Literary Exploration discussion

Final thoughts

I've read this many times and look forward to another read. Perfect choice for this time of the season. I think that this book really emphasizes the whole Christmas spirit because of the morals it teaches. It is maybe less about what we think of Christmas or the holidays in modern times, but more about character redemption and the idea that it is never too late to change. Sure, it is a little sappy and sentimental, but I think it really is a perfect tale for children and adults to read at this time of the year.

I guess it wouldn't be so successful if it wasn't a bit sappy and sentimental. Don't get me wrong, I love it (Dickens is almost always fab). But christmas itself is an amalgam of clichees and sentimentality. No offense, I love christmas too; it's one of the few chances to show your sentimental side. And that is why Dickens is still such a hit - A Christmas Carol has become part of the amalgam.
Imagine a similar story but not taking place around christmas; I don't believe it would work the same way because we have a distinctive imagination what christmas should be like, and it's exactly what Dickens captured in his story.

Iselin wrote: "I guess it wouldn't be so successful if it wasn't a bit sappy and sentimental. Don't get me wrong, I love it (Dickens is almost always fab). But christmas itself is an amalgam of clichees and senti..."

Well stated, and great point.

I'm thinking now of how many holiday films have been influenced by the themes in A Christmas Carol.

Franky wrote: "Iselin wrote: "I guess it wouldn't be so successful if it wasn't a bit sappy and sentimental. Don't get me wrong, I love it (Dickens is almost always fab). But christmas itself is an amalgam of cli..."

...but how would you know which themes were there before A Christmas Carol? Ha!

No, I mean how today's holiday films have borrowed the same ideas...family, turning over a new leaf, changing one's life..etc.

I found the 1984 version with George C. Scott on youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvdMj...

Beverly wrote: "I recommend checking for the Alistair Sims version. It's still the best movie rendition."

I went to IMDb to look this one up, and saw there was one with Patrick Stewart... There's an abundance of adaptations fpr A christmas carol. Most of the posters give away the ending, though.
It's interesting because it tells us that this story is considered common knowledge, and that people want to see it despite that.

A christmas carol gets to the core of what we want to be, that we want to be able to change and better ourselves. This is especially important to us around christmas time; we want to make up for past mistakes, we think about what might have been.
Which makes any film adaptation a top-notch feel good movie.

What I was most pleased with when I first read this book was Dickens wrote of the same impoverished Christmas I experienced, as well as showing the holiday was about what attitude you bring to it. It was completely different from the poem picture 'It was the Night Before Christmas' which featured a nice clean house full of great furniture with fireplace, with well-dressed people and a big bag loaded with gift stuff. When I was real little, I believed Santa wouldn't visit my house because we didn't have a fireplace (or anything else).

Franky wrote: "No, I mean how today's holiday films have borrowed the same ideas...family, turning over a new leaf, changing one's life..etc.

I found the 1984 version with George C. Scott on youtube:

https://..."

The George C. Scott version is my favorite. At first I didn't think he would make a good Scrooge since he seemed much more robust than Ebenezer Scrooge should be, but he was great! We've watched it a bunch of times. I felt sorry for Marley because he was doomed to torment and didn't get a second chance.

I had never actually read this book before, only watched various movie and television adaptations. I knew the general story before I started and there weren't any surprises. I kept picturing the characters as their Disney counter parts though. Overall I like the story and message and it's a quick read.