Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol - that caused a silent social revolution across the western world - a remembrance on 200th birth centenary

Inspirations and earlier themes

1.    Washington Irving's essays on Christmas published in his Sketch Book (1820) The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon

2.    Davies Gilbert's Some Ancient Christmas Carols (1822)

3.    William B. Sandys's Selection of Christmas Carols, Ancient and Modern (1833)

4.    Thomas K. Hervey's The Book of Christmas (1837)

Dickens' humiliating childhood experiences are indirectly responsible for the dual personality of the tale's protagonist, Ebenezer Scrooge. In 1824, Dickens' father was imprisoned in the Marshalsea and twelve-year-old Charles was forced to take lodgings nearby, pawn his collection of books, leave school, and accept employment in a blacking factory. The boy entirely uncomfortable in the presence of factory workers. He developed nervous fits. When his father was released at the end of a three-month stint, young Dickens was forced to continue working in the factory, which only grieved and humiliated him further. He despaired of ever recovering his former happy life. The devastating impact of the period wounded him psychologically, colored his work, and haunted his entire life with disturbing memories.

 Dickens both loved and demonized his father, and it was this psychological conflict that was responsible for the two radically different Scrooges in the tale – one Scrooge, a cold, stingy, and greedy semi-recluse, and the other Scrooge, a benevolent, sociable man whose generosity and goodwill toward all men earn for him a near-saintly reputation. It was during this terrible period in Dickens' childhood that he observed the lives of the men, women, and children in the most impoverished areas of London and witnessed the social injustices they suffered

How Christmas used to be

Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's German-born husband, became instrumental force to popularize the German Christmas tree in Britain after their marriage in 1841, and the first Christmas card in 1843 and a revival in carol singing in Britain.

After the book was released

Dickens' Carol was one of the greatest influences in rejuvenating the old Christmas traditions of England, but, while it brings to the reader images of light, joy, warmth and life, it also brings strong and unforgettable images of darkness, despair, coldness, sadness and death.Scrooge himself is the embodiment of winter, and, just as winter is followed by spring and the renewal of life, so too is Scrooge's cold, pinched heart restored to the innocent goodwill he had known in his childhood and youth

 

A small sample of Past Reviews

In 1843 and years and years later critics pour their heart to say

1.    A tale to make the reader laugh and cry – to open his hands, and open his heart to charity even toward the uncharitable

2.     "If Christmas, with its ancient and hospitable customs, its social and charitable observances, were ever in danger of decay, this is the book that would give them a new lease

3.     God bless him

4.     finely felt, and calculated to work much social good"

5.     The religious press generally ignored the tale but, in January 1884, Christian Remembrancer thought the tale's old and hackneyed subject was treated in an original way and praised the author's sense of humour and pathos

6.     Other critics - in the days of its first publication it was regarded as "a new gospel" and noted that the book was unique in that it actually made people behave better

7.     The New York Times published an enthusiastic review in 1863 noting that the author brought the "old Christmas … of bygone centuries and remote manor houses, into the living rooms of the poor of today"

8.    The tale has been viewed by critics as an indictment of 19th-century industrial capitalism. It has been credited with restoring the holiday to one of merriment and festivity in Britain and America after a period of sobriety and somberness. A Christmas Carol remains popular, has never been out of print, and has been adapted to film, stage, opera, and other media.

 

Carol spreads into various art forms and begin influence the society – pen becomes an instrument of  reform

^1.       By the close of February 1844, eight rival Carol theatrical productions were playing in London.

^2.       Stirling's version played New York City's Park Theatre during the Christmas season of 1844 and was revived in London the same year.

3.     Other media adaptations include film, a radio play, and a television version. In all there are at least 28 film versions of the tale. The earliest surviving one is Scrooge; or Marley's Ghost (1901)

4.     In the spring of 1844, The Gentleman's Magazine attributed a sudden burst of charitable giving in Britain to Dickens's novella;

5.    in 1874, Robert Louis Stevenson waxed enthusiastic after reading Dickens's Christmas books and vowed to give generously;

6.    Thomas Carlyle expressed a generous hospitality by staging two Christmas dinners after reading the book

7.     In America, a Mr. Fairbanks attended a reading on Christmas Eve in Boston, Massachusetts in 1867, and was so moved he closed his factory on Christmas Day and sent every employee a turkey

8.     In the early years of the 20th century, the Queen of Norway sent gifts to London's crippled children signed "With Tiny Tim's Love"

