Charles Dickens: A Christmas Carol, Book Review
The Timelessness of Charles Dickens' Christmas Story Classic
Nov 19, 2008
A Christmas Carol has been presented in various forms on stage and in film. What is the connection to audiences that keeps this tale popular, even over 100 years?
Scrooge on the Road to Redemption
Old, bitter, resentful Scrooge. He begrudges his faithful, loyal clerk, Bob Cratchit, the smallest rock of coal to warm himself as he labors at his tasks.
Compassionate men of London seek a donation from this irascible miser to lessen the burdens of the poor for the Christmas holiday. Does Scrooge care? His donation is a sarcastic rebuke that the poor would do society and himself a favor by dying, "... and decrease the surplus population." [1].
Dickens skillfully amplifies the frost in Scrooge's heart by the dismal descriptions of the skinflint's office and home. All is dark and cold and isolated. He is truly a man, or skeleton of a man to be most pitied--a compassionless, lonely, wreck of humanity.
A Tale of Second Chances
How many times can Scrooge fail at just being human? He seems talented at it. Ah, but there is hope. He is visited by four spirits, all compelled to motivate change.
The spectre of his business partner, Jacob Marley, presents himself as the transforming face on Scrooge's doorknocker. Scrooge dismisses the image. Marley appears again, this time he is dragging a heavy chain: "The spectre raised a cry and shook its chains and wrung its shadowy hands. I wear the chain I forged in life...I made it link by link, and yard by yard." [2].
Scrooge is not convinced. No problem. The night is young, and the haunting is just beginning.
Who has not failed at something and yearned for another opportunity? Who has not made a fool of oneself at least once and longed to erase it? Who has not hurt someone, somehow, and not yearned to be forgiven? Scrooge represents fallen humanity in desperate need of a savior and salvation.
Message of the The First Christmas
According to the book of Matthew, Holy Bible, Chapter 1: 21-23: "...He will save his people from their sins...and they shall call his name, Immanuel, which translated means, God is with us." [3].
And thus, Jesus grew into manhood with the news of salvation, forgiveness and redemption. He healed the sick, cast out demons, fed multitudes and ministered to the poor.
The Wretched Poor
At the age of 12, some sources say 10, Charles Dickens labored for 12 hours a day, six days a week in a boot factory finishing the bottles of boot polish. On the seventh day he visited his family at the Marshalsea debtors' prison. This lasted for two grueling years--a traumatic expanse of time for the young Dickens. He never forgot it, yet, he used his pain to create memorable characters like Scrooge and Tiny Tim, Bob Cratchit's crippled little boy.
The reader can almost see the young Dickens chained by poverty to his polish pots as the little Tiny Tim is invisibly linked to his crutch.
Style of Writing
Though written in English popular for the Victorian times, the style may be somewhat burdensome for today's reader. However, the descriptions and dialogue are rich. The characters are striking and memorable. The imagery is colorful, despite the bleakness of the winter months.
Dickens wrote many a memorable tale. He is probably the best known and loved author of the Victorian era. His novels and humanitarian spirit helped to bring change to the plight of the less fortunate, thus extolling compassion--the Christmas Spirit.
Sources
[1,2] Charles Dickens, Stories for Christmas, Platinum Press Inc., New York, 2003. pgs.,12, 22, ISBN 1-879582-41-4.
[3] Immanuel
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