Dickens in December (hosted by Caroline at Beauty is a Sleeping Cat and
Delia at Postcards from Asia) has
to be my favourite event of 2012. I adored The Old Curiosity Shop, I’m halfway
through and completely in love with A Tale of Two Cities and now this
readalong.
Here are a few of the questions I answered:
Is this the first time you are reading the story?
This was actually my favourite story when I was little. The funny thing is my book was called Mickey’s Christmas Carol. It was based on the Disney version of Dicken’s novella, with Uncle Scrooge as Ebenezer Scrooge, Mickey Mouse as Bob Crachit and Goofy as Marley, not to mention, Jiminy Cricket as the Ghost of Christmas Past. It had the cutest illustrations in it. I can’t believe I never got around to reading the original book until now!
Did you like it?
I always the story was just magical. But reading the original version was an entirely surprising experience. Such a small book has such a a lot to say. The writing is seriously mesmerizing and the story is hauntingly beautiful. I loved it.
Which was your favorite scene?
It’s hard to choose one scene, I liked the time when the first ghost showed up, the scene at the Crachit family’s home was touching; but fittingly enough, I’d say my favourite was the last scene – with the new and improved (redeemed?) Scrooge.
Some people laughed to see the alteration in him, but he let them laugh, and
little heeded them; for he was wise enough to know that nothing ever happened
on this globe, for good, at which some people did not have their fill of
laughter in the outset; and knowing that such as these would be blind anyway,
he thought it quite as well that they should wrinkle up their eyes in grins, as
have the malady in less attractive forms. His own heart laughed: and that was
quite enough for him.
little heeded them; for he was wise enough to know that nothing ever happened
on this globe, for good, at which some people did not have their fill of
laughter in the outset; and knowing that such as these would be blind anyway,
he thought it quite as well that they should wrinkle up their eyes in grins, as
have the malady in less attractive forms. His own heart laughed: and that was
quite enough for him.
Which spirit and his stories did you find the most interesting?
When it comes to my Disney version, my favourite spirit is Jiminy Cricket. Because? Well. But in this one, it had to be the last ghost – the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. Everything about the phantom was chilling, eerie.
I knew A Christmas Carol was, like any story with a moral, obviously far-fetched. The idea that someone could so entirely change in just a night is hard to contemplate. I knew what the Ghost of Christmas Future was going to show Scrooge and I didn’t think it would make the story any more believable, but the way it is described – so gory, so tragic, so real – made me believe. I loved what the third spirit showed Scrooge because it was the most convincing. It was kind of the essence of the story for me and I could really see the change that it triggered in Scrooge.
Did Scrooge deserve to be saved?
I think everyone deserves to be saved.
Tabula Rasa 
I love Dickens, and a Tale of Two Cities has the all time best opening and closing lines. Also, love a Christmas Carol and thank you for doing this. I wanted to pop over and give you a big cyber hug and wish you a Happy New Year.
Your friend, Paulette
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I missed a Christmas Carol read-along? Ah well. Sounds like you had a fun time with it! There's definitely so much in such a small book.
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Hey, I'm so glad you stopped by. Hope you had a great Christmas and wish you a happy new year too! 🙂
I've read the opening line, still getting to the closing line, but it's a really lovely book!
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I haven't seen the Mickey version in YEARS! 🙂 I'd forgotten about it.
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