Why is there a shortened version of A Christmas Carol?

Answer 1

The Number One reason for an author to write a book is because they enjoy it! A Christmas Carol is the story of how a selfish man changes his life and becomes generous; Dickens probably thought it would be fun to tell a ghost story with a moral lesson for people to think about.

Answer 2

In a roundabout way, "A Christmas Carol" is still popular today because it has heavily influenced the way we think about Christmas. The image of Victorian carolers, abundant food, family gatherings, are part of what are idealized in Dickens' story.

The theme of self-reflection, as Scrooge is forced to become by the three spirits, is appropriate for the closing of the year. Like Scrooge, we are examining the impact we've made on the world throughout the year, and how the world has impacted us.

The them of compassion for those less fortunate (e.g. The Cratchit family) also establishes the custom of giving to others. The Salvation Army bell ringers are an indirect off-shoot of the Victorian era that still remains.

Above all, Scrooge's turning from commercialism to the true meaning of Christmas serves as a reminder for our own time.

Answer 3

Dickens we very outspoken about the way industrialists and mine owners were using child labour instead of adults to work for them. They did this to pay less wages but the offset was the families were destitute and the rich became richer. When he spoke openly about the have and the have nots and the squalor that many lived him those with money decried him. he took to writing the book to bring about some vision of what was happening and how he felt "Good Christian men" should behave toward their fellow men.

Answer 4

The book was always called "A Christmas Carol". The heading "SCROOGE" later came in 1951 when the most famous of the films was made of the book. However, it was only called Scrooge in the UK it was changed to "A Christmas Carol" for the USA market.

Answer 5

Dickens called his story A Christmas Carol because he expected the story to be repeated over time and shared together with people just as the singing of Christmas carol would spread joy and would have brought families together each season throughout Britain. His carol was a song of praise of the Christmas season, the highlighting of those less fortunate and of the redemption of Ebenezer Scrooge.

Answer 6

The title appears to support the construction of the story itself. Dickens wrote the book in "staves" rather than "chapters." Since a stave is a verse of a given song or poem, Dickens seems to have come up with the idea of writing a "carol" related to Christmas, similar to the way musicians write songs about Christmas and call them carols.

Answer 7

The shortened version of "A Christmas Carol" may exist to make the story more accessible and enjoyable for a wider audience, especially children or those with limited time. It can help capture the essence of the original story while omitting some of the more detailed or complex aspects of the plot.

Answer 8

Dickens based the name on the the songs of Christmas "A Christmas Carol" and this is why he writes in staves and not chapters

Answer 9

Dickens often did readings and he wanted a version he could read in a relatively short period of time. The full book would have taken several hours to read out loud.