December 2008: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Bah humbug

Is there anything about the holidays that gives you the "Bah Humbugs"?

No! I love the holidays! I just have to work harder at not getting as stressed.
-Bookworm

Not really. Sometimes people's attitudes can make me feel that way but more often than not I feel blessed that I don't.
I had to go into Walmart the weekend before Christmas to pick up Abi's new bed that we had used the Ship to Store thing for. It's kind of a ghetto walmart so I knew going in that I am more likely to see someone being held down waiting for the police to come than to see a bunch of happy people enthralled with the Christmas spirit... but still I was surprised when I did not see one person smile the entire time I was in there. It made me feel sad for them. Everyone looked and acted so miserable that it made me wonder why they didn't have anything to be happy about so close to Christmas.
I had been cranky before I went in and that changed by the time I came out when I realized how lucky I was to be able to go home to a good husband, a beautiful daughter, a warm home, food, clothes, and presents under the tree not to mention the faith and knowledge we have in our faith as the true meaning of Christmas was no where to be found.
I also find myself feeling grateful as I hear people I know and respect talking about how they hate Christmas and Santa and all of that. I am so grateful to be able to feel the magic and wonder that is a part of it all. I think I am the anti-scrooge and I think that has everything to do with Bookworm and my dad because the holidays were so much fun at our home on the years we had a lot and on the years when we did not. It was always the same no matter what. Also, I see people around me doing so much for others and I think that should outweigh all the commercialism.
-Annegirl

Thank you for what you said...and I am so glad that our Christmas memories past and present as a family have meant so much to you!
-Bookworm

Man's children

What does it mean to say the boy and the girl (Ignorance and Want) are " Man's children"?

Because man is the one that creates Ignorance and Want by ignoring the needs and wants of those around them...and by keeping man in ignorance want is produced.
-Bookworm

Because God does not create ignorance and want. That is created by man by the decisions and environment.
Every baby born has the potential of education. It is up to the people that are in charge to make sure that child gets it whether that is the ability to go to school or just to read free books from the library or sit and talk to them for free.
Want is a difficult one as people can't always be in charge of this but as we all know want increases as our attitudes change- meaning you can look at two families that have the same amount of worldly things and one can seem in want and one can seem satisfied. Want and ignorance, also, are not exclusive to the poor. There are plenty of wealthy people that are extremely ignorant and want more because they are not grateful for what they have.
-Annegirl

Wow, that was very profound! I really liked what you had to say...particularly in the last paragraph!
-Bookworm

Message

Dickens lived in the 19th century. Do you think the message of this play still applies today? What is the relationship between wealth and happiness?

The message does still apply today! All of us have choices in what we will do with our lives and whether we will do good to the best of our ability or do wrong. With wealth one can become stingy and selfish and prideful or it can be a source of doing good for others.
-Bookworm

It definitely applies today. I am sure that this message is one that has applied since the dawn of man and will apply forever.
The relationship between wealth and happiness is an interesting one. They are not exclusively related - as we have all heard the adage Money can't buy happiness. We all know and see every day people that are among the world's wealthiest that aren't happy and none of us would ever want to trade places with and we see people that seem to have nothing and are happy.
Would I be happy if we were really poor? I hope so but I think it would be hard. Would I be happy if we were really wealthy? I hope so. It would be easier. See.
I think that I would probably have the chance to be happier if we were wealthy because it would take away the stresses in life... we wouldn't worry about bills, I wouldn't teach preschool, I'd probably hire someone to clean the bathrooms, someone to cook healthy food for us, and have a personal masseuse.... but I believe that if Doug and I lived in a small apartment and had less bills because of that it would also make it less worrisome and therefore would also take away some stress.
I think we all just have to learn to be happy no matter what. I struggle with this. I'm sure most people do if not every body. I do believe though that we have to learn to be grateful for what we do have (and don't have) before we can learn to be happier with more.
-Annegirl

Ghost of the past

Why is the Ghost of Christmas Past young, small, cloaked in white and shining bright? What does he mean when he says that Scrooge made his cap and has forced him to wear it?

Maybe because in Christmas Past Scrooge was young and still innocent and had happy possibilities ahead of him...and then started changing and would have to wear the "cap" of what he had become and the choices he had made.
-Bookworm

I have no idea. I was hoping to get some insight from you all.
-Annegirl

Visitors

Scrooge and Bob Cratchit are interrupted three times on Christmas Eve; carolers, businessmen asking for donations, and Scrooge's nephew. Do you think it is connected in any way to a visit of three spirits?

I think that those interruptions showed the reader how "down" Scrooge was by having no joy in carols and happy things, being selfish and uncaring in helping others, and trying to turn away love when it wanted to be a part of his life.
-Bookworm

I'm sure that it was intended. usually those kinds of things are. He was visited by 3 people that he turned away from and then was in turn visited by three people that showed him the consequences of those kinds of actions.
-Annegirl

Spirit

Which spirit had the greatest effect on Scrooge? Why?

I think all three had great effect on Scrooge but Christmas future really scared him when he saw the bad effects of not changing and the possibility of death without a chance to change.
-Bookworm

I felt like the future did. It all led up to it though. The past reminded him of the good times and good people that had loved him. The present showed him what the people he didn't care too much about were really dealing with. If he hadn't seen Tiny Tim and learned to care for him in the present he may not have been as affected by the fact that he would die in the future.
-Annegirl

Marley was dead to begin with...

Why does the narrator make such a point of Marley's being dead?

