In the 1999 theatrical version of A Christmas Carol we revisit a timeless classic packaged as a grittier and more down to earth version of Charles Dickens classic novel. In the movie the titular character of Ebenezer Scrooge finds himself alone and cut off from the world after his business partner Jacob Marley passes away. The bitter and cold hearted Scrooge despises Christmas and all those who embrace it, until one fated night, when his deceased business partner pays him a visit and sets him on a journey that will change his life he knows it.
The movie in juxtaposition with the Dover Thrift Edition of A Christmas Carol is very similar. The general beats of the book are represented in the movie as well it’s ultimate objective of telling a story of self realization and redemption. However, there are some changes to the story that I feel make the movie more enjoyable than the book.
One thing I feel the movie nailed over the book is the change of Ebenezer Scrooge appearance. The book describes Scrooge as “The cold within him froze his old features, nipped hi pointed nose, shriveled his cheek, stiffened his gait: made his eyes red, his thin lips blue; and spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice” (Dickens, 1991, p. 2). The change came in the form of Patrick Stewart who portrays a bitter miser, who is more polished than the book version, with a clean shaven head and softer features. This change adds to the believability of the character when he turns from bad to good at the end of
Both the book and DVD are similar and different in many ways. One way that the movie and book of “A Christmas Carol” are similar is most of the sequence of events. In both the book and DVD it starts out by introducing the characters and then starting the plot of the story. Another way that they are similar is that they both involve a man named Ebenezer Scrooge as the main character. Scrooge is the main person who in both the movie and book, is in most of the events. The last way that they are similar is that they both involve three spirits that come and take Ebenezer on adventures into the past, present and future.
“I am not the man I once was…” (Dickens 675) might be the most famous words of Ebenezer Scrooge in “A Christmas Carol” Written by Charles Dickens. Ebenezer Scrooge is a horrible man who is haunted by three spirits overnight in hopes to make a new man out of the old miser. Throughout this story, Ebenezer Scrooge is haunted by three spirits ,Christmas present, past, and future, and during this time he learns about his greed, what joy he missed on christmas, and that he had a chance to become better.
Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is a moral tale that depicts the protagonist’s Ebenezer Scrooge’s moral journey from selfishness to redemption. It can be seen that his new found way of life is derived from the desire to be a good man of the community and to assist others such as Tiny Tim. The idea of Scrooge’s transformation not being selfish can also be seen in his aspiration to contribute to the wider community that suffers from a poverty stricken way of life. In addition to this, Scrooge also reforms his way of life in order to feel love and care from family, which satisfied his nephew Fred aswell as himself. However, this selflessness is only to an
Scrooge figured out who the dead man was in the book at his grave. After he realized it was himself, he cried and pleaded that he would change. On page 77 of “A Christmas Carol,” It states, “...hear me! I am not the man I was. I will not be the man I must have been but for this intercourse. Why show me this, if I am past all hope?” In the movie, Scrooge also figures out he is the dead man at his grave and he is also saddened by the news, but after he discovers this, he is dragged down into a pit reaching the bottom of the Earth itself, which is way past the normal burying standards at six feet! This all shows how much a movie and a book can be so similar, yet so different!
Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol was first published in London on the 19th of December 1843, the novella was instantly popular and still is to this day. Dickens inspiration for the short story seems to come from his childhood experiences and his sympathy for the poor. In the story a miserable old man, Ebenezer Scrooge, is shown the error of his ways and what will come of it if he doesn’t make drastic changes. Various ghosts and spirits slowly transform him into a kinder more pleasant man. A Christmas Carol is a powerful novella that uses symbolism like the children Ignorance and Want, Scrooge’s transformation, and Scrooges nephew Fred, to reinforce significant themes like social isolation, rebirth, and family.
Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens Scrooge has become one of the most commonly know characters from Charles Dickens’s novels, in the respect that he is the most horrible and callus of all his characters, this dastardly individual was used to convey a serious social message about the extreme neglect of Victorian employees. The first chapter of ‘A Christmas Carol’ prepares the reader for the rest of the novel. Dickens does this by creating antipathy for scrooge and by introducing gothic elements to prepare the reader for the arrival of the spirits later on in the book. In the 18th century Charles Dickens was one of the most important
Also, Dickens describes Ebenezer Scrooge as a 'cold-hearted, tight fisted, selfish man' who despises Christmas and all things that incite happiness. In addition, the words have a rhythm, they all have three syllables. The title of this book is A Christmas Carol. A Carol is a hymn, the three descriptive words is representing a carol so this refers back to the title. A quote from the book is 'The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, made his eyes red'. Dickens portrays Scrooge's characteristics like the wintry weather conditions. This illustrates the readers what kind of personality Scrooge has, to me it’s like Dickens is describing Scrooge like Jack Frost (from the Santa Claus 3 film). He is truly mean at the beginning but at the conclusion of his experience he changes to a nice man. Although Dickens describes Scrooge as a mean, rude man, it’s like Dickens is teaching us the viewers a lesson that everyone has a different side of them it just takes hard work to transform them.
