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1
Do I need to give an introductory synopsis to this story? A Christmas Carol has been done over and over and over and... Whether it has been done as a movie, a stage play, or in a TV show (for example, I saw both "Quantum Leap" and "Highway to Heaven" do episodes based on it). The book has been read in many an English speaking school classroom. There is a reason for this. It's an excellent story that can be retold and reread constantly.
If you never had the chance to read the novel, do so at least once in your lifetime. Do not rely on all the adaptations available. There is still magic in Dickens' words. I had not remembered that Ebenezer started learning his lesson after the first ghost. Usually in adaptations it takes through the third ghost for him to realize the error of his ways.
As well as A Christmas Carol, which is a short novel, this edition also includes some of Dickens' short stories. Ghosts or supernatural occurrences are in most of them. This includes another one of Dickens' Christmas stories, The Haunted Man.
Now for the confession. I have not wanted to read Dickens since 7th grade when I read The Curiousity Shop for a book report. I wasn't sure I would care for the stories included with A Christmas Carol (which I have always liked) because of my distaste for Little Nell's story. The first of the other stories I read only reinforced my long held opinion. Finally, though, the man's storytelling brilliance showed through. I found most of the short stories and stage readings well done and leaving me wanting more. I guess I'll have to pick up one of his "masterpiece" novels next year. I may be glad I did.
2
This is one of Charles Dicken's most enduring stories. The tale of Scrooge is so famous that the word has entered the vernacular as any miserly person who does not enter into the spirit of the season.
The tale of Ebenezer Scrooge is a fascinating look at the human psyche of a certain type of individual, who is mean and lonely and ultimately not happy.
The ghosts of the past, present and future visit Scrooge and help him see how his behaviour has impacted on his life, and the way that he is treated by other people as a consequence.
An interesting story, and an enduring classic that everyone should read!
3
This past December, I read Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol for the first time. Of course, I have seen the story done on stage a number of times (mostly as a child), and the various movies are a yearly Christmas tradition. (My favorite is Albert Finney's portrayal in the early 1970's British musical version "Scrooge.") But despite being very familiar with the story itself through stage and film, and despite having bought a copy of the book some years back, I had never taken the time to sit down and read the story.
So, having bought a new edition of the book after Christmas last year, I finally sat down in December and began the original story.
It was absolutely sublime!
As much as I love the film and stage adaptations of the story, the book was just wonderful. So full of color and imagination and description - you could fairly feel the 19th century London cold, the piles of apples and oranges on the street carts, the hawkers calling out to passers-by bundled head-to-toe in woolen coats and boots.
This really is the quintessential Victorian Christmas story. I suppose I'm only about 170 years late in determining that, but now that I have read the story, I can see why it was such an instantaneous hit with readers. It was so successful during his lifetime, in fact, that Dickens began a tradition of writing Christmas stories every year. The edition of A Christmas Carol that I purchased last year has two other Dickens Christmas stories in it as well, although I have not yet dived into those two.
So I highly recommend this book. If you have seen any or most of the various Scrooge movies that have been made over the years, much of the book will be familiar, but there are a few scenes here and there that I have never seen re-enacted in a play or a movie, including a trip out to a mining colony on the coast of England, and a hovering ride over the English Channel to view Christmas on a Navy ship.
Even after all these years of watching movies and plays based upon this story, I was still moved, emotionally, while reading this book, particularly during the scenes with the Cratchit family. And at the end, I almost felt a tear well up when Scrooge showed up on his nephew's doorstep for Christmas Lunch.
To end, let me quote one of the more poignant passages from the book. The Ghost of Christmas Present has just reminded Scrooge of his harsh words about how if the poor are going to die "then they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population." The Ghost quoted the same phrase after Scrooge expressed concern about whether or not Tiny Tim would die. The Ghost goes on to say the following:
"Man," said the Ghost, "if man you be in heart, not adamant, forbear that wicked cant until you have discovered What the surplus is, and Where it is. Will you decide what men shall live, what men shall die? It may be, that in the sight of Heaven, you are more worthless and less fit to live than millions like this poor man's child. Oh God! To hear the Insect on the leaf pronouncing on the too much life among his hungry brothers in the dust."
That last line, in particular, strikes a powerful chord. How relevent, 170 years downstream, and in another country, for the self-righteous protestations of the wealthy American!
4
A Christmas Carol' was a 19th century novel written by Charles Dickens. Dickens concerns were poor children and how they were treated, he was mainly made aware of their terrible plight when he visited the Field Lane Ragged School' and was appalled at what he saw. Dickens had queries on how to release his concerns about the fate of the poor, considering producing them in the form of a pamphlet, but as he was the most popular novelist of the day he realised that more people would take notice of the poor if he wrote about them in a story. Dickens aimed his story at the wealthy, as they were the ones who could make a significant difference. Dickens wanted to make the wealthy realise what was happening and how bad it was.
The style Dickens wrote in was typical of the period because, around the 19th century most knowledge was accessed by writing, so Dickens incredible use of imagery was very effective in conveying his message and making A Christmas Carol' the popular novel it is. For example on the first page of the first stave Dickens uses a lot of complex sentences. "And even Scrooge was not so dreadfully cut up by the sad event, but that he was an excellent man of business on the very day of the funeral, and solemnised it with an undoubted bargain." This use of complex sentences is very good because complex sentences are very detailed and give a lot of information to the reader, and because readers take in the information, Charles Dickens gets his message across and this is through Dickens use of complex sentences and use of imagery.
