Did Scrooge or Marley deserve eternal damnation?
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elena-28 — 9 years ago(December 15, 2016 10:36 AM)
Two cents concerning the OP's observation:
As his nephew points out Scrooge's own worst enemy is himself. He does himself far worse damage than he does to anyone else. The things he does to set himself right at the end do not seem to be that desperate or drastic.
My take is that, to be one's own worst enemy is, indeed, a terrible thing, and one that reverberates through every action and thought. It affects your health, your energy, your outlook, and yes, what happens to the people who come within your orbit.
If Scrooge had not changed, this would have been the last year of his life, as well as the last year of Tiny Tim's. He would have left no legacy, emotional or otherwise, by which he would have a positive impact. He would have been alone in his last moments. His business, which he devotes his energy and life to, would have gone to other hands or disappeared (or maybe it would have gone to Fred, but the implication is that Fred and he have severed ties for good).
Changed Scrooge, because of his brighter, more energy-admitting outlook, lives years longer than he would have otherwise. He is healthier, happier, more invigorated. This reflects in what happens to everyone around him (most drastically, Tiny Tim, of course). Cratchit's work probably improves greatly, if only because his fingers won't be turning blue at the office. His business will likely be run differently: more negotiations with clients; recommendations from these clients to go to Scrooge for a fair shake at a loan (being generous and optimistic doesn't mean being an idiot). He may decide to be able to employ more clerks, instead of only Bob, which will create more employment. When he dies, he will probably leave the business to Fred, secure in the fact that he will have left behind something that people will remember and thank him for.
So, I do believe that yes, being his own worst enemy is a terrible thing. To himself. And by extension, to the people around him. By being his own enemy, he is damned because he has damned himself. -
Big_AL-96 — 9 years ago(December 22, 2016 01:31 AM)
It does somewhat, but it was Marley's influence (according to this book) that made Scrooge the person he became and Marley realises that he has damned Scrooge to eternity because of him.
If you don't want to know the end of the book don't read the spoiler below.
Because of the repenting of Scrooge and the change in his ways and the unselfish act of Marley, he is also redeemed (again)
Let's pray the human race never escapes Earth to spread its iniquity elsewhere. C.S Lewis