Use access key #2 to skip to page content.

lemoneater (84.49)

What Did Scrooge Do for a Living?

Recs

20

December 23, 2010 – Comments (27) | RELATED TICKERS: SCR , O , GE

Based on movies one gets the impression that Scrooge was a loan shark who took mortgages as securities. However, I'm not sure that is what he did based on the story itself which mentions a counting house and also that Scrooge goes to meet others on the Exchange. I also thought it said something about his changing currency so could Scrooge do some ForEx trading on the side?

Every year my husband reads The Christmas Carol in installments. He always varies the story a little for fun. Last night Scrooge finished his evening meal by reading Motley Fool articles. One of the unhappy spirits Marley's Ghost pointed out was dragging around a huge chain with a heavy laptop on the end--too much blogging! I asked what brand of laptop it was and my husband aswered Dell (of course, he prefers Apple, so take it for what its worth.)

Somehow the story just gets better over the years! Bah Humbug!

27 Comments – Post Your Own

#1) On December 23, 2010 at 3:41 PM, chk999 (99.99) wrote:

Here's the Wikipedia article on Jacob Marley that seems to explain the business.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Marley 

Report this comment
#2) On December 23, 2010 at 4:56 PM, rd80 (99.33) wrote:

+1 for rec tickerage and a nice story.

Report this comment
#3) On December 23, 2010 at 4:57 PM, rd80 (99.33) wrote:

That should be +1 rec for tickerage..

another dime for Foolanthropy.

Report this comment
#4) On December 23, 2010 at 8:45 PM, zymok (37.98) wrote:

+1

Love this kind of question.

Report this comment
#5) On December 24, 2010 at 2:26 AM, Option1307 (30.71) wrote:

Eggnog!

Gross, but...

Merry Xmas Lemoneator!

Report this comment
#6) On December 24, 2010 at 10:14 AM, lemoneater (84.49) wrote:

@ #1 Thanks to chk999 for clarifying that the firm of Scrooge and Marley offered various financial services to their clients. Accounting, banking, stockholding, moneylending, etc. It sounds familiar somehow. JP Morgan anyone?

Report this comment
#7) On December 24, 2010 at 10:19 AM, lemoneater (84.49) wrote:

@ #2 & #3 Glad that you enjoyed the tickers and the story. We had the second installment last night--the Ghost of Christmas Past--Scrooge's past. My husband thinks that Scrooge gave up the girl way too easily.

Report this comment
#8) On December 24, 2010 at 10:21 AM, lemoneater (84.49) wrote:

@ #4 Glad that you liked the question, zymok. I thought someone here would know the answer and I was right! In some ways little has changed from Scrooge's time until now.

Report this comment
#9) On December 24, 2010 at 10:27 AM, lemoneater (84.49) wrote:

@ #5 I don't like eggnog for the same reason I don't like buttermilk or drinkable yogurt--it's too thick. However, eggnog ice cream was another story. It reminded me of French Vanilla, but with more nutmeg.

Merry Christmas Eve morning, everyone! Hope you have a pleasant day! How the whole day is an eve is a mystery to me, but some traditions are so entrenched that I don't question them.

Report this comment
#10) On December 24, 2010 at 10:35 AM, lemoneater (84.49) wrote:

For a real life example of a Scrooge, check out the wikipedia article on Hetty Green, the Witch of Wall Street.

Sometimes truth is worse than fiction. What a horrible miser! 

Report this comment
#11) On December 31, 2010 at 11:22 AM, lemoneater (84.49) wrote:

Last night I watched a very old version of Scrooge that came out in 1938. My husband has nicknamed that particular one the "Tufty Scrooge" because of Scrooge's wispy hair. The Patrick Stewart Scrooge which is our favorite is otherwise known as the "Belching Scrooge."

It is interesting to see how the same story can have a rather different feel depending on what Christmas Carol one watches.

Report this comment
#12) On January 05, 2011 at 11:59 AM, lemoneater (84.49) wrote:

I thought I would add another comment. So far I've watched three versions of Scrooge this season. Last night it was Scrooge the Musical which came out in 1970. It had to be the strangest version I've seen. The producer added details that were not at all in the original story. For instance, Scrooge is engaged to Fezzywig's daughter. (I thought that was a mistake the daughter of someone running a warehouse would not have been poor enough to have been a hindrance to marriage.) Also Scrooge dreams that he is in hell which isn't in the story.

Report this comment
#13) On January 05, 2011 at 12:03 PM, lemoneater (84.49) wrote:

What was neat about this particular version of Scrooge is that he gives micro loans at usurious interest. Practically all the small businesses in that part of London owe him money. There is a broth vendor (a fast food equivalent) who promises Scrooge free broth every night if he will just give more time on his loan. There are also two seamstresses that cringe when he comes for payment and give him a pair of socks, etc. 

