one away from him when he was alive, to profit us when he was dead Ha, ha, ha” Dickens 1983:76
4.2. Miserly
Scrooge is wealthy and has so much money, but he is a miser for himself and another people. Actually, he can buy so much fuel, but he does not do that. He uses a
little coal as a fuel and more little for his clerk. He will not even allow his clerk to have enough coal to keep him warm. He insists on saving money by burning only
enough coal to keep a small flame glowing whether the heat that it puts out is sufficient to keep the clerk warm. Quote below shows Scrooge’s miser for himself
and for his clerk:
The door of Scrooge’s counting-house was open that he might keep his eye upon his clerk, who in a dismal little cell beyond,
a sort of tank, was copying letters Scrooge had a very small fire, but the clerk’s fire was so very much smaller that it looked
like one coal. But he couldn’t replenish it, for Scrooge kept the coal-box in his own room; and so surely as the clerk came in
with the shovel, the master predicted that it would be necessary for them to part. Wherefore the clerk put on his white
comforter, and tried to warm himself at the candle; in which effort, not being a man of a strong imagination, he failed.
Dickens 1983:9
Scrooge miser also can be seen when he throw out two little singing beggar from his counting house. Both of them want singing for Scrooge, but Scrooge ask
them go with the ruler in his hand. Of course, this is a bad attitude. As a wealthy man, he should help them because it is the duty of the rich one to help the poor one.
However, Scrooge does not care about it, and can be proved from quote below:
… But at the first sound of “God bless you, merry gentleman May nothing you dismay”
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Scrooge seized the ruler with such energy of action that the singer fled in terror, leaving the keyhole to the fog and even
more congenial frost. Dickens 1983:14
As a rich man, actually Scrooge can buy everything he likes. However, because his miser he do not do that. His chamber very dark, no lamp there, no fire
with enough coals just a lithe candle. Actually with his big money he can buy a good lamp or much fuel, but he do not wasting his money for it. He likes that darkness
because according to him it is cheap. It can be proved by quote below:
Half-a-dozen gas-lamps out of the street wouldn’t have lighted the entry too well, so you
may suppose that it was pretty dark with Scrooge’s dip. Up Scrooge went, not caring a
button for that. Darkness is cheap, and Scrooge liked it. Dickens 1983: 17
Scrooges nephew, his only living relative is a poor man, and although Scrooge has so much money he never helps his nephew family financially, he does not because
he cannot bear to part with his wealth. He prefers to save his money than give it a little for his other family. He loves money more than loves to his family. Of course,
Fred’s wife disliked his bad behavior. Scrooge’s miser for his nephew can be seen in this quote:
“I’m sure he is very rich, Fred,” hinted Scrooge’s niece. “At least you always tell me so.”
“What of that, my dear” said Scrooge’s nephew. “His wealth is of no use to him. He don’t do any good with it. He don’t
make himself comfortable with it. He hasn’t the satisfaction of thinking—ha, ha, ha—that he is ever going to benefit US with
it.” Dickens 1983:61
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4.3. Selfishness
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