The Ultimate Consequence: A Death Without Mourning
Scrooge's estrangement reaches its devastating peak in Stave 4 when he witnesses his own death. The brutal reality? "No one said it was a pity" when he died. This phrase is absolutely chilling and shows just how completely he's been forgotten.
The pronoun "no one" and the casual detachment of the phrase reinforces how irrelevant Scrooge has become. He's a man so cut off from others that his death stirs no grief whatsoever - probably one of the most frightening fates imaginable.
This scene would have terrified Victorian readers, many of whom lived in fear of dying poor and alone in workhouses. Dickens uses Scrooge's fate as a moral warning that true legacy comes from human connection and kindness, not wealth.
By transforming Scrooge from a cold outsider into a reconnected member of society, Dickens offers hope. The message is clear: it's never too late to choose empathy, generosity, and community over isolation and greed.
Key Point: Scrooge's unloved death represents the ultimate consequence of choosing wealth over human connection - but redemption remains possible.