Report this comment
#14) On January 05, 2011 at 12:07 PM, lemoneater (84.49) wrote:

In Scrooge the Musical the strangest part is when the whole neighborhood is dancing around singing "Thank you very much that is the nicest thing that anybody has ever done for me..." Meaning that they are glad Scrooge died so that there will be a delay on their loans. The broth salesman is gleefully dancing on the coffin leading everyone. Bizarre! 

Report this comment
#15) On January 06, 2011 at 9:24 AM, lemoneater (84.49) wrote:

I just watched another version of Scrooge last night after coming back from prayer meeting. This one my husband has nicknamed the "Gruff Scrooge." The main actor's last name is Scott cannot remember the first name right now. In this rendition Scrooge goes to the exchange and refuses to sell his corn so that he drives the price up which hurts food costs for the poor. Evidently he is a commodity trader particularly corn.

Report this comment
#16) On January 06, 2011 at 9:26 AM, lemoneater (84.49) wrote:

It is interesting that in every film version I've seen Scrooge's business is somewhat different. Evidently I'm not the only one who was confused about what Scrooge did for a living as my husband pointed out!

Report this comment
#17) On January 07, 2011 at 10:20 AM, lemoneater (84.49) wrote:

Just because I'm on a classic Scroogethon I watched another version of Scrooge last night. This time the actor was Alastair Sims.

Report this comment
#18) On January 07, 2011 at 10:21 AM, lemoneater (84.49) wrote:

My husband has nicknamed this one "The Loose-Lipped Scrooge" probably because his mouth is open a lot.

Report this comment
#19) On January 07, 2011 at 10:23 AM, lemoneater (84.49) wrote:

In the Alastair Sims version Scrooge is a mortgage broker and money lender.

Report this comment
#20) On January 07, 2011 at 10:25 AM, lemoneater (84.49) wrote:

I think this was the meanest Scrooge. This has more back story than the others. Much more than Dickens put in the story.

For instance, Scrooge quits working for Fezzywig and Scrooge's new employer puts Fezzywig out of business as Scrooge looks on.

Report this comment
#21) On January 07, 2011 at 10:26 AM, lemoneater (84.49) wrote:

Well, at least Scrooge raised two dollars for foolanthropy!

Report this comment
#22) On January 07, 2011 at 10:27 AM, lemoneater (84.49) wrote:

I like the irony of raising money by discussing one of the greatest misers in literature.

Report this comment
#23) On January 07, 2011 at 10:28 AM, lemoneater (84.49) wrote:

Go Scrooge! I'm giving you a rec.

Report this comment
#24) On January 07, 2011 at 10:29 AM, lemoneater (84.49) wrote:

Somehow Scrooge is more interesting before he repents which is probably why the story ends quickly after his reclaimation.

Report this comment
#25) On January 07, 2011 at 10:34 AM, lemoneater (84.49) wrote:

Scrooge is a cautionary tale with relevance for today. In my success I will remember its lessons.

Report this comment
#26) On January 07, 2011 at 10:47 AM, PhulishMortal (< 20) wrote:

A few comments:

1)  Mmmmm, eggnog!

2) The "Scott" actor would be George C. Scott, from this version.

3) I don't think the story ends because Scrooge becomes less interesting; I simply think that the story is told. It would be nice to see how he handled the conflict between his "redemption," -- or whatever term would better suit it -- and his lifestyle of so many years.

4) If you're that interested in the story, you might try listening to a Book-On-CD version sometime.  I listened to it while in my car once and enjoyed it immensely.  Reading it is still the best, though.

5) I think of that "Thank You Very Much" song every time I hear or use that phrase.  Sometimes I break into the song out loud.

Report this comment
#27) On January 07, 2011 at 2:32 PM, lemoneater (84.49) wrote:

@ #26 I prefer apple cider to eggnog, but each to his own :)

Thanks for the name of the actor.

Yes, it would be interesting to read a sequel to the Christmas Story. My husband thinks that Scrooge will bankrupt himself if he isn't careful :). If Scrooge is only in his 50's, than my husband thinks that he will find someone to marry. Men would sometimes get married later in life in Victorian times.

Books on CD are great for long road trips. My pastor's son is a professional story teller and he has recorded The Christmas Carol. In his version Mrs. Cratchit has an Irish accent. It is amazing all of the different voices he does so skillfully.

I'm glad to know that my husband isn't the only one who suddenly breaks into song :).

Report this comment

Featured Broker Partners


Advertisement