In the first stave of A Christmas Carol, Scrooge leaves his counting-house and returns to his dark and dismal home. In describing this scene, Dickens suggests Scrooge prefers the darkness to the light for a very specific reason:
Up Scrooge went, not caring a button for that: darkness is cheap, and Scrooge liked it.
In other words, Scrooge likes the darkness because it means he does not have to buy candles. This reflects Scrooge's miserliness, one of his most potent character traits. For Scrooge, accumulating money is the most important aspect of his life and he will do anything to protect his fortune, even if that means living in the dark. Over time, Scrooge has come to accept this darkness as a way of life, but his impending meeting with the ghosts will change this attitude and show him the metaphorical light.
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