Book Review - A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

At least once a year, for as long as I can remember, my Dad has read A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. There are some years he's read it two or three times. While I've only read it a couple of times, I have seen numerous movie versions, some much better than others! It is definitely a classic story that stands the test of time & has touched many hearts. I think I'll read it again this year! 

Most everyone is familiar with the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, an old miser who is visited by four ghosts. One is his deceased partner, who warns him that he will be visited that night by three others who will show him his past, present, & future. Following is part the essay Olivia wrote for her book analysis during her freshman year of high school. The bolded sentence in the last paragraph really stood out to me. That year, I printed it on a sheet of cardstock with an image of Scrooge & the ghost, framed it, & gave it to my dad for Christmas. 

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English 9 Book Analysis by Olivia (December 2019)

    Charles Dickens’ famous story, A Christmas Carol, first published in 1843, teaches a valuable lesson to all ages and has the theme that greed and a solitary life can be transformed, almost instantaneously, to generosity and amicable relations, overnight when one sees how their sins affect others. Throughout Ebenezer Scrooge’s encounters with Christmas’ three ghosts, his greed and preference of a solitary life, as well as his cruel manner, are changed to generosity and humility, and he learns how to better communicate with other people. 

    First, the Ghost of Christmas Past shows Scrooge bits of his past. By showing Scrooge who he had been, the recollections began to soften his heart. When Scrooge saw the memory of when he was an apprentice, and explaining the kind of man his master had been, Scrooge, through his stubbornness, was able to see what kind of man he was to his clerk. 

    The Ghost of Christmas Present, showed Scrooge his clerk, Bob Cratchit, and how he and his family celebrated Christmas. The second ghost revealed to Scrooge the effects of poverty on the family and what Scrooge had done to them by underpaying his clerk. Scrooge also saw the young Tim Cratchit in his crippled state and was moved by pity, a strange occurrence for the man. 

    Finally, the third ghost to visit Scrooge, the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come, revealed the consequence of his life. The ghost showed Scrooge how little he meant to the world, even when he thought of himself so highly and how so few would be bothered by his passing. Even Scrooge’s own nephew, who had always been kind to him, would not be so terribly affected by Scrooge’s death. The three ghosts of Christmas awakened Scrooge to the beauty of, not only Christmas, but that greed and a solitary life can be transformed, almost instantaneously, to generosity and amicable relations, overnight.