Sunday, December $f 1974
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Page Five
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Sunday, December 8, 1974 THE MICHIGAN DAILY
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PERSPECTIVE,
UNSUNG HERO
A revisionist views
Ebenezer Scrooge
By D. LAWRENCE PICKWICK
OW DURING THIS Christ-
mas season, before the holly
has withered on the vine and
that hestkiss is delivered un-
der the mistletoe - now is the
time to right a century of wrong
done Ebenezer Scrooge, one of
Urnir' nt mliand r- r
which is the true mark of his
heroic stature. While some have
castigated the early man as
cold, calculating, and material-
istic, Scrooge was simply of-
fering torthose with less per-
sonal control and savoir faire
the role model par excellence.
trerature s mosr ma ngneu c a
aters.ST IMPRESSIVE are his
Eers since A Christmas Carol, dealings with the Cratchit
EverlesicenAsChisit role family, one of perhaps scores of
Charles Dickens' misinterpreted English families of the period
classic, was published, genera- who lacked self-actualization.
heaed abuse onenetons have While others were doting on the
heaptedaen.Hisloeynecrippled Tiny Tim, especially
battled man. His very name his father, that whimpering Bob
has come to represent the Cratchit, Scrooge was effect-
worst in human attributes. HisCrthScog wa efc-
ideas are scorned everywhere. ing a textbook case in reality
Simpering sentimentalists coo Those around Tim tried to
every Yuletide that we must Thse load of the child's
purge the Scrooge in ourselves, lighten thelodfthcid'
Nonsense, I say. Let's affirm failure to amble about, prefer-
Scrooge's rightful and honored ring to fantasize the injury
place in Western Civilization be- away. Not Scrooge. Though he
fore the lessons of his downfall himself had a rough-and-tum-
are permanently obscured. ble childhood, Scrooge did not
Rather than being an authori- opt for maudlin displays. He
tarian miser, Scrooge was, in did not humor or favor the boy
fact, a classical hero, a very de- with gifts or privileges in the
cent but mortal man grappling beginning of the relationship.
with immortal issues. His curt, abrupt actions forced
the lad to face his injury. '
Treveals As he says, "Some have toldf
Scrooge's heroic dimen- me to take the easy way, and I
ios.rge'psocialthinkeres- could, let me make that per-
sions. A' deep social thinker, s-fectly clear. But it would be
pecially in the realm of popula- wrocg."w
tion, Benny, as the master was wrong.
affectionately called by his ad- E F d R E EXAMINING
mirers, was also a radical thera- B , -
pist and an economic genius. In Scrooge's tragic flaw and
addition, Scrooge devoted much; tragic situation, we would be
of his time to thought and con remiss if we did not mention his
templation, constructing in that economic genius. While whim-
quick, facile mind a compre- pering Bob Cratchit is hanker-
hensive philosophical system. ing for more money and time
Long before Paul Ehrlich and off, Scrooge, adopting a policy
today's current thought, Scrooge which would be echoed by Re-,
was deeply troubled by over- publican presidents for time im-
population and its all - too- memorial, Scrooge restrains
tragic effects. First hand, wages and urges productivity.a
Scrooge knew well the hunger, While such atcourseof action
the pain, and social disorder of may be politically unpopular,
people everywhere and he Scrooge's fiscal responsibility
forthrightly advocated pro.: means lower prices and sound-
grams to deal with the scourge. er money which only abets the
Asked to perpetuate the life common good.
of suffering and discomfort, But A Christmas Carol, we:
Scrooge courageously uttered must recall, is a tragedy and'
those immortal words, "They there can be no doubt that the1
(those urchins he has petition- Scrooge of the denouement is
ed to support) should die and not the same principled man of
decrease the surplus popula- moderation we find at the tale's;
tion." Recently uncovered texts inception. His life-style has been
have noted that the great man, radically altered. Scrooge hands
compassionate to a fault, added, whimpering Bob Cratchit a
"It would be better that way." handsome raise, he presents,
But it was Scrooge's genius in alms to Tiny Tim and even tips
inter - personal relationships a street urchin, thereby giving
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DAILY CIRCULATION STAFF
Deeper Rest Than Sleep
Transcendental Meditation
INTRODUCTORY LECTURE
fTuesday, December 1O-8p~m.
Kuenzal Room, Micihgan Union
Intensive weekend workshop in mime for be-
ginning and advanced students: January1 1 -12
& 18-19-1-4 p.m.
Reintroducing MICHAEL, former instructor at
American Academy of Dramatic Art, NYC
FERNAN DO ARRABAL
vorld's leadinc Surrealist playwright and film director
IN PERSON WITH HIS FILM
ARRABAL WILL ANSWER QUESTIONS
FOLLOWING EACH SCREENING
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MIME
PRE-LECTURE DEMONSTRATION
Monday, December 9-8 p.m.
at ART WORLD
2131/2 S. MAIN
668-6244
VIVA IA
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Photo by SUE SHEINER
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yet another unfit specimen just
that little margin to eke out a
miserable life. By abandoning
himself to the emotions of the
moment, Scrooge becomes a
shell of his former self. The
Scrooge of the beginning of the
story is rational, in the par-
lance of youth, he's "together."
The Scrooge who eats Christ-
mas dinner with the Cratchits is
not.
Scrooge's inability to main-
tain the rational course when
emotionalism beckons is the
tragic flaw which ends the con-
flict between the so-called miser
and society to Scrooge's detri-
ment. At the finish he is as sim-
pering and craven as those he
so courageously and logically.
opposed.
IT SHOULD NOT be surpris-
ing to observe society's re-
lentless persecution of Scrooge.
His principles and virtues can
not be tolerated in a world'
which reward s weeping and
whimpering. The conflict esca-
lates until Scrooge's final and
total humiliation is demanded.