9.     According to historian Ronald Hutton, the current state of observance of Christmas is largely the result of a mid-Victorian revival of the holiday spearheaded by A Christmas Carol. Hutton argues that Dickens sought to construct Christmas as a self-centred festival of generosity, in contrast to the community-based and church-centred observations, the observance of which had dwindled during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. In superimposing his secular vision of the holiday, Dickens influenced many aspects of Christmas that are celebrated today in Western culture, such as family gatherings, seasonal food and drink, dancing, games, and a festive generosity of spirit

10.    While the 'Merry Christmas' was popularized following the appearance of the story, and the name "Scrooge" and exclamation "Bah! Humbug!" have entered the English language, Ruth Glancy argues the book's singular achievement is the powerful influence it has exerted upon its readers

11.    Crooks were not far away to profit from  its popularity. Parley's Illuminated Library pirated the tale in January 1844,and, though Dickens sued and won his case, the literary pirates simply declared bankruptcy. Dickens was left to pay £700 in costs, equal to £56,364 today

12.    Dickens later noted that he received "by every post, all manner of strangers writing all manner of letters about their homes and hearths, and how the Carol is read aloud there, and kept on a very little shelf by itself".

13.     Disney's A Christmas Carol ( 2009) – the latest release

 Dickens’s social message

Dickens asks, in effect, for people to recognise the plight of those whom the Industrial Revolution has displaced and driven into poverty, and the obligation of society to provide for them humanely. Failure to do so, the writer implies through the personification of Ignorance and Want as ghastly children, will result in an unnamed "Doom" for those who, like Scrooge, believe their wealth and status qualifies them to sit in judgement of the poor rather than to assist them

Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol - A modern day review of the book and of its latest screen adaptation by the Disney in 2009

We small mortals have no authority to measure a giant who spread his wings beyond the century he lived. But I am the new fan of his book after I saw the screen adaptation by Disney. I wish to write a few simple words on the novella to spread the author's social message which is still relevant in our society, as the cause of poverty and its spread are as embarrassing now as it was in the nineteenth century England under Industrial Revolution.  

Charles Dickens was born just two hundred years ago. Here we are reminiscing  one of his master pieces -A Christmas Carol through reviewing its Movie adaptation by Disney carrying the same title.

I am very choosy about movies. The family movies. And as the weather cools down, we pick up worm clothes, Santa begin to knock through Newspaper windows and street shops, Christmas carols and Jesus fills the life space. Other winters we saw Home Alone series to welcome the winter and Christmas, this time also we set ready with it, but The Christmas Carol, the movie blew away all other on Christmas theme. It may sound weir for a devout Hindu to sing in praise of Christmas in a religiously polarized Gujarat, but that’s what our family inherit from the basins of Bengal – Enjoy the spirit of festivity, love the religion, respect others’ food rights and then the religion shrink, humanity blossoms.

Whether you wear a Muslim cap on offer, or a Christian Cross and also carry a Tilok on your forehead – all can coexist on a single body when the soul is incorruptible by greed of power, money, fame and self promotion.

Uncle Scrooge in Disney Movie 2009

Charles Dickens

Now coming back to Dickens on his two hundredth birth centenary – I would pick up The Christmas Carol though David Copperfield and Tale of Two Cities are more popular. For mine, this book and the animation movie released a few years back, taken together, would withstand the taste of time and be one of the best treasures of human creativity ever produced.

The book has taken us back to the 18^th century and recreated with artistic sincerity the people and their minds. I love to recollect with a grin the character of uncle Scrooge – the mercenary who would pick up two pence from the dead eye of Morley’s corpse waiting for burial. Being born a poor kid who with sudden change of fortune rose through his profession, had become obsessed with piling up personal wealth while shutting all the relations and other amusements that might attract parting with purse.

He was sorry to part with his childhood sweetheart but couldn’t be too eager when his lover deserted him telling that when they loved each other, they were poor. Now he was rich, but the soul was not the same.

He was so obsessed with himself his own profession, that only thing he knew about was to reach office, do work, and to return home for a cup of soup and sleep. The world outside was closed and he was not interested to know about it. He was a strong disciplinarian with high sense of time management of lone staffer Bob Cratchit  and squeezing as much work as he could from the clerk and would not give any holiday in a year except on Christmas day. But even allowing a day’s leave on full pay to his staff was not to his liking..

 

-         Christmas is the best way to pick the pocket of employer? : Uncle Scrooge tells the staff

-          What Merry Christmas for the poor? Will Christmas bring one penny more in your poor home? : Uncle Scrooge asks his nephew who visit his office to wish him Merry Christmas

Then an earthshaking incident happened on the night of Christmas’ eve as he had opened the door of his lonely big mansion for the night. His long dead business partner Marley's Ghost appeared before him and warned him that a few more Ghosts would come to meet him that night. The uncle Scrooge became scared.

