Ebenezer Scrooge

Ebenezer Scrooge is the main character in Charles Dickens story A Christmas Carol. Scrooge is the master of money exchange who built up his own wealth through years of work, but at the same time built up his own tightfisted, miserly ways as well; so miserly in fact that he would rather have the poor and destitute go to the prisons and workhouses and live there (where his own taxes are put to use) rather than give the slightest amount to charity on their behalf.

But things change when a departed partner of his, Jacob Marley, returns from beyond, bearing the ponderous chains of guilt and warns Scrooge that he will face similar consequences unless he changes from within.

At the end of the story, Ebenezer repents of sour and miserly ways on the Christian holiday Christmas and his neighbors are astonished at his joyous disposition.

See also

• Atheism and uncharitableness
• Atheism, uncharitableness and depression