AChristmasCarolEssay InCharlesDickens'AChristmasCarol,Scroogestartsoffasanantagonistbutgraduallybecomesa protagonist.WhenMarley'sghostwarnsScroogeabouthispoorlifestyleandhowitwillaffectScrooge afterheisdead,ScroogeisskepticalastowhetherMarley'sghostisreal.However,whenthethree spirits,Past,Present,andFuture,showtoScroogehisbaddeedsandwhatpeoplethinkofhim, Scroogelearnstofeelregretforhissinsandbecomesamuchbetterman.Overthecourseofthestory, Scroogegoesfrombeinga"miser"toamanwhoisgenerousandkindtoothers. Scrooge'sfirstwordsinthestoryare,"TheyowememoneyandIwillcollect.Iwillhavethemjailed, ifIhaveto."Thesewordsclearlymarkhimasastingy,uncaringpersonwhovaluesmoney.No protagonistwouldhavethetraitsshownbyScrooge,andScrooge'spersonalityandtraitsarethethings thatstarthimoffasanantagonist.Marley'sghostpointsouttothereaderthatScroogedidn'tbother paintinganewsignafterMarleydiedbecauseitwascheaperthanpaintingasign.Marley'sghostalso visitsScrooge,warninghimbyshowingtoScroogethelong,ponderouschainsthatheisboundto. ScroogehaslaboredonhischainforsevenyearsafterMarley'sdeath,andhealwayscountedmoneyin hisoffice.

Everymeanact,likehisruderemarkstohisnephewandhisferociousattitudetowards Cratchit,addedtohischain.Mistreatingothersandonlylivingtocounthismoney,Scroogehasruined hislifeandhasmadehimselfanantagonistinthestory. Whenthefirstspirit,Present,takesScroogebacktohischildhood,Scroogestartschanging.Thefirst signofthisiswhenhetakesinhischildhoodsetting,lookingaroundinwonderandamazement.Marley tellsthereader,"YouseethisScrooge:strickenbyfeeling...ThisonethisScroogebeforeyourvery eyes,returnstolife,amongtheliving."BythisMarleyissayingthatwhenScroogerememberedhis childhood,herememberedatimewhenhewasnotsogreedyandfilledwithavarice.WhenScrooge makesaremarkaboutagroupofsingers,Pastsays,"WhatgoodhasMerryChristmaseverdoneto you,Mr.Scrooge?"ThisisapainfulreminderoftheantagonistScrooge,theScroogewhosnappedat singingboysandpasserby.Scroogeevenadmits,regretfully,thatitistoolateforhimtogiveasinging boysomething.AfterScroogeremembershissisterFan,whomhesodearlyloved,heisremindedby Pastabouthisnephew,whoisFan'sson.Scroogeundoubtlythinksofhowbadlyhetalkedtohis nephewjustafewhoursago,whichcontrastswithhowhelovedFan.AnothersignofhowScrooge changestoaprotagonististhelavishpraisehegivesFezziwig,hisoldmaster.PastremindsScroogethat Fezziwigonlyspentalittlemoneyontheparty,andtriestoremindScroogeofhisstingyattitudeand unwillingnesstospendalittlemoneytomakeothershappy.Finally,Scroogecallshisyoungerselfafool afterseeinghimselfbreakupwithhiswifeoverhisloveofmoneyandhiscravingtogain.Theregretand humiliationthatScroogefeelsaboutthesepasteventsshowsthathischaracterisstartingtochangeto moreofaprotagonist. Scroogegoeswiththesecondspirit,Present,toseepresentChristmas.ScroogeandPresentpay Cratchit'shouseholdavisit,andScroogeremarksthatCratchit'sonlygetspaidfifteenshillingsaweek.

PresenttellsScroogetowatch,andthathemightactuallylearnsomething.AfterScroogeseesthe happinessdisplayedbytheCratchits',heasksPresentwhetherTinyTimwilllive.Thisshowsthat Scroogeisstartingtocareaboutthewelfareofothers,andisshowingmoresignsofbeingaprotagonist. ScroogethengoeswithPresenttoseehisnephew'shousehold,noticingtheirhappiness.Scroogehears thathisnephew'swifedoesnotthinkhighlyofScrooge,andheisbeingmockedovertheirdinnerfor callingChristmasahumbug.AsPresentdeparts,heshowsScroogetwofilthychildren,onecalled IgnoranceandtheotherWant.Scroogeasksifthechildrenhaveanythingtocareforthem,andPresent mocksScroogebyaskingifthereareanyprisonsorworkhouses.Presentwasmerelyrepeatingwhat Scroogesaidbefore,andScroogeclearlyfeelshumiliated,whichisanothersignofhisprotagonistside comingin. Thelastspirit,Future,showsScroogewhathappenswhenScroogedies.Scroogefirstseesthree businessmenremarkingathisgreed,sayingthattheydon'tknowwhatScroogehasdonewithhis money.Scroogethinksthebusinessmen'swordsarerudeandthattheyareaboutJacobMarley,but theyarereallyaboutScrooge.Scroogethenseesfourpeoplethataresellingstolenpossessionsfrom thedeadcorpseofaman.ThisshowsScroogethatpeopledon'tthinkveryhighlyofScrooge,andthat somepeopleevendisregardhiscorpseenoughtostealthecorpse.Scrooge'sactionstootherpeople havemadehimverylowintheeyesofothers,andScroogeisstartingtoseethis.Finally,Scroogesees theCratchitfamilymourningTinyTim,oneoftheirchildren.ScroogeseestheCratchits,whoarevery sad.ThisconnectstothescenethatPresentshowedScrooge,asScroogewaseagertoaskPresentif TinyTimwouldlive.ThescenethatFutureshowsScroogeistryingtomakeScroogefeelremorseat howhehastreatedtheCratchits.Finally,Scroogeisshownhisowntombstone,whichfrightenshim greatly.ScroogebegstoFutureforanotherchance,andFuturerelents,givingScroogeachancetoalter hislife.AfterScroogeseesallthesethings,hebecomesadifferentman.Scroogewakesupinthe morningandisinstantlyfilledwithjoyathavingnotmissedChristmas.Scroogethenproceedstodoa varietyofgenerousthingsoneoftheseisthechildsizedturkeyheordersandsendstotheCratchit family.ScroogealsotreatsAdam,theboywhobroughttheturkeyover,verykindlyandoverpaysboth theboyandthepoultryman.Scroogethentellsoneofthedonationmensomethingsecret,whichelicitsa surprisedreactionfromtheman.ThemanasksScroogeifheisserious,andScroogesaysheis. ObviouslyScroogehasjustpromisedthemanahugedonationtopeopleinneed,whichshowshis newfoundprotagonistside.ThestorythenendswithScroogegoingtohisnephew'sparty,havingafun andenjoyabletimethere.Scroogehasgonefromastingy,uncaredformantosomeonewhoiskindto everyone. Alloftheregrets,humiliations,andrevelationsthatScroogewentthroughchangedhimintoa betterman.Marley'sghostcalledhima"miser,"butnowScroogehasrealizedthatheshouldbeabetter personand"walkabroadhisfellowmen,"asMarleycallsit.Marleyevensaidtothereaderthat ScroogebecameasgoodtoTinyTimasasecondfather,whichshowsthatScroogechangedfromhis coldheartedpersonalityintoacaringperson.Overthecourseofthestory,Scroogehaschangedfrom

theantagonistofthestorytotheprotagonistofthestory.