Book Review – A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

[Graham Soper]

A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens

One of Dicken’s most well-known and much-loved books. He began working on it in October 1843 (referring to it as his “little Christmas book”) and finished it in just six weeks. It was published in time for Christmas of that year, becoming a huge success with readers.

The main character of the book is miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, a successful businessman, lending money to local people and local businesses. But, in spite of his success, he is a very bitter man. To him, Christmas is just another day. In one early passage in the book, he says:

“If I had my way, every idiot who goes around with Merry Christmas on his lips, would be boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart. Merry Christmas? Bah humbug!”

But all that changes one Christmas Eve, when the ghost of his long-dead business partner appears, warning Scrooge to change his ways before it’s too late.

The plot of this book is deeply embedded in the sub-conscience of almost everyone on the planet. It’s the story of one man’s redemption when shown the error of his ways. Up until this night, Ebenezer Scrooge hated Christmas and society in general. He is a penny-pinching old fool and one might even deduce that he actually gains much pleasure from being so.

Scrooge’s night-time visitation by the ghost of
Jacob Marley, followed later, as predicted by Marley, by the Ghosts of
Christmas Past, Present and Future might seem a bit spooky to begin with. But
their mission is to show Scrooge the good and pleasurable things to enjoy in
life if only he would take the time to look.
And quite soon, the reader is transported through time to scenes of joy
and celebration. From that point on,
they cannot fail to become immersed in the true magic of this timeless tale.

The question is…. Can Scrooge ever change or is it too late?