Book Review: A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Charles Dickens

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Synopsis:
A mean old miser with is given a second chance at overcoming a cruel afterlife. During the night of Christmas Eve, he is visited by a series of ghosts that show him how different Christmases influenced him in the past, how the present world around him is more than he knows, and how bleak the future can be if he doesn’t make a change.

Thoughts:
This tale has been hashed and rehashed on the big and little screen over and over again. To be honest, I’m not sure I will ever care to see another version for the rest of my life (especially not the new Jim Carrey version). However, reading the original tale is something completely different. It was a quick and wonderful read.  It is also really scary.  Surprisingly more haunting than I had thought.

A few times Dickens would go off topic with describing an event or an object in detail that has absolutely no meaning to us in our day, at those times it became difficult to focus on the reading. For the most part they were few and didn’t take away from the enjoyment for too long.

Just in case you were wondering, The Muppets did my favorite adaptation of the book. You may agree or disagree, but that film influenced me in many ways.

This tale from Dickens breathes of life and love. It gives you an overall sense of enjoyment for the Christmas season as well as the love and affection of those around you. Dickens was a master of the written word, and this short tale has had such an impact in the world that it is worthy of emulation. It was enjoyable if not only for the sake of knowing his words in a more intimate manner.

What I Learned:
Learn the power and effectiveness of words to get your point across more effectively. Describe things in the greatest of detail without boring your audience. Learn a grand vocabulary so you may use it for the benefit of your tale.

Suspense comes from within our character’s reactions. You can describe a thing in detail to the reader, but it’s in the character that we become panicked, queasy and stressed. Use their emotions and actions as a tool against the audience to make them uneasy.