his former house cleaner, even stripping the clothes he was buried in Every people around Scrooge had known about his greediness. Although they do not like this attitude, they also show their greediness as a pay back for Scrooge. The people are talking about their plan to attending the burial of Scrooge. They will go if there are so much lunch is provided. Quote below shows how people around him do not care about his death as consequences for Scrooge’s greed:
“It’s likely to be a very cheap funeral,” said the same speaker; “for upon my life I don’t know of anybody to go to it. Suppose we make up a party and volunteer?”
The greed of the people who robbed a dead man astounds and unnerves Scrooge because the thieves feel no remorse for what they have done. They are profiting from a man's death, and they do not feel bad about it because they had no feeling of good will or common decency toward the man at all. They act as if he deserved to be robbed because he was such a bad person, and all the while Scrooge watches the scene, he has no idea that he is the dead man who was robbed, as shown in this quote:
“Well!” said the first. “Old Scratch has got his own at last, hey?” “That’s your account,” said Joe, “and I wouldn’t give another sixpence, if I was to be boiled for not doing it. Who’s next?”
Mrs. Dilber was next. Sheets and towels, a little wearing apparel, two old-fashioned silver teaspoons, a pair of sugar-tongs, and a few boots. Her account was stated on the wall in the same manner.
“I always give too much to ladies. It’s a weakness of mine, and that’s the way I ruin myself,” said old Joe. “That’s your account. If you asked me for another penny, and made it an open question, I’d repent of being so liberal and knock off half-a-crown.”
“And now undo my bundle, Joe,” said the first woman.
Joe went down on his knees for the greater convenience of opening it, and having unfastened a great many knots, dragged out a large and heavy roll of some dark stuff.
“What do you call this?” said Joe. “Bed-curtains!”
“Ah!” returned the woman, laughing and leaning forward on her crossed arms. “Bed-curtains!”
“You don’t mean to say you took ’em down, rings and all, with him lying there?” said Joe.
“Yes I do,” replied the woman. “Why not?”(Dickens 1983:75)
Another consequence for Scrooge’s greediness is when another take all of his money that he has saved for a long time. Scrooge observe that is in vain to collect so much money and now is robbed. It can be seen from this quote:
one away from him when he was alive, to profit us when he was dead! Ha, ha, ha!” (Dickens 1983:76)
4.2. Miserly
Scrooge is wealthy and has so much money, but he is a miser for himself and another people. Actually, he can buy so much fuel, but he does not do that. He uses a little coal as a fuel and more little for his clerk. He will not even allow his clerk to have enough coal to keep him warm. He insists on saving money by burning only enough coal to keep a small flame glowing whether the heat that it puts out is sufficient to keep the clerk warm. Quote below shows Scrooge’s miser for himself and for his clerk:
The door of Scrooge’s counting-house was open that he might keep his eye upon his clerk, who in a dismal little cell beyond, a sort of tank, was copying letters Scrooge had a very small fire, but the clerk’s fire was so very much smaller that it looked like one coal. But he couldn’t replenish it, for Scrooge kept the coal-box in his own room; and so surely as the clerk came in with the shovel, the master predicted that it would be necessary for them to part. Wherefore the clerk put on his white comforter, and tried to warm himself at the candle; in which effort, not being a man of a strong imagination, he failed. (Dickens 1983:9)
Scrooge miser also can be seen when he throw out two little singing beggar from his counting house. Both of them want singing for Scrooge, but Scrooge ask them go with the ruler in his hand. Of course, this is a bad attitude. As a wealthy man, he should help them because it is the duty of the rich one to help the poor one. However, Scrooge does not care about it, and can be proved from quote below:
Scrooge seized the ruler with such energy of action that the singer fled in terror, leaving the keyhole to the fog and even more congenial frost. (Dickens 1983:14)
As a rich man, actually Scrooge can buy everything he likes. However, because his miser he do not do that. His chamber very dark, no lamp there, no fire with enough coals just a lithe candle. Actually with his big money he can buy a good lamp or much fuel, but he do not wasting his money for it. He likes that darkness because according to him it is cheap. It can be proved by quote below:
Half-a-dozen gas-lamps out of the street wouldn’t have lighted the entry too well, so you may suppose that it was pretty dark with Scrooge’s dip. Up Scrooge went, not caring a button for that. Darkness is cheap, and Scrooge liked it. (Dickens 1983: 17)
Scrooge's nephew, his only living relative is a poor man, and although Scrooge has so much money he never helps his nephew family financially, he does not because he cannot bear to part with his wealth. He prefers to save his money than give it a little for his other family. He loves money more than loves to his family. Of course, Fred’s wife disliked his bad behavior. Scrooge’s miser for his nephew can be seen in this quote:
“I’m sure he is very rich, Fred,” hinted Scrooge’s niece. “At least you always tell me so.”
