The Purpose of a Character Analysis:
The purpose of a character analysis is to reveal details about the character that contains a moral message.
What Are The Character’s Distinctive Personality Features?
Scrooge has a lot of personalities. What are they?
Here are some adjectives to describe Scrooge:
- greedy
- ungrateful
- Selfish
- Heartless
- unthankful
Thesis Statement
A thesis gives a single idea that the writer wants to argue for. This idea can be a claim or an observation. The topic (point) sentences in his body paragraphs should align with the thesis statement.
For example:
Scrooge was a cold hearted man, yet he changed for the better when three ghosts showed him the results of his:
Use the distinctive personality features here
- greed – point of body paragraph 1
- selfishness – point of body paragraph 2
- and heartless actions – point of body paragraph 3
Now, your thesis becomes:
Scrooge was a cold hearted man, yet he changed for the better when three ghosts showed him the results of his greed, selfishness, and heartless actions.
How to write the Introduction
This is a character analysis essay so we write:
- intro sentence
- Then we write a thesis
- write a transition to connect the intro to the thesis
First, give some background information on the character. Introduce the character and his important personality traits briefly.
intro sentence In “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens, the main character Ebenezer Scrooge was described as a selfish miser.
transition Dickens used the adjective cold to acquaint the reader with Scrooge. “The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shriveled his cheek, stiffened his gait”. Most of Scrooge’s description was narrated using a direct relationship to the harsh effects of the winter.
thesis Scrooge was a cold hearted man, yet he changed for the better when three ghosts showed him the results of his greed, selfishness, and heartless actions.
Body Paragraphs
We use PEE. Point Evidence Explanation.
The first body paragraph talks about with each [personality trait] from our thesis. The first sentence is a mini-thesis that summarizes your point about Scrooge being [ungrateful]. This is the point of our (P)EE.
Mini-Thesis 1 – greed
Point The Ghost of Christmas Past showed Scrooge just how greedy he was.
Describe[leads into the evidence]
It took him to see Mr Fezziwig. Mr Fezziwig was Scrooge’s boss, and people respected him because of his generosity. For example, he was willing to pay a fair salary, and helped people financially in their time of need. The ghost explained to Scrooge that paying people their fair share of salary can make them much more appreciative and thankful.
Evidence “A small matter,” said the Ghost, “to make these silly folks so full of gratitude.”
Explanation Scrooge realized Mr Fezziwig had shown that a little bit of kindness goes a long way. Unfortunately, Scrooge never learned this lesson and had only paid his hard working employees a meager salary. He suddenly began to feel regret about how he treated his employees and the people in his life.
[2nd PPE]
Point
In addition, the Ghost of Christmas Past further implored Scrooge to evaluate his priorities when he was brought to a now-married Belle. The spirit lectured Scrooge on losing his past love,
Evidence “these are the shadows of the things that have been. That they are what they are, do not blame me.”
Explanation The spirit wanted Scrooge to see how his greed made him lose a life of love, which is something that money could never buy. Greed had doomed Scrooge to a secular life of a widower, and the very person he sacrificed money for had found happiness elsewhere. Scrooge suffered this terrible lesson, but a transition to enlightenment is obvious.
Mini-Thesis 2 – selfishness
Point The second ghost, the Ghost of Christmas Present, took Scrooge and showed him the hardships suffered by those whom he affected. Specifically, he took him to see Bob Cratchit, his employee. What Scrooge didn’t know was that Cratchit had a young son called Tiny Tim, who had a disability. The disability gave him a lot of discomfort, but he was joyful nevertheless for Tiny Tim was surrounded by a family that loved him dearly, especially his father. However, the second spirit firmly reminded Scrooge of his inhumane selfishness by echoing his own words used to drive away two men asking for a holiday donation,
Evidence “If he be like to die, he had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.”
Explanation The spirit linked Scrooge’s selfishness to his refusal to donate, and it directly affected the helpless and disabled. As Scrooge watched how Tiny Tim had to endure life, he was dismayed at himself and took a hard look at his past actions.
Mini-Thesis 3 – heartless
Point The third and final ghost, the Ghost of Christmas Future, zipped Scrooge forward into a bleak future. Scrooge saw that he was dead and no one came to mourn him. Instead he saw his dead body laying there, alone and unloved. Others either took advantage of his death by splitting his belongings, or felt relieved because they didn’t have to face him when rent was due. To make matters worse, Tiny Tim has died, and only Scrooge’s nephew lent some support. Scrooge’s transition completes and he laments with sorrow,
Evidence
“The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach. Oh, tell me I may sponge away the writing on this stone!”
Explanation
His flight through time have shown that he was a greedy degenerate who ruined others with his despicable ways. Scrooge saw that greed, selfishness, and heartlessness has led him to the horrible fate he has witnessed with the Ghost. Faced with this realization, Scrooge’s transformation was complete. His heart confessed deeply, he had learned his lessons, and he transformed into a new man.
Conclusion
Re-instate your thesis
The three spirits of Christmas managed to transform Scrooge from an old miser to a caring and happy giver.
You can reference from your introduction. This gives is more impact.
His transition was only possible when the spirits made him see from a third person perspective. With each visit, his glasses of cynicism slips off some more, so he that could finally get a better look at reality.
Drive your point home
What Scrooge saw shocked him, and he never realized how his behavior had hurt so many. In the end, readers will identify with his transformation and feel a gush of inspiration when the ending reveals Scrooge’s warm hearted philanthropy. It is not only this transition of the protagonist, but that of the reader that Charles Dickens has masterfully orchestrated.