Some Interesting Facts About A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol,
or originally known as A Christmas Carol in Prose, Being a Ghost Story of
Christmas, is a Victorian morality novel written by author Charles Dickens and
published in the December of 1843 by Chapman and Hall of the United Kingdom. It
quickly became the most popular book of the holiday season that year. Six
thousand copies were sold by Christmas and within two months after publication,
eight stage adaptations were in the works. Ironically, Dickens only wrote the
book to pay off a debt, and today it is one of the best selling Christmas books
of all time.
The driving force
for Dickens’s creation was his disenchantment with the world's economic
drives and greed. He believed that the problems with the world were caused by
an obsession with money and climbing the social ladder. He made his feelings
very clear in A Christmas Carol with themes focused on teaching a lesson.
On the surface, the novel A Christmas Carol seems to be a commentary on how greed is bad. On a closer look the book delves into many social and political aspects of the human condition. For instance, old Scrooge symbolizes “the man” who takes from the poor, without caring for their condition. By the end of the story Scrooge realizes his folly and gives more generously to the needy.
Many of the characters and places stand for things found in society, such as Ebenezer Scrooge stands for the greed of humanity, The Counting House stands for the time’s lust and greed and Utilitarianism.
Some Interesting Facts
A Christmas Carol became Dickens’s first ever public reading. It was held at the Birmingham Town Hall for the Industrial and Literary Institute, December 17, 1852. He continued public readings of A Christmas Carol until his death. Dickens intended the work to have a musical theme. For instance, the title, of course, is A Christmas Carol and the chapters are called staves instead of chapters.
In Hood's Magazine and Comic Review (1884), the poet Thomas Hood said about the story, "If Christmas, with its ancient and hospitable customs, its social and charitable observances, were in danger of decay, this is the book that would give them a new lease." And so it did. When the story was written, many people had stopped celebrating Christmas as much. After the books release, the holiday became popular once more. A Christmas Carol has been made into movies starting in 1908, plays, operas, radio shows, and television specials.
Shop for Christmas Movies
Explore more about Christmas Movies
A Christmas Carol: Why Did
Dickens Call It A Carol?
In early December of 1843, Charles Dickens
completed the manuscript for a little ghost story about Christmas. He called it
A Christmas Carol and the publisher printed the first copies a week
before Christmas. By Christmas Eve all 6000 printed copies were sold. The story
was overwhelmingly received, being read and repeated in homes throughout
London.
a christmas carol
script
What's the Best Christmas
Movie?
Christmas is a great time to gather your family together with a
big bowl of popcorn to watch a Christmas classic or a new Christmas movie.
Curling up on the couch with a warm blanket and a favorite Christmas movie is a
tradition Americans savor every year.
A CHRISTMAS CAROL Pictures
In the opening
scene, snow falls and Carolers sing as Rich and Poor gather around the last
little Christmas tree in London. Photos by T. Charles Erickson
Jimmy Stewart Christmas
Movie
It's a Wonderful Life Starring: James Stewart, Donna Reed
Making of A Christmas Carol - Photo Page
from WICA Website
"The Making of a Christmas Carol" Find
out more about how a production is put together!
The Christmas Shoes
(2002)
A young boy tries to get a pair of Christmas shoes for his dying
mother, while a lawyer tries to deal with the break-up of his marriage.
5 Christmas Movies for the Whole
Family to Enjoy!
Christmas is coming! And, Christmas time is all about
family and togetherness. We've put together some recommendations for movies to
have on hand for the Christmas season that the whole family will enjoy. These
are all movies to buy and watch year after year!
Animated Christmas
Movie
Some favorite animated Christmas movies sure to please the whole
family.
Musical Artists Theatre Christmas Carol
Photos
Musical Artists Theatre is a 501(c)(3) non-profit company of
professional actors, writers, composers, directors and designers dedicated to
the presentation of musical theater as an art form.
Mickeys Christmas Carol
DVD
One of the most recognized symbols of America, Mickey Mouse and
friends return to the screen in the animated short Mickey's Christmas Carol.
It's the same old classic Charles Dickens story with an all star Disney
cast.
