A Christmas Carol

A theme that I noticed in the Charles Dickens’ a Christmas Carol and in real life is that people decide to make changes when they have encountered something terrible. In Christmas Carol, Scrooge decides to be a happier person and change this ways after being scared to death by three ghosts. Each ghost comes with something more frightening than the one before. The Ghost of Christmas Past that showed him what made him this way, the beginning of this greed. Then the second ghost of Christmas Present shows him because of his greed, how that affected his clerk, Bob Cratchit, and his son Tiny Tim.  Scrooge at this point is upset and I would like to think a little mad at himself. He asks the ghost if Tiny Tim, who in the current time is very ill, will live and the ghost tells him no he will not if Scrooge does not change his way. There is a prime example of how Scrooge is guilt tripped into wanting to make a change. If Scrooge could be greedy and still have Tiny Tim live then his greed self would stay the same: GREEDY. However, forces does not work in that way, so that is why Scrooge is faced with a question does he want to help the family by changing his ways or will he remain greedy and let Tiny Tim die. Moving on the final ghost of Christmas to Come, shows a future without Scrooge and this part of the story I can understand how some people would be happy with his death. Not saying it’s ever right to be joyous over anyone’s death. Scrooge at this point fully comes in terms with the fact that he is a horrible person.

I guess the saying is true “it’s better late than never” and for Scrooge, he was able to be saved by the three ghost and Marley. This theme is something that stands true in real life, many people who have survived cancer are more likely to start a foundation than if they have never suffered. We also have those people who like to make deals with God for example a person finds out he has HIV, if he believe in God will strike a deal with God, that if he is cured he will donate to charity. After he is visited by the Ghosts he is filled with love, joy, compassion, and he even spends Christmas day with his nephew. He gives his clerk a turkey and from the end of the story we can assume that he becomes a man that is loved by the people of the town. This I say is great example of change that is bought by fear, guilt, and force. However, I also believe this story is a great story which teaches a great lesson. Which is a person can change if his emotions are evoked and if the person is really moved to. This brings me to another point which is that no one can change a person, maybe that is the reason Dickens used ghosts instead of actually humans. For example a woman will not ever change a man to be who she wants him to be, this is different than having an effect on a man and making him a better person or making him see that he can be a better person. Changes like that start on the inside and work its way out. A person needs to really want to change, and only then will he change. Scrooge was bought to realize certain facts and through those facts he wanted to change his person. However in his case he got a little more help than the typical person would. He had the help of the ghost and the foretelling of a future.

All in all nothing is ever to late, people can change, there is always hope. That is the essence captured in the story as well as in the holiday season!