Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is a timeless classic, not just in the sense of a work of literature, but also in how it applies to our human spirit. A Christmas Carol is based around the central values associated with Christmas, which are love, compassion and mercy.
The transformation of the mean-spirited, miserly old man Ebenezer Scrooge is an important reminder that even the coldest heart can be warmed by kindness and humanity. Through the help of the three Christmas Ghosts, Scrooge witnesses the suffering of the poor and the courage of Tiny Tim, he then restores his empathy and compassion.
Perhaps it is worth while to remind ourselves the storyline of A Christmas Carol here:
Ebenezer Scrooge is a greedy businessman who thinks only of making money. For him, Christmas is, in his own words, a humbug. It has been seven years since his friend and partner, Jacob Marley (who was also consumed by greed) died and on Christmas Eve Marley’s ghost tells him he is to be visited during the night by three spirits.
The Ghost of Christmas Past revisits some of the main events in Scrooge’s life to date, including his unhappy, lonely childhood, his happy apprenticeship to Mr. Fezziwig who cared for his employees, and the end of his engagement to a pretty young woman due to his growing love of money.
The Ghost of Christmas Present shows him how joyously is nephew Fred and his clerk, Bob Cratchit, celebrate Christmas with those they love. The Ghost also informs Scrooge that Bob’s youngest son, Tiny Tim who is serious ill will soon die unless current events change.
The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come shows him Bob’s family mourning for Tiny Tim’s passing while there is no love for him after he is gone. Scrooge then awakens on Christmas morning with joy and love in his heart. He spends the day with Fred’s family and anonymously sends a prize turkey to the Bob’s home for Christmas dinner. The following day, he gives Bob a raise and becomes like “a second father” to Tiny Tim. A changed man, Scrooge now treats everyone with kindness, generosity, and compassion; he now embodies the spirit of Christmas.
This story dramatizes the increasing isolation of those who selfishly guard their prosperity. Through the characterisation of Scrooge who becomes greedy and merciless, he is emotionally and spiritually impoverished. This is a time-less reflection on how the lack of a social conscience contributes to isolation and regrets on lovelessness in life. Yet, all these can change over night.
Don’t we all need such a reminder on every Christmas? It is so easy to get caught up in our modern commercialized Christmas where the focus is on Christmas shopping and entertaining. Certainly there is a place for celebration but wouldn’t it be even more meaningful if we spend just little more time on expressing our gratitude towards those who are kind and loving to us, and to give to those who may need a hand in hardship?
This story perhaps can be served as an invitation for you to reflect, and ask yourself, “What can I do differently this year to celebrate the true spirit of Christmas?”
To end, I would like to use Tiny Tim’s famous words that closes the story: “God bless us, everyone!”
May Love, Compassion and Mercy be with you this Christmas.