The Classics discussion

This is for discussing "Marley's Ghost".

One thing that really struck me is all of the other spirits Scrooge sees wandering around with all of their chains. I was touched by their mourning at seeing someone in need and not being able to help them. It seems that though they were cursed to carry the chains they forged in life, the true torment was not being able to render service to those in need.

It's interesting to see how the story was compacted and edited for movie form. Scrooge's nephew has no name, Bob Cratchett is the sole employee and apparently a man of little imagination. But it's also nice to see how many lines were directly lifted from the text.

I like that the story has a narrator thought I'm not sure whether this narrator is meant to be Dickens or not.

We get it, Marley's dead. We don't need to be told 12 times.

I loved the description of Scrooge as being hard as flint but incapable or producing a generous fire. As well, for some reason I was reminded of "It's a Wonderful Life" while reading this, despite the stories having different plots.

The use of weather and the description of it created a gloomy 1840s London feel, especially this closed-in feeling thanks to the pervasive and ever-present fog. The writing does suffer from convoluted sentences but that's Victorian era writing for you.

Exactly how old is Bob that he slides down Cornhill 20 times after work? Also, why did Scrooge move into Marley's place after he died? Where was he living before?

Heh, he checks his dressing gown for spooks because it was hanging suspiciously. Marley may be a blob of mustard! But what's with that statement about the toothpick and goblins? I didn't get that at all and what happened to Jacob's jaw?

...and what happened to Jacob's jaw?

theduckthief, it was common practice to wrap a bandage around the deceased person's jaw to prevent the jaw from dropping after burial.

Oh gross. But thanks for the info.