Ebenezer, a businessman named Scrooge, is greedy and rude. He’s also unhappy. His only concern is making money. Scrooge gets a number of ghosts to appear and teach him about his ways. He is happier and a different man when he awakes on Christmas morning.
Scrooge invites his nephew to Christmas dinner with his family, which he does each year, when the play starts. Scrooge refuses to accept his offer in the same manner he does each year. Scrooge dismisses Scrooge by calling him a humbug when he says Merry Christmas. Scrooge’s dislike of Christmas and his lack of kindness are immediately apparent. He is also a business-minded man, who has no interest in anything that doesn’t add value to him. Scrooge is later shown to have lost his wife because of the way he viewed things. She says he is likely to be sad initially, but then move on quickly. We learn that although he’s a wealthy man, he has been very frugal with his money. He scares away children who are in rags on the streets and clearly hungry and beg for money.
Bob Cratchit’s family is six, and he has to work hard to provide for them. Scrooge pays him little and treats him badly. Scrooge’s true character is revealed when charity workers ask for money to provide people with food and clothing at Christmas. Scrooge says to the charity worker that he’s already giving to the soup and prison. Scrooge responds rudely when the charity workers inform him that some can’t get to the soup kitchen or prison. Scrooge was a man with a very bleak outlook.
Scrooge, returning home from work one evening, is visited by his dead business partner. The ghost tells Scrooge of how his bad life has forced him to wear chains all the time and travel across the globe. Scrooge is warned that if Scrooge does not change, he too will be punished. Scrooge is now beginning to change. Scrooge gets three ghostly visits in the same evening, the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Present, and the Ghost of Christmas Future. The ghosts of Christmas present and past take him to Scrooge’s childhood through his divorce. He was happy and joyous, especially with his wife. Scrooge regrets his past and is horrified by the changes he has undergone.
Scrooge refuses to attend the dinner. Scrooge plays games and has fun, but he gets hurt when his demeanor is made fun of. Scrooge is saddened by the way people view him. Scrooge can also enjoy life again. Scrooge is shown his funeral by the ghost from Christmas future, as well as the conversations that take place afterward. Scrooge becomes shocked and upset because no-one cared about his death and people were genuinely happy for him. Scrooge is adamant to change and be a better person after the Ghost leaves.
Scrooge is happy to be alive the following morning, Christmas Day. He has plenty of time to rectify his mistakes. Scrooge is a completely different person from when the play began. Scrooge began the play with an evil, somber expression, but ended it smiling, skipping and dancing. Scrooge is also very generous and outgoing. This is completely the opposite from his beginning. Scrooge gives Bob Cratchit his own family and the biggest bird he can afford to Bob Cratchit because he was shown by the ghost Christmas Present the Cratchit Family on Christmas with a small goose.
Bob arrived at work late the next morning and thought Scrooge might yell, as usual. Scrooge doesn’t yell at Bob. Instead, he tells him he is going to increase his salary so that he can help Bob and his wife. Then a day later, if Bob still wants to work – despite being late – – e gives him a day off. Scrooge was shocked to see the starving children and begging beggars. He decided to donate money. He also went to the charity workers he had been approached by at the beginning the year. He apologized profusely and told the charity worker that he would make a large donation. Scrooge also decided to have dinner with his nephew and include him in his daily life.
Scrooge went from being an egocentric person, who only cared about his business, into a person who is generous and outgoing. He wants to help everyone. The character development and changes we witness in Scrooge over the course the play teach us two valuable lessons. First, life isn’t just about money. Scrooge discovers that life is more than just making money. It is also full of joy. The second thing is to be kind and generous, as they are just important as the rich people in society. Scrooge teaches this lesson when he says at the start of the play that the poor should die to reduce the excess population. Scrooge ends the play by donating large amounts of money to the poor in order to prevent their deaths. Scrooge also shows that life is short and precious, so you shouldn’t regret anything.