To Begin With

I just watched some adaptation or other of A Christmas Carol on TV.  There are numerous versions out there, so it plays pretty regularly this time of year.

It got me thinking.  Who is this Scrooge character?  Well, he's a miser who's given visions and has a change of heart.  So in the ever-after present, he is always a joyous and generous man.  But when you call someone a Scrooge, you mean someone who's odiously tightfisted.

This happens with a lot of characters.  Their plot is about how they change, but they are permanently known as their before, not their after.  Interesting how it works.

PS  What about Marley?  Unlike his old partner, he's not redeemed--in fact, he's forever cursed.  But he never got the chance that Scrooge is given.  Is that fair?