In Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by three ghosts who reveal the past, present, and future realities shaped by his life. The ghostly visitations initiate a transformation that normal life circumstances failed to achieve. A Christmas Carol is universally known as a story about Scrooge’s redemption from cold-hearted egotist to engaged humanitarian.
While often lost in theatrical adaptations, Scrooge’s ghost-inspired transformation is his second conversion in the narrative. Despite Scrooge’s modest social standing, he manages to capture the heart of a young woman named Belle who is smitten with him and desires to become his wife.
The novella’s first inflection point comes as Belle ends their betrothal after waiting years for their engagement to turn into marriage. Although Scrooge was once in love with Belle and full of hope for their life together, he becomes obsessed with acquiring financial security.
Scrooge’s transition from young romantic to miser stemmed, in part, from his fear of poverty. In response to his austere childhood, he withdraws from community life and relies solely upon his financial resources. Although financially secure, Scrooge’s wealth alienated him from the interpersonal connections that give life meaning – wealth does not equal fulfillment.
Community development is much more than economic development. Like Ebenezer Scrooge, wealth without community diminishes our humanity. The Stewart Center works relentlessly to advance the economic wellbeing of our neighbors and our community but those efforts are intertwined with initiatives that build social, emotional, and spiritual capacity.
The Stewart Center envisions a neighborhood where personal achievements and collective growth go hand in hand. The Center is committed to holistic community development that empowers financial stability, fosters resilience and strengthens community bonds.
-Clayton
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