Scrooge is given a chance to redeem himself and he is overwhelmed with joy for that opportunity. His transformation was so drastic that his most oppressed employee thought he had lost his mind. Seeing that other people did not react the same way I did to stress, disappointment, criticism, or conflict was eye opening for me. Children do have way of thawing icy hearts. Why a moral transformation of course, because the man, Ebenezer Scrooge, through multiple encounters with the spirit world, becomes a good man by the end of the story. Or, to cite another example, I think of how the presence of children can bring joy to senior adults in a convalescent home. For one thing, it warmed his frozen heart, helping him to feel things had had not felt for ages. There are, however, other useful insights in this tale for those of us that need to change because we’ve hurt someone we love. Keep your promise to yourself and others to do the work you need to do. It meant I was constantly fighting battles and damaging my relationships in the process. In his case, the interruption was supernatural: the spirit of Jacob Marley and the three Spirits of Christmas past, present, and future. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Looking back, I see that I worked very hard to control others’ thoughts, words, and actions so I didn’t feel hurt. Scrooge then learns the dead man is his future self. From the Morgan Library and Museum.). The joyous ending could be your story, too. But […], Can We Find God in the City? Which is Right for Me? In A. The Perception of Jonas in Lois Lowry's The Giver, The United States' Involvement in Afghanistan: Education is Necessary, Social and Economic Development in Colonial Virginia in the 1600's. This happens in A Christmas Carol after Ebenezer Scrooge is taken on a remarkable journey through time.

The Amazing Transformation of Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. Imagine if the cruelest person in the world became the kindest. The story takes place in London, England on Christmas eve in 1843. Of course it doesn’t always work this way. This happens in A Christmas Carol after Ebenezer Scrooge is taken on a remarkable journey through time. The townspeople then begin to see Scrooge differently, which adds to his joy. Ebenezer Scrooge ended the story as a rich gentle kind-hearted businessman whom his city grew to love, cherish and respect. 659 Words 3 Pages. Scrooge sees a family preparing a feast despite their poverty and watches a crippled boy show courage and kindness despite his handicap. He witnesses a festive gathering and pleads with the spirit for them to stay until the very end.

Change has a process and, in the case of behavior that is hurting others and us, a tremendous benefit.

On the other hand, bad attitudes and harmful behavior are pretty obvious to others.

Psalm 48:1-14 Go, inspect the city of Jerusalem.

People are going along their merry way when all of a sudden something causes them to veer off their established path. One might argue that Scrooge is a caricature of the early Victorian utilitarian. Transformation begins when something interrupts our ordinary experience. Then, several years later, the husband had severe heart problems, ones that might have been fatal. He feels sadness and regret, and begins to see that his life could be different. But if that course leads to suffering, then they’re all of a sudden interested in God. Usually, more is required. I believe that each of these points of view has merit, and that we cannot fully understand the necessity of Jesus’ death without taking them all into account. But when the surgery was successful and life got back to normal, this couple stopped showing up at church. All of a sudden tenderness flows from their hearts, as if by magic. Marley hopes to save Scrooge from sharing the same destiny. It feels great to react calmly in situations that used to set us off, or offer grace for someone’s mistake that inconvenienced us. I will also show how Dickens addresses the social injustice of the poor laws in the Victorian Era. The latter was especially significant for Charles Dickens, who himself felt compassion for the plight of poor children, in part because he himself had once been in their shoes. Your email address will not be published. Change has a process and, in the case of behavior that is hurting others and us, a tremendous benefit. While the behavior that Scrooge needed to change may be different than ours, the same transformation lessons from Ebenezer Scrooge apply.

Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is a well-known story whose moral highlights the downside of being greedy. How Environment Affects Behavior | Making Change Easier | Community, Disappointed? However life was dreadful for the majority who were poor and could not afford basic necessities such as food and shelter. He desperately pleads with the ghost to alter his fate, promising to change his ways if only the spirit will make it happen. This inequality could have been rectified if money had been distributed in a more virtuous and an uncorrupted way. I’ve seen this especially in men who are trapped in their inexpressive machismo until they become fathers. The way I see it, Ebenezer Scrooge should be hailed as one of the great role models for personal change. Everyone was eventually touched one way or the other by his generosity.