4.3. Selfishness
Another of bad moral of Scrooge is selfishness. Every year Fred, his nephew always comes to invite him dinner in Christmas day, but he always rejects it. He would prefer chose to manage his business than gather with his family in Christmas Eve. Scrooge do not like Christmas and said it as humbug. Actually, when he was young, he used to like Christmas, but after he be a rich man, he forgets this Christmas. Scrooge has thrown Christmas out from his mind and do not care anymore for Fred, his only family. He thinks that Christmas cannot give a wealth, so that it is in vain for Fred to celebrate Christmas every year because he still poor enough. Here can be seen that Scrooge do not realize that a family is very important for him. He do not know that with family he can share everything, sadness, happiness, and success. Although he has so much money, it is in vain because money can not help him when he alone in a problem. It can be proved from quote below:
“A merry Christmas, uncle! God save you!” cried a cheerful voice. It was the voice of Scrooge’s nephew, who came upon him so quickly that this was the first intimation he had of his approach.
“Bah!” said Scrooge, “Humbug!”
“Christmas a humbug, uncle!” said Scrooge’s nephew. “You don’t mean that, I am sure?”
“I do,” said Scrooge. “Merry Christmas! What right have you to be merry? What reason have you to be merry? You’re poor enough.
“Don’t be angry, uncle. Come! Dine with us to-morrow.” … “Nay, uncle, but you never came to see me before that happened. Why give it as a reason for not coming now?” (Dickens 1983: 11)
must do. Scrooge is too selfish. Scrooge sees nothing wrong with refusing to donate to charity because he believes that people who need of charity are all idle. Scrooge rejects to give charity for donating collectors. He shows his selfishness by said that the poor is not his business. He chooses to see them die so that can decrease surplus population. Quote below shows his selfishness for people around him especially for poor people:
“At this festive season of the year, Mr. Scrooge,” said the gentleman, taking up a pen, “it is more than usu`ally desirable that we should make some slight provision for the Poor and destitute, who suffer greatly at the present time. Many thousands are in want of common necessaries; hundreds of thousands are in want of common comforts, sir.” …
We choose this time, because it is a time, of all others, when Want is keenly felt, and Abundance rejoices. What shall I put you down for?”
“Nothing!” Scrooge replied. “You wish to be anonymous?”
“I wish to be left alone,” said Scrooge. “Since you ask me what I wish, gentlemen, that is my answer. I don’t make merry myself at Christmas and I can’t afford to make idle people merry. I help to support the establishments I have mentioned— they cost enough; and those who are badly off must go there.” “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.”
“But you might know it,” observed the gentleman.
“It’s not my business,” Scrooge returned. “It’s enough for a man to understand his own business, and not to interfere with other people’s. Mine occupies me constantly. Good afternoon, gentlemen!” (Dickens 1983:13)
those he might well consider an unnecessary surplus, could very well be those like Tim. He regrets for his selfishness, it can be seen in quote below:
“I see a vacant seat,” replied the Ghost, “in the poor chimney-corner, and a crutch without an owner, carefully preserved. If these shadows remain unaltered by the Future, the child will die.”
“No, no,” said Scrooge. “Oh, no, kind Spirit! say he will be spared.”
“If these shadows remain unaltered by the Future, none other of my race,” returned the Ghost, “will find him here. What then? If he be like to die, he had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.”