The main character in A Christmas Carol' is called Scrooge. Scrooge is a stereotype of those who had power over those who didn't. Throughout the opening stave the character of Scrooge is established and it is quite clear what he is like. For example Dickens describes the character of Scrooge: "No wind that blew was bitterer than he". This (beautiful) use of metaphorical tells the reader a lot about the character Scrooge, and that he does not have a very good attitude or personality. This is shown especially because in the winter streets of London it is very cold and for Scrooge to be more bitter than the cold air just says that he is a mean and horrible person.
So the text show what the character Scrooge is like. Dickens uses Scrooge to show one of the messages of the story. With great power comes great responsibility', and in A Christmas Carol' Scrooge is the character with the great power, and throughout the story it show the character Scrooge transform to take on his responsibility. Also in the text, Scrooge is described as "Hard and as sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire;" What this tells us about Scrooge is that he is not only solid but he does not give anything away and he is self contained. To be reassured the character Scrooge is self contained the text also says: "Secret, self contained and as solitary as an oyster." Although this comments again on Scrooges characteristics and we are shown a dull, mean, horrible character there is a glimmer of hope because like an oyster Scrooge is very hard to open up, but maybe, just maybe there is a pearl that lies within Scrooges heart that is kind, caring and loving.
One of the things that make A Christmas Carol' what it is, are the spirits: the ghost of Christmas past, present and yet to come. The great thing about this use of character is that nobody can say what they have to look like, and also a sense of mystery is added to the story because they are ghosts and do not have a fixed appearance. Another clever thing Dickens does when writing A Christmas Carol' was setting the story around Christmas time. One of the reasons I believe he did this was to create a contrast between Christmas; a time of love and family and Scrooge; unloving and self contained.
The first Spirit; The ghost of Christmas past', in my opinion, is the most important out of the three spirits as it personifies memory. For example "It was a strange figure like a child: yet not so like a child as like an old man." So the spirits description suggests to us that the character Scrooges childhood experiences can come back to him if he allows them to. Also the spirit is described here as: "from the crown of its head there sprung a bright clear jet of light". Remembering that the ghost of Christmas past is the personification of memory this light symbolises the illumination that comes from ones past and the cap the spirit wears symbolises the ability everyone has to extinguish the light of memory, if he or she choose to do so, however at the end of stave two Scrooge tried to remove memories from the past but was unsuccessful: "though Scrooge pressed it down with all his might, he could not hide the light: which screamed form under it". That quote also shows Dickens intelligent use of words because if you Screamed' you are trying to escape. Other phrase Dickens used to describe the ghost of Christmas past are: "Its hair which hung about its neck and down its back, was white as if with age;"and "The arms were very long and muscular; the hands the same". Both of these quotes compliment Dickens use of imagery as they give you a clear picture in your mind of what the spirits properties are. One other phrase in the story Dickens wrote was: "It wore a tunic of the purest white; and round it waist was bound a lustrous belt, the sheen of which was beautiful." This says one thing, and that is that memory is pure, it can't be modified and it's free from any influence to change.
When the character, Scrooge meets the first spirit, the spirit starts to show Scrooge his past. Scrooge is taken to a country field and Scrooge himself recognises the place as it was where he spent his childhood. "'Good heaven' said Scrooge, clasping his hands together, as he looked about him. I was bred in this place. I was a boy here!'" There is an overwhelming flood of sensory connection with the place; this even brings a tremble to Scrooges lip and a tear to his cheek. This is evidence that in a moment, the past has become more alive to Scrooge than ever before. This shows already a big change in the character Scrooge has happened because this same character who could spare no time over his deceased business partner now tremble at the confronting memories of his youth. This evidence tell the reader that in a short time Scrooge has learnt lessons and that potentially as the story goes on Scrooge will learn more vital lessons
So next Scrooge was ready to encounter the second of the three spirits The Ghost of Christmas Present', and given Scrooges experiences with the last spirit he was prepared for anything. I believe the Ghost of Christmas Present personifies generosity and this is reflected in the spirits physical description. Its dark brown curls were long and free", "it's open hand" and "sparkling eye". These quotes give a good image of what the spirit could look like. Also the line: "Capacious beast" suggests the ghost is quite large, but as the story make the readers realise; the ghost not only is large in size but it has a large heart.
After analysing the spirits in A Christmas Carol' I have seen how Dickens message has been conveyed. Dickens has successfully used the character Scrooge and shown his transformation. By using the spirits to personify various aspects, Dickens has effectively shown the reader what they can be like. This is why the book is so popular now, because the message still applies today. Because in the current world there are those with much and those with nothing, it is the responsibility of those with much to help those with nothing. And to conclude this essay I would like to say that the story of A Christmas Carol' would not be held together without Dickens use of metaphors and imagery.
6
Well, I love it, simple as that. Despite the cold and callous ways of Ebenezer Scrooge there is warmth that springs fourth from the book. The writing is powerfully descriptive and gives the reader a real feel for London in that era complete with gas lamps, biting cold and the rich / poor divide. During the visitations of Marley's ghost and the three other spirits the fear that Scrooge feels practically leaps from the page. The language used is also laden with oldie worldly sayings and words which add to the sumptuousness of the tale, and the narrative is well paced so that the story moves apace. Each and every character is described to perfection be it the rotund and jolly Mr Fezzwig or the frail and crippled tiny Tim. I was amazed that my copy of the book was just ninety-two pages long and yet so much happens in the story no doubt thanks to the skills of Dickens making every word count. Above all else though A Christmas Carol is an enduring story of hope over circumstance, of the ultimate good that lays in every man, woman and child, and of the joy that a little kindness can deliver.
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