Questions to Consider and Impressions of a Classic

[Laura]

Usually I post questions asking about your first impressions of the book. In the case of "A Christmas Carol," it seems almost odd to ask about first impressions. With a story so ubiquitous that it has made its way into many and varied adaptations, including no small number of takes for children, can anyone remember a time when they weren't somewhat familiar with the tale of Scrooge being visited by ghosts on a transformative Christmas Eve night? What I think is less common is if people have read the original classic text. (I, for one, am coming to the book a new reader, but with a thorough knowledge of the story from childhood!) With that in mind, I would like to keep the first portion of our discussion focused more on the book and less on adaptations. Let's try to put first impressions and preconceptions out of mind as we discuss. Later on, we'll branch out into conversation about the numerous adaptations!

1) What do you think of the story? Put yourself in the position of a person who may never have heard this plot before, like one of Dickens' readers from way back. What would you/do you think of this ghostly tale? Why do you think it has resonated for people for such a long time?

2) Do you find Scrooge to be a sympathetic character at any point? When and why (or why not)? Does Dickens show Ebenezer's evolution in a way that you would find believable for a real person? Or is the book meant to be taken symbolically/allegorically only?

3) What about the supporting characters? Who stands out to you as someone you found sympathetic or otherwise relatable? Why (or not)? What do you think of the ghosts and spirits as characters?

4) Lastly, what did you find most surprising about the book? Did you happen to have any preconceptions that the text itself defied? What are you most excited to see on screen when you watch an adaptation later this month, now that you've experienced the original text? If you were reading the book again, was there anything that stood out this time?

[Laura]

1) Imagining myself as one of Dickens' readers, I think this story would have been a delight to discover. The fantastic/supernatural element would have been very IN at that time. On top of that, the story is dripping with cozy, feel good Christmas imagery that I imagine would have given readers the same feelings people seek in modern Christmas stories today, like the popular Christmas rom com full of beautiful snow, decorations, and comfy sweaters. But instead of a romantic story, it's a story of personal redemption (perhaps even religious awakening) with a clear moral, and many readers identify with the themes presented. Regardless of culture or religious background, I think most people cheer for Scrooge to find his way from a dark, miserable life of greed to a life of light and hope and goodwill toward all people. It's a universal moral.

2) Scrooge's evolution actually happens pretty quickly. He begins to come around with the visitation of the Ghost of Christmas Past and the scenes of his own childhood. Seeing him as a young kid, neglected at school because of a presumably unhappy family life, it's more understandable at this point that he would become an embittered man. One thing I don't understand is how he made the jump from being relatively congenial while in Fezziwig's employ to being greedy enough to have soured his romantic relationship. Dickens perhaps wants us to draw our own conclusions about how the greed took root, but the loss of this love may certainly be one of the seeds of his later bitterness. I think Scrooge walks a line between being a truly fleshed-out character and being a symbolic "type" in the story. Maybe we're meant to be able to see the Scrooge in our own life (or even ourselves) in the details left undeveloped by Dickens in the story.

3) Bob and the Cratchit Family, particularly the Cratchit children, stand out as the most relatable characters for me. The exception to this is Tiny Tim, who is cast in such a pure light that it's hard not to view him as another symbolic "type," opposite of Scrooge. Bob himself is a bit into this territory, too, though I find that the genuine warmth between him and his family grounds him more as a character for me, someone who might be a real person--in fact, someone who might be me, in certain contexts. Who hasn't been the Bob to someone else's Scrooge, if even for a moment? As for the spirits, it's hard to place them as "real" beings, but I do find that they fit within the reality of the story and its tone. I think its best not to overthink it too much, actually, and just enjoy the ride Dickens takes us on. Speaking of which, Dickens (or the narrator, who is a version of Dickens) is a great character in his own right, and I found the voice and odd little interjections to be charming.