There can be no compromise.-
Society's agents are those
dreadful apparitions, those
Clockwork Orangesque relics of
Scrooge's emotional past. While
some have characterized these
figments of imagination as kind-
ly in spirit, they weave their
spell on the unsuspecting
Scrooge in such a precise andI
exacting way that the indiges-'
tion - plagued man has no
choice but to fall in step.
it was they who bound and
chained Marley, a man whose
thought and depth did not com-
pare with Scrooge. Society will
out and the needs and opinions
of a single individual like
Scrooge stand no chance.
So this holiday season, when
you are stringing popcorn on
a well - lighted tree, downing
turkey, horse chestnuts and
mince pie, and exchanging gifts,
put a little humbug in your
heart for the man who since
1843 has been criminally known
world - wide as a "hard, avari-
cious man," but who, as we
have seen. was as loyal a ser-
vant as He ever had.
D. !.awcrence Phjku ck, who
hails -froi St/. Louis, believes i:n
justice.
Further Information
761-8255 761-6397
- - ----- ---
U of M Bachelor of Fine Arts 1974
Ecxhibition at
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2001 Bonisteel
Blvd.
(on North Campus)
December 6-20
GALLERY HRS. MON.-FRI. 10-5
Vivo La Muerte, Arrabal's first feature film, was banned in
France for over a year. Viva La Muerte, semiautobio-
graphical, concerns the bizarre fantasies of a small boy
whose father was arrested by agents of the Spanish police
state.
Cosponsored by the campus film societies (Cinema 11,
Cinema Guild New World, Ann Arbor Film Co-op), the
Romance Language Department, and the Speech, Com-
munication, and Theater Program.
Arrabal will also give a free talk Monday, "Surrealism and
Theater," followed by a panel discussion with audience
Darticipation.
SUNDAY, DEC. 8-7:00 and 9:30
ANGELL HALL, AUD. A SPEC. ADM. $1.50
("Taminq of the Shrew" will NOT be shown. Sorry)
Opening Reception, Dec. 14-7:30-10 p.m.
,
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The way men are
(Continued from Page 4) j
Stay and fight.
Included in the picture is a
Richard Nixon who desires a
'peace with honor" - peace
without losing - in Vietnam.
For a loss in Vietnam could be
intepreted not only in terms of
American weakness, but as a
personal failure on his part.
Even Watergate is a reflec-'
tion of Nixon's need for mas-
culine perfection. For as the,
pressure on Nixon increased, so
did his emphasis on "hanging
tough" and "toughing it out."'
The masculine ideal, then,
is seen to distort men's behav-
ior on levels both of personal,
expression and public policy.
Only when men can integrate in
themselves the qualities of com-
plete humanness, both mascu-
line and feminine, can they deal
with personal matters and pub-
lic priorities on the basis of their
merits, and not on the ques-
tion of men's masculine pride.
Marc Fasteau, then, has writ-
ten, in The Male Machine, a
book which should be read. For
. ThereSa
: difference ! .
PREAWREFOR: "
" MCAT fOver 351 lyears
MCAT = :
, ~of experience#j
* and success
OAT Small classes
LSAT Voluminous home"
GRE study materials
" Courses that are "
constantly updated "
OC Trape facilities for
OCAT reviews of class
A COAT ~ylessons and for use.
*" 9~l of supplementary "
* materials 0
- FLEX - -
:f LE Make ups for i
ECFMG missed lessons
NAT'L MED BDS
THOUSANDS HAVE "
RAISED THEIR SCORES *
" write or call
a 0
it is a book in which all men
can look and see themselves, LEST THERE BE any con-
mirrored as they are - and as fusion about the spirit's in-
they hope to be. tention, it should be noted that
MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH INSTITUTE
SEMINAR SERIES
DR. JEAN-MARIE BOU RRE
Clinicue des Maladies du Systems Nerveux,
Hospial de la Saloetriere, Paris, France
"FATTT ACID BIOSYNTHESIS IN
MATURING BRAIN: COMPARISON
BETWEEN NORMAL & QUAKING MICE"
DECEMBER 9
SEMINAR: 12:00 Noon, 1507 MHRI
3rd Annual Scholarship Benefit Concert
The University of Michigon School of Music presents
GIAN CARLO MENOTTI'S
AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS
URI MAYER, conductor JUDY MANOS, director
THE TRADITIONAL
CHRISTMAS CAROL SING
MAYNARD KLEIN, conductor
MARILYN MASON, organist
Also Featuring BRASS QUINTET and
CEREMONY of CAROLS with WOMEN'S ENSEMBLE
Friday, Dec. 13-Hill Aud.-8 p.m.
TICKETS-$2, 2,50, 3.00 (group and family rates avail-
able). Available through the School of Music, all local
music stores and Hill Auditorium box office
All proceeds qo to the School of Music scholarship fund
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BETTE DAVIS WEEKEND 1940
T THE LETTER
Shots ring out in the moonlight on a Burmese rubber plantation. Bette
Davis, knitting furiously, says that she has defended herself against rape.
Somerset Maughm's brilliant play of love and blackmail is given tense and
r unforgettable direction by William Wyler. With Herbert Marshall, James
A phone call. A simple,
ten-cent phone call for a cab could
save your friend's life.
If your friend has been
drinking too much, he shouldn't
be driving.
that the drunk drivers responsible
for killing young people are most
often other young people.
Take a minute. Spend a
dime. Call a cab. That's all. If you
can't do that, drive him yourself.
"- - -- - - - Y '*"I -" -'- -- ~ -" we
I
DRUNK DRIVER, DEPT. Y*
BOX 2345
ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND 20852
I want to save a friend's life.
Tell me what else I can do.
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