Because the story all hinges on ghosts...Marley and the three ghosts that come to visit. If one didn't believe in any of them there would have not been a story or a change in Scrooge's life.
-Bookworm

I think it is to make it more spectacular when he comes to Scrooge.
-Annegirl

Christmas Spirit

How do you keep the Christmas spirit and the holidays in your heart?

By having fun in all that I do from decorating to baking and wrapping and giving and all! And by trying to keep the Babe in mind as the reason for the season.
-Bookworm

Easy. TRADITIONS!! We make sure the house is decked out. We do activities that have to do with Santa and Jesus to make sure we have the best of both worlds- the spirit of the true meaning of Christmas and gratitude for our Saviour and the fun of Santa and gifts and surprises.
-Annegirl

His sister

Do you think his life would have been different if his sister had lived and they had maintained a close relationship over he years?

Very possibly that could have been a great influence on him because he did love her so.
-Bookworm

Again, I'm not sure. It would have been good for him to have someone around that loved him so much unconditionally but it doesn't mean he would not have turned into the same guy. There are a lot of selfish and cruel people in the world that are surrounded by people that love them.
-Annegirl

Fatherly relations

How did Scrooge's childhood relationship with his own father shape him as an adult?

I think it made him selfish and ignorant of the needs of others...and because he had been treated so badly that is how he treated others.
-Bookworm

I think it made him selfish. He had to think of himself since his father wouldn't. He probably assumed that most people in life would treat him that way and built up a wall from letting people in.
-Annegirl

Regrets

What do you think Scrooge regrets the most about his past?

I would think it would be how he treated others and how he treated his nephew, losing the girl he loved, and how he was treated by his father.
-Bookworm

I would assume that his biggest regret would have been that great love lost.
-Annegirl

fatherhood

How would his life have been different had he been a father? Do you think he would have been as cold and heartless to the Cratchetts? Why or why not?

If his marriage and fatherhood had helped him to be a kind and good man then he would have treated others the same kind way.
-Bookworm

I agree with Bookworm...again. If the marriage had helped him be a better person than he probably would have been a good father and it would have spilt over to the other parts of his life. But, he may have turned out to be the same kind of father that his was to him had he not changed but still had kids.
-Annegirl

What could have been?

How would Scrooge's life have been different if he had married? Do you think he would have evolved into such a miserly man? Why or why not?

Yes. I feel that if he had married the girl he loved and that loved him he would have had that good influence around him...and a family at his side to help him overcome the pain he had suffered as a child without love.
-Bookworm

I would imagine that if he had someone around that loved him that may have softened him and changed his attitude but I'm not 100% sure that it would have.
Maybe he just would have made her life miserable and then he would have been surrounded by even more misery which would have made him even scroogier.
-Annegirl

the business

How do you think Scrooge's business changed after his experience?

He became an honest and fair man and was kind in his dealings with his fellowman. It was probably a place of happiness instead of drudgery.
-Bookworm

I am sure it became a more charitable business and maybe not as profitable although he may have been blessed with more business after that (if it had been true that is)
-Annegirl

The Cratchitts

How do you think life changed for the Cratchett family after that Christmas?

They were given a decent wage to support their family and a friend who became dear to all of them. They did not have to want after that. And Tiny Tim's health improved because of the needed care he now received.
-Bookworm

In obvious ways their son didn't die. That's about the best thing that could ever happen to a family. I am sure that their life was made a lot easier and less stressful as Scrooge became more generous and less demanding.
-Annegirl

Favorites

Who was your favorite character in the story? Your least favorite character?

Bob Cratchitt and Tiny Tim were my favorites and Scrooge as a young boy. Oh, and of course, Mr. Fitziwigg (spelling...sorry). My least favorite was Scrooge's father and his older self before his changes.
-Bookworm

My favorite character is Tiny Tim. He's just so positive in spite of what he has to deal with and seems to be such a good and sweet little boy.
My least favorite would probably be the people that stole from Scrooge after he was dead (if he hadn't changed) 'cause that's just yucky.
-Annegirl

Your Scrooge

Who, in your contemporary world, needs a visit from ghosts of his or her past, present, and future? (this could be someone you know or someone you don't know- but don't be too mean)

Most of our elected officials, retired and active, and people like Brittany Spears who really need some changes in life's directions
-Bookworm

I agree with Bookworm. I think we probably all need the little reminders occasionally but there are definitely celebrities (and sometimes even family and friends) that you look at and wish they could see the bigger picture so they could be happier. I know people have thought this of me before.
-Annegirl

Why?

Why do you think Charles Dickens wrote this book?

As a creative thinker and writer he probably saw life around him and in others and decided the way he could best make changes for himself and others would be to write it.
-Bookworm

I'm sure the idea just popped into his head. As an aspiring writer that is how I get my ideas. Maybe somebody said or did something that made him want to put this particular message out there.
-Annegirl

Your past, present, and future

If you were to look objectively at your past, present, and future which do you think would alter your attitudes and behaviors the most? Would it be a mistake in your past, a poor judgement you made recently, or events that you think are yet to come? What events, unless to personal, made you choose the way you did?

Probably the first two. Mistakes in the past (hindsight is 20-20 vision) give one experience in knowing what they don't want to do again...and present poor judgements and actions can pose remorse or embarrassment for one and cause one to want to do things differently.
-Bookworm

Future. I agree. I have made many mistakes in the past that I've had to learn from - although if I could go back to those times and know the future that would have affected my decisions more.. soooo I think I would be most influenced by knowing what my decisions would mean for me down the road.
-Annegirl