I'd like to acknowledge that this project arose from how fun and enlightening Pico's Book Club of The Brothers Karamazov was.
On December 19, 1843 Charles Dickens published a novella, A Christmas Carol in Prose, Being a Ghost-Story of Christmas. I had no idea that this little gem was anything other than simply A Christmas Carol. We'll refer to it as simply A Christmas Carol (ACC) from now on. It sold out within days of publication and within a few months it was adapted to the stage. Since then it has been adapted for theater, opera, film, television and graphic novel. It's longevity shows how it resonates with society. Tortmaster and I are going to take a look at this story over the next few weeks. Tortmaster is going to start with Staves I and II on Wednesday, November 23, I'll post Staves III and IV on Wednesday, November 30 and Tortmaster will post Stave V with final thoughts on Wednesday, December 7. I hope you'll join us in discussing this novella and what we can get out of it today.
Robert Louis Stevenson, in a letter, wrote about the book:
"I don't know that I would recommend you to read the Carol, because it is too much, perhaps. But oh, dear God, it is good--and I feel so good after it, and would do anything, yes, and shall do everything to make the world a little better...."
I'm sure we could use this motivation right now. I know I'm disappointed in the outcome of the election. Is Donald Trump and the Republican Party our modern day Ebeneezer Scrooge? I shiver at the prospect. On the other hand, ACC shows that the worst of us, Ebeneezer Scrooge, as described in ACC..
'Oh! but he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner.'
...was horrible, but how that bad hombre changed. Horrible things that have happened in the past and present don't have to mean horrible things in the future. Scrooge can change. Not only Scrooge, who has a string of miserly traits, but we can change. Individuals can affect change. Wow, that's powerful stuff. I believe this story is important for today. It's important for us to know that we can affect change. Charles Dickens knew firsthand about the horrible conditions of the working class in Victorian England. He wrote as an activist. We can learn today from his novels. A Christmas Carol nudges me towards activism to, as Robert Louis Stevenson wrote, "...do everything to make the world a little better."
Tortmaster has been studying the life and works of Charles Dickens for years, I have not; and preparing for this diary has certainly opened my eyes to just how accomplished Charles Dickens was. Music was very important to him, he wrote and performed songs all through his life. A Christmas Carol is set up in staves rather than chapters. Merriam-Webster defines stave as the horizontal lines with their spaces on which music is written —called also staff.
A carol, also defined by Merriam Webster, as a song of joy or mirth. Charles Dickens wanted us to read this as a song that starts out dark and gloomy, but ends in a crescendo of joy. I feel that he's offering us to take up the challenge and do better. Ebeneezer Scrooge wasn't just better, he did better. I hope I haven't spoiled the story too much, but I'm pretty sure that even if you have never read the story you are familiar with it.
Each week we'll pose questions to those reading along. Since we didn't have an assignment for today's discussion I have a few questions for you:
What is your favorite adaptation?
My favorite adaptation is Muppets Christmas Carol. It came out the year I was pregnant with my son, Jupiter, and he's seen it every year since. When Jupiter was a rambunctious child my husband and I would take Jupiter out for a hike in the mountains, ostensibly to 'find snow', but actually to wear out the little guy. When we got home we'd get ready for Santa and we could watch one movie before bed. It was always unanimous. Muppets Christmas Carol. As Tom (Kermit) Cratchett would sing "One More Sleep Before Christmas" we'd all sing along.
One More Sleep 'Til Christmas, by Jim Henson and performed by Muppets and Co.
Jupiter is 23 now and last Christmas he sang the refrain to me on Christmas Eve.
Why do we love this story so much?
It's so universal to me. Yes, it's a 'Christian' holiday, and yes, it's a 'Christian' story, but everyone can learn from this tale. We are all stingy and cold at some time or another, but if we can be more like Tiny Tim and offer blessings to everyone, this world would be a much better place.