Scrooge hung his head to hear his own words quoted by the Spirit, and was overcome with penitence and grief. (Dickens 1983:56)
The ghost of Christmas present takes Scrooge to the slum area; walk around to see the poor one. The ghost showing him the poor boy and girl,to see his empathy for them, but Scrooge prevent and try to say that them is well. He minds to help them. He still showing his selfishness and it can be seen in this quote:
“Oh, Man! look here. Look, look, down here!” exclaimed the Ghost.
4.4. Kindness
Ghost of Christmas past takes Scrooge to his unhappy life when he was young. Scrooge was a poor boy, but kind. His father did not like with him and throw him out from home. His kind sister, Fan helped him and make effort to bring him back home, she asked her father to allow scrooge back home. Scrooge tries to memorize that event, and he very surprise that apparently in his past life had sibling that very kind to him, and now he does not pay back that kindness to his nephew, son of Fan. When the Ghost of Christmas Past reminds Scrooge of his beloved sister, Fan, he also mentions that her only son, Scrooge’s nephew, survives Fannie. Scrooge is made uneasyby this because he has no relationship with Fannie's son. He was harsh with the young man that afternoon, although the nephew only wanted to invite Scrooge to Christmas dinner and share the joy of the season. Scrooge forgets Fan’s kindness to him. Fred’s kindness for Scrooge can be in this from this quote:
It opened; and a little girl, much younger than the boy, came darting in, and putting her arms about his neck, and often kissing him, addressed him as her “Dear, dear brother
“I have come to bring you home, dear brother!” said the child, clapping her tiny hands, and bending down to laugh. “To bring you home, home, home!”
“Home, little Fan?” returned the boy.
“Yes!” said the child, brimful of glee. “Home, for good and all. Home, for ever and ever. Father is so much kinder than he used to be, that home’s like Heaven! He spoke so gently to me one dear night when I was going to bed, that I was not afraid to ask him once more if you might come home. (Dickens 1983: 34)
kindness and good spirit makes Scrooge wish that he could speak with Bob Cratchit. Scrooge remembers how much easier his employer's kindness made his work seem. It was not that Fezziwig paid so well, but rather that he made his employees happy. Scrooge admired that about his former employer, but did not show it with Bob Cratchit, his own clerk. He realizes that his attitude for Bob is wrong. He feels regret not treat Bob as his clerk well, like Mr. fezziwig treat him as shown in this quote:
“Why! Is it not? He has spent but a few pounds of your mortal money: three or four perhaps. Is that so much that he deserves this praise?”
“It isn’t that,” said Scrooge, heated by the remark, and speaking unconsciously like his former, not his latter, self. “It isn’t that, Spirit. He has the power to render us happy or unhappy; to make our service light or burdensome; a pleasure or a toil. Say that his power lies in words and looks; in things so slight and insignificant that it is impossible to add and count ’em up: what then? The happiness he gives, is quite as great as if it cost a fortune.” (Dickens 1983: 40)
Although Scrooge never treats Bob Crachit well and did not pay him with enough salary, Bob abide very kind to him and bring him in their pray. Bob Cratchit drinks a Christmas toast to his employer's health. Here, Bob shows his kindness by did not pay back Scrooge’s evil with the evil too. Scrooge sees how kind Bob to him and regret has treat Bob injustice. From Bob’s attitude Scrooge learn how to be kind person:
“Mr. Scrooge!” said Bob; “I’ll give you Mr. Scrooge, the Founder of the Feast!”
“The Founder of the Feast indeed!” cried Mrs. Cratchit, reddening. “I wish I had him here. I’d give him a piece of my mind to feast upon, and I hope he’d have a good appetite for it.”
“It should be Christmas Day, I am sure,” said she, “on which one drinks the health of such an odious, stingy, hard, unfeeling man as Mr. Scrooge. You know he is, Robert! Nobody knows it better than you do, poor fellow!”
“My dear,” was Bob’s mild answer, “Christmas Day.”
“I’ll drink his health for your sake and the Day’s,” said Mrs. Cratchit, “not for his. Long life to him! A merry Christmas and a happy new year! He’ll be very merry and very happy, I have no doubt!”