4) Dickens' weird presence as an involved narrator was definitely one of the more surprising things about the text. He talks about being as near to the reader as hovering at one's elbow, and I felt this closeness acutely when it was brought to my attention. I was also shocked by the strange digression when the narrator starts talking about wanting to kiss the young lady who is the daughter of Scrooge's old flame! I mean, why even go there? And yet a writer as prolific as Dickens would have been aware of the effect of an aside like this. It was certainly intentional! I could read the text again just to consider how and why Dickens crafted the narrating character the way he did. (I was not surprised to learn the other day that Dickens eventually performed the novella live.) As for adaptations, I'm excited to revisit the Muppets version and check out some of the more serious takes on the story. Hoopla has a ton of options! Unfortunately, the Muppets isn't among the options on hoopladigital.com, but you can find it on DVD and on many other platforms. I wanted to share a review I rediscovered the other day, by a former classmate of mine. It's meant to be pretty lighthearted, but he makes some serious points about what makes for a great adaptation of this classic work. https://www.brightwalldarkroom.com/20...

[Kyland]

1. Placing myself in the position of one of the novels original readers, this would have been a thrilling journey to go on with the protagonist. Ghost stories were surprisingly popular at Christmastime in this era and seeing glimpses from various parts of one's life would be, as it is in the present, an exciting notion. To me, this story resonates so well because of the strong message of morality and the adventurous plot that brings one to the overall lesson. Travelling through time, coming face to face with phantoms, hearing conversations in rooms that one would have never heard otherwise, seeing how one's choices can affect more than just oneself; but still with a cheery, Christmas mood, is a perfect recipe for a classic. I have seen multiple adaptations of this novella; but this is my first time actually reading Dickens's original written version of the tale.

2. I sympathize with Scrooge when he goes on a journey with the Ghost of Christmas Past. Reading that he was left alone on Christmas, separated from family and friends, made me feel pity for him. Knowing that at one point, Scrooge had a loving sister, a benevolent boss and a gentle-hearted fiancé who cared for him, helped me to see him as a more complex character than when the novella begins. He seems like a horrible, unfeeling man when we first meet him; but there must have been something kind and warm within him to draw or maintain the love of those he once knew. We see Scrooge's evolution quite early on in the story. His heart starts to soften when he sees his former schoolmates, his younger sister, Mr. Fezziwig and his former fiancé. It seems to me that he already begins to realize the error of his ways when he relives how he chose riches over love. Scrooge tells the first ghost that he can no longer bear to see the shadows of the past, which shows a sense of remorse and regret over what has been.

3. Although we do not see much of him in the story, I really favor Scrooge's nephew. He is high spirited, and wishes to spread merriment to others during the Christmas season even if he is rejected for it. It is obvious that he is compassionate, generous and thinks beyond pursuing his own happiness. There's a kindness in him that seems to stem from his mother (Scrooge's younger sister) which leads me to think that this is why he continues to be persistent in sharing joy with his Uncle Scrooge.
When it comes to the Spirits of Christmas, they have personalities all their own that fit the era they are in. The ghost of Christmas past illuminates the room and seems young and old all at the same time. He inhabits the faces of many and is resolute in what he says as the past is what it is and once an action is performed, it is resolute and set in stone. The ghost of Christmas present is jolly, young as he represents the current year. I enjoy the fact that he shows the peace and joy we can have when we live in the present. He is surrounded by a feast, gifts, a merry, ruddy glow, and is a jovial fellow. However, the present is fleeting as the spirit is. Finally, the ghost of Christmas future is very telling just in it's appearance. Faceless, empty, mysterious, unknown as the future is. The future is shaped by daily choices, which means it could be changed at any time. There is no true or deliberate form of what the future looks like until it becomes the present, and soon the future becomes the past. The way that each spirit is portrayed says much about the experience of life and makes the plot and moral of the story much stronger.

4. Similarly to Laura, I was surprised at the narration by Dickens. He made personal aside statements that I did not expect, especially for the time period that we consider to be so pristine. In many of the adaptations I've seen, the narrator was usually obvious at the beginning and kept most personal thoughts out of the storyline. In one adaption, the narrator is only heard at the beginning and revealed at the end, but it is not a representation of Dickens. Narration was not something I considered much in this story; but now I will be paying more attention to the various adaptations takes on the narration and how it moves the story along (or not).