The Christmas Carol is a magnificent movie which shows Ebenezar Scrooge a grumpy old man who changes his future. Ebenezar will go on a magical journey where he will see his past, present, and future with the help of the ghosts of past, present, and future, which changes Scrooge for the better. In the Christmas Carol you find many allusions, metaphors, allegories, paradoxes, personifications.
A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens is a compelling tale of greed, love and charity. Studying this short novel at school is necessary because it concedes the threats of holding and leading a selfish life and how acting greedy is notorious on your fate and your perspective of life. Through his representation of Scrooge, Dickens wants the reader to learn from his miserable personality and encourages others
'A Christmas Carol' by Charles Dickens allow readers to be positioned to identify what he values in society and his beliefs of the consequences in life and in Christianity as shown through Scrooge's transformation. Scrooge was a coldhearted and frosty man who has been given a second chance in life to alter his view towards Christmas, and most importantly, the happiness in the world by becoming charitable, and positive while maintaining self respect and value. Through the teachings from the Spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come, Dickens demonstrates a defiant and isolated character who transforms into a changed man imbued with Christmas
The novels A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, and Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte display a strong parallel in the ways in which they use their different styles of narration in the story to reveal the true inner-feelings of characters. In A Christmas Carol, the main character, Ebenezer Scrooge, is taught many valuable lessons through the testament of three different spirits, each working to bring out the true emotions of this man. Likewise, in Wuthering Heights, the main character, Mr. Lockwood, is taught stories of his landlord, Mr. Heathcliff, through written recollections from the testaments of others, showing the inner-feelings and thoughts of him through diary entries. Although they are written in two different styles, indirect
One difference in the movie was that the Ghost of Christmas yet to come has a hand of skin. Not a hand without skin that was wrote in the book. I think that this makes a difference though because it doesn't show a big impact on the story. I think Charles Dickens put the skinless hand in his story to give his story a "chill-factor". I don't think that the director of the movie version of A Christmas Carol thought that it was a big deal or a big impact to the rest of the story. Another difference between book and movie is that Scrooge doesn't go to church at the end of the story. I think it makes a big difference though, because it shows how much Scrooge has changed since the three spirits came to visit him. It shows a before and after effect which I think made a big impact on the story. The last significant change between the book and the movie is that when Scrooge follows the Ghost of Christmas yet to come, he ends up falling into his grave. This is significant because Scrooge gets to meet the old Scrooge and gives him a slap in the face of reality of what's going to happen if things don't change. It's ironic too because it's the new Scrooge that wakes up on the bed in the morning.
Also, Dickens describes Ebenezer Scrooge as a 'cold-hearted, tight fisted, selfish man' who despises Christmas and all things that incite happiness. In addition, the words have a rhythm, they all have three syllables. The title of this book is A Christmas Carol. A Carol is a hymn, the three descriptive words is representing a carol so this refers back to the title. A quote from the book is 'The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, made his eyes red'. Dickens portrays Scrooge's characteristics like the wintry weather conditions. This illustrates the readers what kind of personality Scrooge has, to me it’s like Dickens is describing Scrooge like Jack Frost. He is truly mean at the beginning but at the conclusion of his experience he changes to a nice man. Although Dickens describes Scrooge as a mean, rude man, it’s like Dickens is teaching us the viewers a lesson that everyone has a different side of them it just takes hard work to transform them.
From the story, “A Christmas Carol”, to the movie, “Scrooged”, there are many similarities and differences in the characters, symbols and even plot although much of it is due to the change in setting from the early 1840’s to the late 1980’s. Beginning with characters, Ebenezer Scrooge carries his overall theme of generosity or lack thereof into the movie where he is referred to as Frank Cross. Cross shows this in his Christmas gifts that he gives out to family and employees which happen to be no more than a fluffy towel. Scrooge expresses his lack of generosity by giving Bob Crachit, his employee, little to no christmas bonus and being unhappy with his request to take Christmas day off. In both the book and movie, Scrooge and Cross both start out with a very annoyed and almost depressed demeanor, both having a short temper and being very dismissive towards others. Cross was vain and very dedicated to his television company while Scrooge was a workaholic and the only thing he cared about was money. He also craved isolation as he would return home
Compare and Contrast Essay This is a compare and contrast essay about a Christmas Carol. I am going to compare the play “A Christmas Carol: Scrooge and Marley” from Charles Dickens and the film “From Scrooge” from Henry Edwards. Both are from the same story but are developed different. There are some things that are necessary to point out from both, the film and the play.