Who Ebenezer Scrooge is
Ebenezer Scrooge runs the firm of Scrooge and Marley from a gloomy counting house in London. He lives alone and treats Christmas as an interruption to the business of making money. His coldness reaches his clerk, Bob Cratchit, who works beside a tiny fire.
What Ebenezer Scrooge wants
Scrooge wants to be left alone with his wealth, without demands for company or generosity. He refuses his nephew Fred's dinner invitation and turns away men collecting money for the poor. When Jacob Marley's ghost visits, Scrooge hears a warning about the cost of living only for business.
How Ebenezer Scrooge changes
The Ghost of Christmas Past shows Scrooge the lonely schoolboy and young apprentice he once was. Remembering Fezziwig's generous party, he wishes he had spoken differently to Bob. The Ghost of Christmas Present brings him closer to the Cratchit family's small pleasures. His concern for Tiny Tim reveals feelings that his everyday habits keep hidden.
A best-known line
“Bah! Humbug!”
Questions
Why does Ebenezer Scrooge hate Christmas?
Scrooge sees Christmas as a time that makes people older without making them richer. His attachment to money leaves little room for celebration or company.
How is Fred related to Ebenezer Scrooge?
Fred is Scrooge's nephew. He continues to invite his uncle to Christmas dinner despite repeated refusals.
Was Ebenezer Scrooge always cold-hearted?
No, his memories show that he was once capable of love and play. The spirits reveal how his choices gradually harden him.