When a man's name is synonymous with greed and misery, most readers would not associate it with the glowing image of a hero. The hero's journey is a classic literary model in which a character goes on adventures, faces challenges, and reveals himself to be a transformed person. It was first used in the Greco-Roman era in Homer's Odyssey, but has endured over the years to be used in countless forms of fiction. A Christmas Carol details the events of one night during which Ebeneezer Scrooge goes from being an immensely hateful old miser to being a generous and cheerful friend to many. Aside from individual stages, a hero's journey takes place in both a normal world and a special world, such as Scrooge in London and the world of time with the spirits. This is the first of many instances where Dickens's timeless anti-hero aligns with the more popular method of creating an iconic fictional figure. Through his profound transformation, Charles Dickens depicts Scrooge as an archetype of the hero's journey. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay The beginning of the story represents Scrooge's departure, the first step in a hero's journey. Scrooge begins his path to heroism from his first interaction with the ghost of Jacob Marley: “I am here tonight to warn you that you still have a chance and a hope of escaping my fate” (Dickens). The beginning of every hero's journey is normalcy, the status quo. However, they will eventually be interrupted by supernatural help, giving them a call to action. For Scrooge, this comes in the form of Marley's ghost, warning him to change his ways, as well as the three incoming spirits. Next, Scrooge's reaction to Marley's warning: "'You don't believe in me,' observed the Ghost. “I don’t. "" said Scrooge... "Why do you doubt your senses? “Because,” says Scrooge, “one little thing affects them” (Dickens). Scrooge, following the next step on the path, refuses the call to action. When Jacob Marley first approaches him, Scrooge is not receptive and wishes to have nothing to do with the spirits. By this exposition, Scrooge continued on the path of travel, all the way through the first reach. Scrooge's journey through time with the three spirits contains his trials, the essence of a hero's journey. In his literary criticism, Marc Goldstein analyzes the lessons Scrooge learns during the trials: “Christmas Past represents memory, especially suppressed memory. As the second spirit leaves, Scrooge realizes that he has excluded the human race because he... was excluded as a child... Bob becomes the symbol of a world in which Scrooge can enter if he permits" (Goldstein). The many challenges Scrooge faces during his journey with the ghosts and the lessons he subsequently learns come into play later in the story, but in the present , they follow the structure of the hero's journey His final trial takes place at the end of the third visit: "...read on the stone of the neglected tomb his own name, Ebenezer Scrooge... 'No, Spirit Oh no, no!' (Dickens)! Here marks the lowest point of Scrooge's circle, often called revelation, trial or crisis He even follows the literal criteria of death and rebirth by seeing his own grave. feels the culmination of Scrooge's emotional swings, including shock and anguish Throughout most of A Christmas Carol, Scrooge remains faithful to the circle, tackling his obstacles in the special world. Scrooge's return to..