Growing up with Scrooge McDuck
Don Rosa’s The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck holds a special place in my heart. Partly because for me Scrooge as a duck has been a real person who has lived in the real world, partly because his personna, having been frequently used as a case study, which makes Scrooge Mac Duck, a interesting character per se, fictional or not.
Created in 1947 by Carl Barks, and later by Don Rosa, Dear Old Uncle Scrooge is a character who, more often than not, has been severely critiqued. Or shall we say ‘misjudged’? A greedy miser, an anti-hero, the stingy fellow, the tightfisted are only a few of his various name-callings. As it is often the case, this is only one side of the story.
In Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck, Don Rosa examines the character in his pre-tycoon life. Precisely, Rosa notes that Scrooge fortune amounts to “five multiplujillion, nine impossibidillion, seven fantastica trillion dollars and sixteen cents”. Forbes magazine has occasionally tried to estimate McDuck’s wealth in real terms; in 2007, the magazine estimated his wealth at $28.8 billion; in 2011, it rose to $44.1 billion due to the rise in gold prices. The YouTube Channel Film Theory used the size of Scrooge’s Money Bin as a basis and calculated that it could contain over $300 trillion. Whatever the amount, Scrooge never considers it to be enough; he believes that he has to continue to earn money by any means possible. A running gag is Scrooge always making profit on any business deal…
Through a serial of 12 comic book stories written and drawn by Don Rosa, first published, chronicle the in-universe biography of Scrooge McDuck aim to showcase that dear old Scrooge didn’t fill Money Bin overnight. It took a long route, innumerable steps, rolly-pollies, losses, flips and failures to reach the point where he is known today. Contrary to Robax, his biggest competitor, Scrooge didn’t inherit his fortune by a stroke of luck, but got hold of it, penny by penny, through his own personal hard work.
The so-called Number One Dime, also known as the Lucky Dime, is the first coin that Scrooge Mac Duck ever earned. Scrooge was paid the lucky dime, as a coin with a smaller value than what he should be paid. Scrooge learned his lesson: if you want to succeed you must become sharper than the sharpies, and braver than the bravest. It was then when he made the decision to make his fortune without cheating.
Every single coin in his money box has a story to tell, and this is what makes Scrooge’s fortune invaluable; it is the journey, rather than the destination, that Scrooge values the most. Fact that raises the question: is Scrooge a stingy rigid old duck or an emotional fellow?
Importance and success can have all sorts of meanings, we all know that. Scrooge’s idea of success equaled a pool of golden coins, in which he could dive and breastroke freely. Donald duck, Scrooge’s nephew, felt pretty successful whilst taking a long siesta in his hammock. For Huey, Dewey and Louie success meant to collect as many medals as possible for the Little Explorers. Different meanings for members of the same family, is probably the hidden message: success is a delicate matter. To quote Scrooge himself, “no man is poor, if he can do what he loves once in a while.”
Through Don Rosa’s perspective, Scrooge teaches one that he might have to do many different jobs in one life. Yet, the only way to move forward is to stay focused on their dreams and goals. Sometimes one might have to go the extra mile, others to swim in unchartered waters, others to take risks… But if one is decisive, and loyal to his dreams, and keeps his family and friends close then all difficulties seem us challenges.
Even though Scrooge’s fortune amounts to “five multiplujillion, nine impossibidillion, seven fantastica trillion dollars and sixteen cents”, it were the simple things that he gained joy from.
This is Scrooge Mac Duck Ladies and Gentlemen, a man rich in virtues, values, a man of character, a man of discipline, an old duck who can teach us a lot of new tricks. This is the reason why Don Rosa’s book will always be on my bookshelf as a reminder that no matter how far one goes, they should always pay tribute to the people that stood there for them, learn lessons, stay focused on your values, and, well, enjoy the ride.
Greek Version: http://www.andro.gr/empneusi/kostapanos-miliaresis/