The author’s craft in taking the readers through the uncle Scrooge’s recollection visiting the past, the present and the future with three Ghosts of time separately, gave him the perception of life – he went on a time trail, revisiting those he loved and whether any love left for him and he was shocked to notice that though he had become wealthy over time, a lot of dead skeletons of relations lay behind. He was pained to learn that those acquaintances and relatives had been enjoying taunting  uncle Scrooge behind his back, like a common discussion like this, used to take place :

A Quiz on Tell Me Who is That Fellow? 

A cat ?

No

A dog ?

No

A Horse?

No

Okay , then a horse and an Ass? May I tell you who is he?

Reply came with cheers: Uncle Scrooge 

 .

Uncle Scrooge was deeply pained to see the future time when he was lying dead on the street that many of the elite would not enjoy a visit to his burial place and one amused the others that he could perhaps visit provided a lunch was on offer – a lunch that uncle Scrooge never hosted for anyone in his lifetime..

However in the next destination on the time trail, the uncle Scrooge visited his staff’s home and was greatly surprised by the loyalty and affection of the staff for him as he toasted the night in honour of his misery employer amidst protest by his wife and children. The uncle Scrooge was happy at least one on earth still had love and honour for him.

The over worked lesser paid clerk staff Bob Cratchit is another immortal creation by Dickens - that lovely character remains stamped in viewers memory for ever. A man with high loyalty and love for both - employer and for his family. Perhaps  most of the job seekers on this planet who work either in unorganized or in small medium sector enterprises would feel the same - One a forced life of servitude and the other of dignity, joy and freedom where he can breathe. 

I can’t forget the scene on Christmas Eve as the staff just getting out of the office and handing over the office key to the employer and as the employer turned back and proceeded towards home, Bob's sence of freedom  - like a small boy he ran and trekked in joy on snow carpeted street and fell down, all the while laughing as if he had become younger again like the surrounding celebrating Christmas crowd. Exit from office is an escape to freedom and happiness – an end to begin the new day at night in the company of loved ones. Do some of use feel like that when get battered by the Boss for all the wrong reasons on earth , than efficiency ?

If one see any big city central streets in the evening, you will remember how true the sketch was - all the vehicles and bikes violating rules of the road, breaking speed limit, zooming out in super jet speed only, only to reach home early - as if entering home is the attainment of nirban! That's the psychology of caged birds that human souls are chained in the laboratory of production of goods and services, where labour is viewed just as an element, and that labour which can be replaced by the owner of capital if he finds an iota of doubt that the labour may not be that capital friendly. 

Who can forget that dialogue between the boy on the street and the uncle Scrooge – this dialogues would remain to highlight the spirit of joy on any religious festivity for its followers – the air smells different painted with happiness. 

I would conclude my homage with the author's own dialogue through the lips of uncle Scrooge

What's today, my fine fellow? said Scrooge.

Today! replied the boy. Why, Christmas Day.

It's Christmas DAy! said Scrooge to himself. "I haven't missed it. The Spirits have done it all in one night. They can do anything they like.....Hallo, my fine fellow!"

"Hallo" returned the boy.

"Do you know the poulterer's , in the next street but one, at the corner? Scrooge inquired.

"I should hope I did" replied the lad.

"An intelligent boy!" said Scrooge." A remarkable boy! Do you know whether they've sold the prize turkey that was hanging up there? - Not the little prize turkey, the big one?"

"What, the one as big as me?" returned the boy.

"What a delightful boy!" said Scrooge. "It's a pleasure to talk to him. Yes, my buck!"

"It's hanging there now,", replied the boy.

"Is it?" said Scrooge. " Go and buy it."

"Walk-er!" exclaimed the boy

" No, no," said Scrooge. " I am in earnest. Go and buy it, and tell 'em to bring it here, that I may give them  the directions  where to take it. Come back with the man, and I'll give you a shilling. Come back with him  in less than five minutes, and I'll give you half a crown!"

The boy was off like a shot. He must have had a steady  hand at a trigger who could have got a shot off half so fast.

"I'll send it to Bob Cratchit's," whispered Scrooge, rubbing his hands and splitting with a laugh." He shan't know who sends it. ...."