The children drank the toast after her. It was the first of their proceedings which had no heartiness. Tiny Tim drank it last of all, but he didn’t care twopence for it. Scrooge was the Ogre of the family. The mention of his name cast a dark shadow on the party, which was not dispelled for full five minutes. (Dickens 1983: 57)
Scrooge always rejects Fred’s invitation for dinner in Christmas day, and he never helps his family poor, but Fred never hates and angry for his uncle. His wife and sister in law never like to Scrooge for his bad attitude, but Fred always ensure them that his uncle will change and wish someday Scrooge be a good man. Fred always kind and never give up to meet his uncle. Fred wishes his uncle no ill will. In fact, he pities the old miser because he is alone and unloved, as shown in quote below:
“I have no patience with him,” observed Scrooge’s niece. Scrooge’s niece’s sisters, and all the other ladies, expressed the same opinion
“Oh, I have!” said Scrooge’s nephew. “I am sorry for him; I couldn’t be angry with him if I tried. Who suffers by his ill whims! Himself, always. Here, he takes it into his head to dislike us, and he won’t come and dine with us. What’s the consequence? He don’t lose much of a dinner.” (Dickens 1983:6)
Scrooge’s attitude. He shows how much his love for Scrooge. It can be proved from quote below:
“He has given us plenty of merriment, I am sure,” said Fred, “and it would be ungrateful not to drink his health. Here is a glass of mulled wine ready to our hand at the moment; and I say, ‘Uncle Scrooge!’ ”
“Well! Uncle Scrooge!” they cried.
“A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to the old man, whatever he is!” said Scrooge’s nephew. “He wouldn’t take it from me, but may he have it, nevertheless. Uncle Scrooge!” (Dickens 1983:65)
Scrooge's nephew, Fred, believes that if he goes to see Scrooge every year at Christmas to spread a little good cheer and wish him a Merry Christmas, perhaps it will inspire Scrooge to be more giving. If nothing else, he hopes that it might inspire his uncle to give Bob Cratchit some sort of Christmas bonus. He hopes someday Scrooge will change to be a kind person as shown in this quote:
I mean to give him the same chance every year, whether he likes it or not, for I pity him. He may rail at Christmas till he dies, but he can’t help thinking better of it—I defy him—if he finds me going there, in good temper, year after year, and saying Uncle Scrooge, how are you? If it only puts him in the vein to leave his poor clerk fifty pounds, that’s something; and I think I shook him yesterday.” (Dickens 1983 :62)
humanity rather than money. He promises to raise Bob’s salary too. Quote below shows Scrooge has been a kind person to his clerk:
“Now, I’ll tell you what, my friend,” said Scrooge, “I am not going to stand this sort of thing any longer. And therefore,” he continued, leaping from his stool, and giving Bob such a dig in the waistcoat that he staggered back into the Tank again; “and therefore I am about to raise your salary!”(Dickens 1983: 90)
4.5. Charity
Ghost of Christmas past takes Scrooge to old school in his past life. There, they see a poor boy reading a book. Scrooge very pity to that boy and wants to give money as a charity for him. Of Course, the boy is Ebenezer Scrooge in the past. He has realized how poor he was in the past. When Scrooge sees himself as a small and miserable boy alone at Christmas, he regrets his harshness with the little boy who sang a Christmas carol at the counting house door on Christmas Eve. Remembering his own unhappiness and destitution as a child makes him wish he had given the caroler something to help him out. After reflecting on his own years as a miserable, lonely youth with the help of the Ghost of Christmas Past, Scrooge regrets not being more charitable to the young caroler as shown this quote:
Then, with a rapidity of transition very foreign to his usual character, he said, in pity for his former self, “Poor boy!” and cried again.
“I wish,” Scrooge muttered, putting his hand in his pocket, and looking about him, after drying his eyes with his cuff: “but it’s too late now.”
“What is the matter?” asked the Spirit.
