4.4. Kindness
Ghost of Christmas past takes Scrooge to his unhappy life when he was young. Scrooge was a poor boy, but kind. His father did not like with him and throw him out
from home. His kind sister, Fan helped him and make effort to bring him back home, she asked her father to allow scrooge back home. Scrooge tries to memorize that
event, and he very surprise that apparently in his past life had sibling that very kind to him, and now he does not pay back that kindness to his nephew, son of Fan. When the
Ghost of Christmas Past reminds Scrooge of his beloved sister, Fan, he also mentions
that her only son, Scrooge’s nephew, survives Fannie. Scrooge is made uneasy by this
because he has no relationship with Fannies son. He was harsh with the young man that afternoon, although the nephew only wanted to invite Scrooge to Christmas
dinner and share the joy of the season. Scrooge forgets Fan’s kindness to him. Fred’s kindness for Scrooge can be in this from this quote:
It opened; and a little girl, much younger than the boy, came darting in, and putting her arms about his neck, and often
kissing him, addressed him as her “Dear, dear brother
“I have come to bring you home, dear brother” said the child, clapping her tiny hands, and bending down to laugh. “To bring
you home, home, home” “Home, little Fan?” returned the boy.
“Yes” said the child, brimful of glee. “Home, for good and all. Home, for ever and ever. Father is so much kinder than he used
to be, that home’s like Heaven He spoke so gently to me one dear night when I was going to bed, that I was not afraid to ask
him once more if you might come home. Dickens 1983: 34
Then the ghost takes him to Mr. fezziwig’s home in the past. Scrooge remembers the kindness with which Fezziwig approached his neighbors and
employees. That generosity was the most cherished aspect of Fezziwigs personality and it made him a hero with his employees and friends. The memory of Fezziwigs
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kindness and good spirit makes Scrooge wish that he could speak with Bob Cratchit. Scrooge remembers how much easier his employers kindness made his work seem. It
was not that Fezziwig paid so well, but rather that he made his employees happy. Scrooge admired that about his former employer, but did not show it with Bob
Cratchit, his own clerk. He realizes that his attitude for Bob is wrong. He feels regret not treat Bob as his clerk well, like Mr. fezziwig treat him as shown in this quote:
“Why Is it not? He has spent but a few pounds of your mortal money: three or four perhaps. Is that so much that he deserves
this praise?”
“It isn’t that,” said Scrooge, heated by the remark, and speaking unconsciously like his former, not his latter, self. “It isn’t that,
Spirit. He has the power to render us happy or unhappy; to make our service light or burdensome; a pleasure or a toil. Say
that his power lies in words and looks; in things so slight and insignificant that it is impossible to add and count ’em up: what
then? The happiness he gives, is quite as great as if it cost a fortune.” Dickens 1983: 40
Although Scrooge never treats Bob Crachit well and did not pay him with enough salary, Bob abide very kind to him and bring him in their pray. Bob Cratchit
drinks a Christmas toast to his employers health. Here, Bob shows his kindness by did not pay back Scrooge’s evil with the evil too. Scrooge sees how kind Bob to him
and regret has treat Bob injustice. From Bob’s attitude Scrooge learn how to be kind person:
“Mr. Scrooge” said Bob; “I’ll give you Mr. Scrooge, the Founder of the Feast”
“The Founder of the Feast indeed” cried Mrs. Cratchit, reddening. “I wish I had him here. I’d give him a piece of my
mind to feast upon, and I hope he’d have a good appetite for it.”
“My dear,” said Bob, “the children Christmas Day.”
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“It should be Christmas Day, I am sure,” said she, “on which one drinks the health of such an odious, stingy, hard, unfeeling
man as Mr. Scrooge. You know he is, Robert Nobody knows it better than you do, poor fellow”
“My dear,” was Bob’s mild answer, “Christmas Day.” “I’ll drink his health for your sake and the Day’s,” said Mrs.
Cratchit, “not for his. Long life to him A merry Christmas and a happy new year He’ll be very merry and very happy, I have
no doubt” The children drank the toast after her. It was the first of their
proceedings which had no heartiness. Tiny Tim drank it last of all, but he didn’t care twopence for it. Scrooge was the Ogre of
the family. The mention of his name cast a dark shadow on the party, which was not dispelled for full five minutes. Dickens
1983: 57
Scrooge always rejects Fred’s invitation for dinner in Christmas day, and he never helps his family poor, but Fred never hates and angry for his uncle. His wife
and sister in law never like to Scrooge for his bad attitude, but Fred always ensure them that his uncle will change and wish someday Scrooge be a good man. Fred
always kind and never give up to meet his uncle. Fred wishes his uncle no ill will. In fact, he pities the old miser because he is alone and unloved, as shown in quote below:
“I have no patience with him,” observed Scrooge’s niece. Scrooge’s niece’s sisters, and all the other ladies, expressed the
same opinion
“Oh, I have” said Scrooge’s nephew. “I am sorry for him; I couldn’t be angry with him if I tried. Who suffers by his ill
whims Himself, always. Here, he takes it into his head to dislike us, and he won’t
come and dine with us. What’s the consequence? He don’t lose much of a dinner.” Dickens
1983:6
Not only it, Fred also asks all his family to pray for their uncle health and they cried Merry Christmas and Happy New Year for him. He do not care how bad
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Scrooge’s attitude. He shows how much his love for Scrooge. It can be proved from quote below:
“He has given us plenty of merriment, I am sure,” said Fred, “and it would be ungrateful not to drink his health. Here is a
glass of mulled wine ready to our hand at the moment; and I say, ‘Uncle Scrooge’ ”
“Well Uncle Scrooge” they cried. “A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to the old man,
whatever he is” said Scrooge’s nephew. “He wouldn’t take it from me, but may he have it, nevertheless. Uncle Scrooge”
Dickens 1983:65
Scrooges nephew, Fred, believes that if he goes to see Scrooge every year at Christmas to spread a little good cheer and wish him a Merry Christmas, perhaps it
will inspire Scrooge to be more giving. If nothing else, he hopes that it might inspire his uncle to give Bob Cratchit some sort of Christmas bonus. He hopes someday
Scrooge will change to be a kind person as shown in this quote:
I mean to give him the same chance every year, whether he likes it or not, for I pity him. He may rail at Christmas till he
dies, but he can’t help thinking better of it—I defy him—if he finds me going there, in good temper, year after year, and
saying Uncle Scrooge, how are you? If it only puts him in the vein to leave his poor clerk fifty pounds, that’s something; and
I think I shook him yesterday.” Dickens 1983 :62
Scrooge has realized his bad attitude for Bob. He regrets and wants to be a kind friend for Bob. Scrooges greed was exhibited in the beginning of the story by his
stinginess with coal in his office. He refused to burn large fires because it required too much fuel, so Cratchit had to try to warm himself with the candle on his desk. Now
Scrooge insists on a great fire and purchasing more coal so that they can keep the office cozy. He has broken out of his greed and turned his interest back toward
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humanity rather than money. He promises to raise Bob’s salary too. Quote below shows Scrooge has been a kind person to his clerk:
“Now, I’ll tell you what, my friend,” said Scrooge, “I am not going to stand this sort of thing any longer. And therefore,” he
continued, leaping from his stool, and giving Bob such a dig in the waistcoat that he staggered back into the Tank again; “and
therefore I am about to raise your salary”Dickens 1983: 90
4.5. Charity
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