Harry Potter Vs The Lord Of The Rings : Book Review

Guest Reviewer: Siddharth Maitra


When J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings was published, it immediately achieved the highest standard of fantasy in the mid-1950s. Every fantasy novel that has been published since owes something to it; in some the influence is quite clear, and in some a little less. But since 1998 ,J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books came as a new challenger for the LOTR. Figures say it all. Over 400 million copies sold and translated into 67 languages, they are clearly the most sold fantasy novels ever written. Vastly different stories they may be, but the competition is yet valid.

Though everyone has different tastes and perspectives, the following is an unbiased, detailed comparison.

The comparison is divided into six sections:
1. Story
2. World
3. Characters
4. Language
5. Originality
6. Special

In each category the two series have been given marks out of 10.


1.STORY

The LOTR is widely considered as an epic while the Harry Potter books are an epitome for children-literature. The story of both the series is quite similar: an orphan boy/hobbit who has been entrusted with the task to destroy the Dark Lord of their time ( Voldemort in HP and Sauron in LOTR). However, there are innumerable unexpected twists and turns in both of them.

Tolkien had a lot of experience as a war veteran in World War I as a result of which he crated the middle-earth and wrote the battle sequences so well. However, LOTR is based more on descriptive passages than conversation which may make the series look a little slackened at the middle. The LOTR series begins with an usual story. Four hobbits must take the One Ring to Rivendell and escape the Ringwraiths at any costs. However, as the novel broadens, the plot thickens into an impossible quest: to destroy the One Ring by entering the very country of Sauron-Mordor. The number of characters, as well, increase from four to more than twenty! After various adventures, escapades and some gruesome battles the reader meets the most unexpected twist at the very end!

The HP series starts off as the muggle orphan Harry enters the Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. Here he learns how his family was killed by the Dark Lord Voldemort. The subsequent books saw the introduction of various enchanting spells, creatures and of course magic. However the tone of the story became darker from the fourth book and onwards. However, J.K. Rowling’s flaws in the plot led to a lot of loose ends in the 5th and 6th books where she tried to broaden the plot, which however she explained in the last - 7th book. Each book can be considered as separate as each book consists of a similar pattern and different story: Some new creatures and some new spells and at the end a confrontation with Voldemort or his servants in any form. In overall, both the stories, though have some noticable flaws in the plot, nevertheless are quite excellent. My rating on story line comparison would be:-
Harry Potter : 9/10
The Lord of the Rings: 9/10


2. WORLD


The Harry Potter stories are so lively (and that’s why popular) largely because they take place in a world very like our own. However, LOTR takes place in Middle-earth, is similar to the world we KNEW, but still is hugely different. In fact, it is Middle-earth that makes LOTR so enjoyable: the races, the valleys, the rivers the mountains, the kings and queens and elves and dwarves and especially the race we know as Hobbits. Also, Tolkien drew a very detailed map of Middle-earth. So if you lost your path in the novel you can check up the map! In short, it is the richness and the vastness of the world that is the biggest reason for the story’s success; while the Harry Potter stories have a very easy to understand world, and one that therefore is very much easier to pretend you are a part of. But as whatsoever be Mr. Potter’s world, it pales against the richness of Middle-earth. My pick would definietely be LOTR – the rating is:-
Harry Potter: 7/10
The Lord of the Rings: 10/10


3.CHARACTERS

The protagonist::
Frodo Baggins, the main protagonist of LOTR is a 51 year old hobbit when he leaves to destroy the Ring. In no way imaginable is he like an ideal hero: he is shorter than a dwarf (as most hobbits are), much weaker physically than the other protagonists like Gandalf, Samwies, Merry, Pippin etc. His foremost quality is his mental strength, his determination and his purity and resistance to the power of the One Ring. Though Tolkien has presented the inner conflict of Frodo very brilliantly, the character of Frodo remains two-dimensional.


Harry Potter is an 11 year old boy when the first HP book sets off. The HP series is more about the coming of age of Harry and his efforts to destroy Voldemmort. His main qualities are bravery, determination and his love for his friends - Rowlings’ foremost developed character. Harry’s inner conflicts, anxieties, emotions all are brilliantly showcased and he appears more as a three-dimensional figure to the reader. My thums up for Harry Potter:-

Frodo Baggins: 6/10
Harry Potter : 8.5/10

Sidekick:

Samwise Gamgee is Frodo’s entrusted sidekick in LOTR. He has all the qualities of a hero: he is dead loyal, very brave, strong, skilled in combat (he defeated a giant spider once). But these are not the qualities that make Sam as an interesting figure. He is one of the characters who appears quite ‘human’ to the reader. According to Tolkien, Sam’s character was based on country farmers who are simpletons but are brave too when they need to be. In the fierce enemy field far away from village, Sam longs for his house in The Shire, the garden he tends to, the woods he loves, the country fruits even when death is looking into his eyes. Thus, Samwise Gamgee is one of the crafty creations of the highest order in LOTR.