Scrooge has been known as a miser, but now not anymore. When Scrooge sees his end, he regrets the way of life that he has chosen. He regrets the greed that has driven him to be cruel and hard to people. He regrets that he has not been a more charitable person in those past years and promises that he will change his ways so that he will not end as the way the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come showed him. In the morning of Christmas day, he goes out and merry to the boy who he has met in the road with Christmas. He asks the boy to search the poultry and promise will give him money as repayment. Scrooge has been more charitable now. It can be proved from this quote:
“No, no,” said Scrooge, “I am in earnest. Go and buy it, and tell ’em to bring it here, that I may give them the direction where to take it. Come back with the man, and I’ll give you a shilling. Come back with him in less than five minutes and I’ll give you half-a-crown!” (Dickens 1983:86)
Scrooge has learned how important to be a kind and caring person. After he realized his badness for along time, he wants to change his attitude. Now he has change to be a charitable person. The three ghosts have given him so much moral values. Then, in Christmas day, he buys the largest turkey he can find and sends it to the Cratchit home without revealing who donated the gift. He wants the Cratchits to enjoy the day. He has realized that it is his duty as a rich man to help the poor one, especially his employee. This quote shows Scrooge’s charity for Bob:
“I’ll send it to Bob Cratchit’s!” whispered Scrooge, rubbing his hands, and splitting with a laugh. “He sha’n’t know who sends it. It’s twice the size of Tiny Tim. Joe Miller never made such a joke as sending it to Bob’s will be!”
stood there, waiting his arrival, the knocker caught his eye. (Dickens 1983:87)
After send, a big turkey for Bob’s family, Scrooge continues his walk. He walks happily, and then meets one of the donations collectors who came to his office the previous day. Scrooge regrets his rude behavior of the previous day when the donation collectors came to his office. He was horrible and cold, and when he sees one of the collectors, he apologizes and he promises to donate a great sum of money to the noble cause. The collector is astonished by the display because Scrooge was so callous the day before. He surprise to hear scrooge promise. He is more charitable now for poor people as shown in quote below:
“Yes,” said Scrooge. “That is my name, and I fear it may not be pleasant to you. Allow me to ask your pardon. And will you have the goodness”—here Scrooge whispered in his ear.
“Lord bless me!” cried the gentleman, as if his breath were taken away. “My dear Mr. Scrooge, are you serious?”
“If you please,” said Scrooge. “Not a farthing less. A great many back-payments are included in it, I assure you. Will you do me that favour?”
“My dear sir,” said the other, shaking hands with him. “I don’t know what to say to such munifi—”
“Don’t
“I will!” cried the old gentleman. And it was clear he meant to do it.
say anything, please,” retorted Scrooge. “Come and see me. Will you come and see me?”
“Thank’ee,” said Scrooge. “I am much obliged to you. I thank you fifty times. Bless you!” (Dickens 1983:88)
Christmas. Scrooge pretends that he is angry with Cratchit for being late, and then he presents him with a raise. This generosity is so unlike Scrooge, Cratchit thinks perhaps he has gone mad. However, Scrooge insists on helping Bob's family, and so Tiny Tim is saved, and adopts him to be his child and Scrooge becomes like a second father to the young boy. Scrooge's charity helps the Cratchit family greatly. He has changed to be a good, kind, and charitable person as explained in this quote:
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
5.1. Conclusion
A Christmas Carol is a story that much explores about moral. Moral is concerned with goodness or badness of characters, or a basic of human to distinguish among right and wrong intensions, thoughts or actions and to arrange of human conducts. In literature moral is
In A Christmas Carol Dickens explores the morality about love of money over the love of family and people, but finally, changes to be a charitable person. From that novel, the writer found some moral lessons that can be learnt, such as greediness, miserly, selfishness, kindness, and charity.
Greediness is strong desire of a person for more wealth, possession, power than a person needs and wanting for more money, than he really needs. A greed person will do everything to achieve his want such as by cheat, rob, thieve and intimidate other people. Miserly is attitude when a person spends money, quantity or amount too small or loves money and hates to spend it. Usually a miser people never share with another, never help the poor one materially. Selfishness is person’s attitude that caring to much for himself and too little for others. A selfish person puts his own interest first and showing care solely or chiefly for one self. A selfish person never thinks about the other important as Scrooge does in this novel
expecting for a pay back. Kind also related to friendly in one’s conduct to person by showing friendliness, affectionate, and having a kind heart.