As you make progress, you’ll never want to return to your old ways of thinking or acting. If we receive feedback that some of our actions are out of line, we’ll do well to give those some objective consideration. He is bitter, angry, and his words spew venom, even when his nephew tries to soften him with a heartfelt “Merry Christmas”.

When they first started attending many years ago, it was because their marriage was on the rocks.

Jesus also showed us God’s character, taught us how to live well, and made a personal relationship with him possible for our time on earth. Transformation begins when something interrupts our ordinary experience. Tomorrow I’ll talk about that “more,” as I finish this discussion of transformation and wrap up this series on Christmas according to Dickens. Here are some other blogs you may also enjoy: Red Letters with Tom Davis Recent prayer post on Prayables Most Recent Inspiration blog post Happy Reading!

The first, A Christmas Carol was written as the 19th century reached its midpoint, a time where the world had changed dramatically due to the industrial revolution. But, in the first century, crucifixion was […], Why Did Jesus Have to Die?

But as the years went by, he keeps his promise to honor the Christmas spirit and treat others with kindness, generosity, and warmth. That understanding of Christ’s birth truly does make those who accept it joy-filled and desiring to share their good fortune with others. Transformation comes through children.Scrooge is changed because he sees children in a new light, joining in their celebration and pitying their suffering. For that is what God is like. The Ghost of Christmas Future takes Scrooge to a scene where an unnamed man has just died. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Seeing past hurts as the lies that they are can help us heal them so they no longer hold such power over our current behavior.

A Christmas Carol is an amazing book because it teaches you many life lessons. All rights reserved. For permanent change, we often have to visit past events that shaped our lives. The joyous ending could be your story, … Transformation lessons from Ebenezer Scrooge apply People can and do change. He is our God forever and ever, […], An Act and Symbol of Love Perhaps one of the most startling of the early Christian interpretations of the cross was that it was all about love. He becomes generous and attends his nephew’s party. Use these transformation victories as motivation to continue to find the buttons that set you off, then challenge the distorted thoughts behind them. Wealthy men, the minority, had accumulated large sums of money, moved into cities and lived wonderful lives. For, The Amazing Transformation of Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, Imagine if the cruelest person in the world became the kindest.

Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window). Domestic Violence or Anger Management Classes? Centuries ago, early Christians wanted a holiday that would capture and communicate the joy they felt from a gift they received from God.

It’s human nature to resist change, and very difficult for most of us to admit that we need it. Scrooge falls asleep, and then wakes when the Ghost of Christmas Past arrives. In his gratitude, he rushes out to the city to share his newfound Christmas spirit. But then something interrupted his otherwise ordinary experience. More amazing is this gift is offered to you and me for free, even though we’ve done nothing to deserve it. Please enjoy the archives.

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Learn how your comment data is processed. Father’s Day: Time to Celebrate Dad or Revisit Childhood Wounds? I fully expect that they’ll return to church when the next crisis hits, but not in the meanwhile. Who knew we could learn transformation lessons from Ebenezer Scrooge? In the story, Scrooge comes face-to-face with the effects of his lifetime of negative habits and attitudes when a series of imaginary spirits escort him to scenes from his past, present and potential future. Scrooge is a mean-spirited, miserly old man who refuses to spend money on heat, scoffs at attending parties, and rejects pleas for charity. Yet pain also caused Scrooge to desire a different life, a life filled with the joys of living. Why should you read A Christmas Carol? So there’s no guarantee that exposure to children will work positive change in people. Although A Christmas Carol was written in the 17th century, its messages and themes stay alive today. In the book a Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens Ebenezer Scrooge makes a complete transformation. It’s really a tale about redemption and personal transformation. When everything’s great, they’re understandably pleased to stay on their familiar course. I’m finally ready to answer the question that has guided most of this series on A Christmas Carol: Why did Ebenezer Scrooge change? Once more, he and his wife were eagerly involved in church. These Spirits forced Scrooge out of his rut and propelled him along a life-changing path. And according to the story, he lived to a ripe full age.

In the beginning of the story Scrooge is cheap, bitter, and extremely unfeeling.

thought about similar life situations differently, The Hidden Factor Behind Abusive Behavior: Low Self-Esteem, The Rat Park Experiment: How Environment Affects Behavior. This site is for information only and NOT a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment. It teaches you to be grateful for what you have, the consequences of not being selfish, but most importantly it teaches you transformation and that it’s never too late to change.