Ronald Weasely or Ron,is Harry’s best friend. He is depicted as a goofy, cowering and sometimes jealous wizard grown in one of the most ancient but poor families of the wizard world. Though Ron’s character is moulded effectively but it does not makes any long-lasting impression on the reader.
Samwise Gamgee: 8/10
Ronald Weasely: 6.5/10

The Wizard:
Gandalf and Dumbledore!

It is the clash of the titans. Both are my favourite characters in the respective series.
Gandalf is a member of the Istari and is perhaps 2000 years old when LOTR starts. However even after he dies while fighting with a Balrog, a giant monster, he gets resurrected, which is why he becomes less humane.

Dumbledore however, only about 250 years old is a little more complex character than Gandalf. He is mysterious, powerful and never reappears after his death. Thus Dumbledore has a slight edge over Gandalf, on parameter of believability.

Gandalf: 8/10
Dumbledore: 8.5/10


Overall , above scores make HP having an edge over LOTR.

Harry Potter: 23.5/30
The Lord of the Rings: 22/30

3. LANGUAGE:

In this section, Tolkien obviously wins. He was a master philologist (study of languages) and a mature and renowned author. The descriptive passages of LOTR make the reader visualise the surroundings easily and thus makes us comfortable with it. In addition he composed numerous wonderful poems and songs in English as well as in other tongues throughout the novel. In addition to this, Tolkien has created a whole new language and a history for middle-earth! This achievement cannot be surpassed by many celebrated authors of human history.


Rowling’s language is ordinary which is why, the HP series is not considered as a classic literature. One of the main criticism HP faced was it’s easy language.

Harry Potter: 5.5/10
The Lord of the Rings: 8/10


5 ORIGINALITY:


Originality is one such factor in which LOTR clearly has an upper hand. It is claimed that LOTR, which was published back in the 1950s, has influenced each and every fantasy published since in one way or another. Tolkien derived some of the ideas he used in LOTR and the prequel The Hobbit from old Finnish legends like the Kalevala.

HP on the other hand has been influenced a lot by LOTR, whether Rowlings admits it or not. No doubt, the concept of a wizard world and a school of wizardry is unique but after these, HP’s uniqueness fades. But HP is not only influenced by LOTR, but after viewing the following paras, you’ll agree that a lot is copied from LOTR itself.

1. Harry Potter is an orphan who is raised by his uncle Vernon. Frodo Baggins is an orphan raised by his uncle Bilbo.

2.Description of Sauron and Voldemort are similar: they are the Dark Lords of their time, who were defeated once but still live on as a shapeless spirit.

3.Cloaked beings whose presence instills fear:
Nazguls in LOTR
Death Eaters and Dementors in HP


4.Harry is attacked by giant spiders in The chamber of secrets.
Frodo and Sam encounter a giant spider in The Two Towers (LOTR book II)
The idea may have been taken from Tolkien’s other work The Hobbit, where Frodo’s uncle Bilbo has to fight off hundreds of giant spiders.

5.Both Frodo and Harry have a gangrel creature at their service-
Dobby in service of Harry and Gollum in the service of Frodo.



6.In both, there are objects which have to be destroyed in order to destroy The Dark Lord- horcruxes in HP and the One Ring in LOTR.

7. Description of Gandalf and Dumbledore are very similar.
Both are wise, very aged, have long white beard, are one of the most powerful wizards of their time, one of the key protagonists.

8. Both HP and LOTR contain an antagonist with the prefix ‘Worm’:
Wormtongue in LOTR and Wormtail in HP.

9. Both stories involve a basin in which one can see the past.

Thus on the basis of the comparison, we see that LOTR influences other novels while HP itself is influenced.


The Lord of the Rings: 9/10
Harry Potter: 6.5/10




SERIES/ STORY/ WORLD/ CHARACTERS/LANGUAGE/ORIGINALITY/OVERALL

LOTR 09/10/ 22/08/09/    58/70


HP    09/07/ 23.5/5.5/6.5/  51.5/70





CONCLUSION:

Harry Potter is a cleverly written, well-developed series, but The Lord of the Rings, due to it’s uniqueness and ingeniousness of Tolkien, is an epic which will withstand the test of time.