A Christmas Carol

After years of watching movies and various ilk, it was high time to read the original. I enjoyed it very much. It was a quick read, yet still full of the thick and superfluous language that, for me, characterizes 18th and 19th century English writing. What surprised me, though, was how snarky the writing was. I was expected Oliver Twist and David Copperfield, but while the narrative was very Dickensien, this one simply had more of a pub feel than I expected.

I'm also struck by how much I've been conditioned by modern “sensibilities.” Cable network FX recently did a take on the story starring Guy Pearce as Scrooge. It was dark and stark, and it felt like it was exploring themes that TV mini-series in the 80s would have been afraid to explore. Thus, I expected to see more of Scrooge's back story from that remake in the books. There was really only one noticeable them...Scrooge's loneliness at boarding school and a bit of the fantasy sequence with Ali Baba. I happily stand corrected that sometimes, things are beautifully simple (and that's okay).

A friend has long said that A Muppets Christmas Carol was the most faithful retelling of the actually novella. I think he is right! It's funny to me that the actual text from the story made the Muppet version funnier, and as noted in above, I wasn't expecting that to be a part of the “real” story.

Many people have pointed out the centrality of Tiny Tim and his impact on Scrooge's change. I see that. I understand it. But, to me, it was the familial connection to Fred that made the change. With the Ghost of Christmas Present, Scrooge lets go for the first time when eavesdropping on Fred's dinner. It's the first time we see the suspicion start to fall for Scrooge. It's also a lesson. Our connections to our families are the most visceral we have...they're there first, they last the longest, and we love our families through thick and thin. Even when we're on the outs with a relative, there's something that will bring us together despite the animosity. (Of course, there are exceptions...I fully recognize that some people are just demons.) We need the familial foundation and connection before we can be moved by the Tiny Tims of the world.

In all, it's a good read. Do yourself a favor and put this on the list for the holiday season.