The Story Behind "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens

Dec 8, 2010
Diane Evans

A Christmas Carol; The Ghosts of Christmas - Flickr

The book was published during the Victorian era in England, when interest in traditional Christmas traditions and the observance of new customs ran high.

In the preface to the Original Edition of A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens wrote: "I have endeavoured in this Ghostly little book, to raise the Ghost of an Idea, which shall not put my readers out of humor with themselves, with each other, with the season, or with me. May it haunt their houses pleasantly, and no one wish to lay it."

History

Dickens,' A Christmas Carol was published in December, 1843 when there was an increasing interest in the traditional Christmas customs, as well as in the newly introduced Christmas Tree (1841) and greeting cards (1843). Dickens' story revived the old traditions with their seasonal festivity and warmth while bringing forth images of despair, sadness and death at a joyful holiday time.

Dickens began writing the story in October, 1843 and finished it within six weeks. It has never been out of print since its first publication, and writers have adapted it to film, television, cartoon animation, opera and the stage.

Influences

Dickens had an especially cheerless and difficult childhood. When he was twelve-years-old, his father went to debtors' prison for three months. Meantime the boy had to find a place to live near the prison, pawn his book collection and find work in a nearby blacking factory.

The humiliating experience made Dickens, as an adult, sensitive to children working in unhealthy and dangerous factory conditions before England enacted labor laws to protect them. He expressed this sentiment in his writing, most notably in Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol.

His mixed feelings for his father – a love/hate relationship – was a life-long bitter remembrance, which he captured in his character, Ebeneezer Scrooge.

A Christmas Carol

The story begins seven years after Jacob Marley, Ebeneezer Scrooge's business partner, died. Everyone remembered Jacob as a kind and compassionate man, a total opposite to Ebeneezer. However, Scrooge never took any note of Jacob's good traits, except to say that they were a total waste of time and money. Scrooge now has established a reputation as a greedy and stingy businessman.

Ebeneezer's employee, Bob Cratchit, and his son, Tiny Tim, live a harsh life. Although Cratchit has a job and works hard, the family endures mind-numbing poverty. Christmas is an especially hard time for them, and of course, Scrooge turns a blind eye to the situation.

When Marley's ghost stops by his home on Christmas Eve, he reminds Scrooge about the Cratchit's poverty. Jacob urges his old partner to rethink his life and change some things before it's too late.

Next the three Christmas ghosts: the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Present, and the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come, appear one by one to show Scrooge how other people see him in the past and present. Finally the ghost of the future warns him that death may be a threatening storm not only on his horizon but on Tiny Tim's as well.

By the end of the story, Scrooge undergoes a 180 degree transformation for the better and vows not to back-slide into his old ways. With a heart full of fear and remorse, Scrooge helps Bob Crachit and his family. Tiny Tim is Bob's crippled son, in whom Scrooge takes a special interest, and the boy experiences the very best Christmas holiday of his young life.

Scrooge's story is similar to that of the Grinch in "How The Grinch Stole Christmas. The Grinch's heart grows three sizes larger and Scrooge's heart also opens up to the world.

The Movie

A Christmas Carol from 2009, stars Jim Carrey taking on several roles: Ebeneezer Scrooge and the three Christmas Ghosts.

After writing and publishing A Christmas Carol, Dickens worked on David Copperfield, as well as other books and was never inclined to write any more Christmas stories. "Bah! Humbug!"