THE TRAUMAS OF EBENEZER SCROOGE

 A CHRISTMAS CAROL

‘’The TRAUMAS of EBENEZER SCROOGE’’

—SCROOGE is shown traumatic events in his life that succeeded in wearing him down to be as miserly as he has come to be. His former partner, Jacob Marley - now deceased, comes back to tell Scrooge to change his ways before it is too late. The chains that Marley wears in death were woven by Marley, himself, when he treated people as he did during his life. The lessons he learned in life were more about succeeding monetarily at the expense of his fellow man. He never learned that his real business was Mankind, itself. Their common welfare should have been his primary concern. Instead he chose to treat people poorly and make as much money as possible off of those in need. Much the same fate awaits EBENEZER SCROOGE if he doesn’t change.

—Spirit of CHRISTMAS PAST. Not long past, but Scrooge’s past. SCROOGE is brought back to his school days where we learn that Scrooge’s sister Fan died giving life to his nephew. Scrooge’s mother, also, died giving him, SCROOGE, life. His father never forgave him for that.

—He is next brought to a Christmas Party in the early days of the place he works thrown by former employer Mr. Fezzywig, Scrooge hears himself say, ‘’Not a kinder man than he was there any. He brought much happiness to many people.’’

—He next sees himself with the girl he loves and hence marries. He finds he is divorced by his wife after a time when he is told he has become much colder and crueler over the years. She notes how he has changed in the way he treats people through his scorn for the poor and needy. She relates to them having been one herself much of her life. Love has gone from his heart. He once said he loved his wife because she was poor, but grows less loving to the poor. His business grows as the poor get poorer. He thinks debtors prison is where people belong who borrow beyond their ability to payback.

—He is brought back to the death of his sister Fan, where she asks as her dying wish, for Scrooge to care for her son. He doesn’t support his nephew choosing to marry out of love and NOT money. He basically disowned the boy when he showed no concern for the lack of money she had. In his world, money is everything AND love is just a bah humbug! 

—SCROOGE is successful and grows richer in his business, but has become more disrespectful and contemptible as a human being. He is shown this theme time and again by the spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Future. He continues to grow more isolated and colder as the years go forward.

—He can NO LONGER excuse NOR even live with the knowledge of how disdainful he has become. His impassioned journey through time has shown him how uncaring his path has been…and, hence, the error of his ways. He learns that to grow more and more heartless and selfish just doesn’t work and never will. To get back to the land of the living will require him to once again treat people better and to open up the part of him that became closed over the years.

—We realize that we ALL relate to this story in some way or other. It is a story about how helping others far outweighs living a life of gathering riches at the expense of others. We can see that if we all were like EBENEZER SCROOGE before his transformation, it wouldn’t work for too long at all. Having seen the error of his ways AND making the proper changes, rejoining society reshapes his personality to be one of generosity and joy. EBENEZER SCROOGE is now a very happy man.