Charity is a person’s sympathy towards other people, caring, gentle, friendly and generous to them. A person said charitable when he helps other people who are poor or in need, in other words, that rich people have a duty to help the less fortunate through charity. A charitable person should make other people be his business and that caring for other man should be more important than making money. In this novel, the character finally shows his care attitude to other people around him and of course to his family
5.2. Suggestion
This novel is very interested to read and to be analyzed. After analyzing the novel, the writer wants to give suggestion. In ‘A Christmas Carol’ the writer can find moral values that can be learnt as moral lesson such as greediness, miserly, selfishness, kindness, charity. A Christmas carol is a nice story. Although this story uses ghost as its characters, but this is not horror, but a funny story. The three ghosts have role to help Scrooge change his attitude from badness to a goodness person.
BIBILIOGRAPHY
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Charles,Dickens.1983. A Christmas Carol. England: Chapman and Hall Kasim, Rajali.2006. Introduction to literature. Medan: Usu Press
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Roberts, Edgar V and Jacobs, Henry E. 1995. Literature an introduction to reading and writing. New Jersey. Upper Saddle River.
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APPENDICS
APPENDIC 1: SUMMARY OF A CHRISTMAS CAROL
On a frigid, foggy Christmas Eve in London, a shrewd, mean-spirited cheapskate named Ebenezer Scrooge works meticulously in his counting-house. Outside the office creaks a little sign reading "Scrooge and Marley" Jacob Marley, Scrooge's business partner, has died seven years previous. Inside the office, Scrooge watches over his clerk, a poor diminutive man named Bob Cratchit. The smoldering ashes in the fireplace provide little heat even for Bob's tiny room. Despite the harsh weather, Scrooge refuses to pay for another lump of coal to warm the office.
Scrooge follows the same old routine, taking dinner in his usual tavern and returning home through the dismal, fog-blanketed London streets. Just before entering his house, the doorknocker on his front door, the same door he has passed through twice a d ay for his many years, catches his attention. A ghostly image in the curves of the knocker gives the old man a momentary shock: It is the peering face of Jacob Marley. When Scrooge takes a second re-focused look, he sees nothing but a doorknocker. With a disgusted "Pooh-pooh," Scrooge opens the door and trudges into his bleak quarters. He makes little effort to brighten his home: "darkness is cheap, and Scrooge liked it." As he plods up the wide staircase, Scrooge, in utter disbelief, sees a locomotive hearse climbing the stairs beside him.
After rushing to his room, Scrooge locks the door behind him and puts on his dressing gown. As he eats his gruel before the fire, the carvings on his mantelpiece suddenly transform into images of Jacob Marley's face. Scrooge, determined to dismiss the strange visions, blurts out "Humbug!" All the bells in the room fly up from the tables and begin to ring sharply. Scrooge hears footsteps thumping up the stairs. A ghostly figure floats through the closed door--Jacob Marley, transparent and bound in chains.
one o'clock in the morning and the final spirit arriving at the last stoke of midnight. He rises and backs toward the window, which opens almost magically, leaving a trembling Scrooge white with fear. The ghost gestures to Scrooge to look out the window, and Scrooge complies. He sees a throng of spirits, each bound in chains. They wail about their failure to lead honorable, caring lives and their inability to reach out to others in need as they and Marley disappear into the mist. Scrooge stumbles to his bed and falls instantly asleep.
Scrooge awakes at midnight, which leaves him baffled--it was well after two a.m. when he went to bed. Initially, he thinks he has slept through an entire day or that it's actually noon and the sun has merely gone under some sort of cover. He suddenly reme mbers the words of Marley's ghost. The first of the three spirits will arrive at one o'clock. Frightened, Scrooge decides to wait for his supernatural visitor.
At one o'clock, the curtains of Scrooge's bed are blown aside by a strange, childlike figure emanating an aura of wisdom and a richness of experience. The spirit uses a cap to cover the light that glows from its head. The specter softly informs Scroog e that he is the Ghost of Christmas Past and orders the mesmerized man to rise and walk with him. Th
