‘A Christmas Carol’ combines a number of different elements to create the classic Christmas tale. ‘A Christmas Carol’ combines many different ideas, which is one of the reasons that ‘A Christmas Carol’ is a classic. This book introduced the concept of Christmas, as we now know it. The festivities, the food, the merriment, the joy and spirit of Christmas is brought out and made alive. This appeals to both old and young alike.
As the basis of ‘A Christmas Carol’ is to be a ghost story, this attracts people to the book as many love to be scared. Though the story is light hearted, there are subtle observations made by Charles Dickens of Victorian life and politics, in the form of satire. The Joy of Christmas Tradition. Before Dickens wrote ‘A Christmas Carol’, Christmas was not celebrated in the way that it is now; it was more or less thought of as just a religious affair.
Dickens in a way reinvented the whole Christmas ‘idea’ by describing ways in which we can celebrate, for example the Fezziwig parties. “… there were more dances, and there were forfeits, and more dances, and then there was cake… ” Christmas comes alive with ‘A Christmas Carol’, it is described with frivolous antics, joyful doings and happy, good spirited people. The atmosphere seems to jump out at you as a hearty one. “there was nothing very cheerful in the climate or town, and yet was there an air of cheerfulness abroad…
” Food is described so well that we can picture every detail in our minds. “Heaped up on the floor, to form a kind of throne, were turkeys, geese, game, poultry, brawn, great joints of meat… ” Food and decorations are sometimes described in whole paragraphs. Dickens makes sure that his ideas are clear-cut; you know when he’s describing ‘happy’ ideas. Dickens felt that family plays an important role, especially at Christmas. This is shown by the Cratchit family and Fred, Scrooge’s nephew.
