Some thoughts on Dickens' "A Christmas Carol"
Posted January 8, 2010 by Stephen Kozik
After finishing "Great Expectations" (which seem to take over 6 months for me to read for some reason), I was reminded of some thoughts that had occurred after watching the 1970 Albert Finney adaptation of A Christmas Carol "Scrooge".
First and foremost, like all of Dickens' novels, the plot is impossibly coincidental and all too convenient. All those lose ends tie up a little too neatly, and there is no question that all little Tiny Tim needs is a better doctor, which in 19th century England means a bigger dose of bread pudding and some better trained leeches. Scrooge, apparently, only needed to be threatened with some heavy ass chains and being the devil's clerk to change his ways.
Let's start with Scrooge. To begin with, the guy isn't all that bad—he's not going around stealing the presents of whoville (including the roast beast) or any obvious transgressions. He just wants to be left alone about all this Christmas nonsense (and no one seems to get the hint) and collect debts owed to his business which is, you know, good business sense. Because he doesn't celebrate Christmas or just let you slide on your late payment he's suddenly a bad guy. He didn't make you borrow money from him, nor did he ever give any indication that he really wished to by merry and give to charity if you only asked him 40 more times. Bob Cratchit seems to have the sense to drink a cup of shut the hell up, but no one else does.
Speaking of Cratchit, much is made about how he's overworked and underpaid. While that is a shame, no one seems to stop and ask two important questions; One—If his job is so awful in contrast to everyone else's, why doesn't he get another job? Two—Maybe the reason he's overworked and underpaid is because he's not a very good clerk? No where does it ever state that old Bob is any good at his job, and in my experience people that can't get better jobs or raises usually can't do so because they're not very good employees. He may work late (or come in early the day after Christmas) because he's behind in his work due to him being slow.
Let's just skip all the ghost business because that fantasy part of the story could easily be attributed to a bad nightmare, some ergot laced bread, or a bad bit of cheese as Scrooge suggests. It is 19th century England after all. On to Scrooges transformation.
First, let's discuss the kid who is given a large sum of money to fetch the prize winning Turkey from the window. Say you had a 100 dollar bill, gave it to a random boy on the street and told him to buy you a Turkey and keep the change. You think you'll see that boy again? Not a chance. He'd just take the c-note and blow it on pop rocks and porno mags. Screw you old man!
Secondly, where do you suppose Scrooge has gained all of this wealth that he then bestows on the town after his change of heart? By (as the novel suggests) being a complete dick to everybody for decades! If he was a decent guy, it's pretty much a given that he'd be as broke as the rest of the sad sacks in town, perhaps selling soup or running puppet shows for shillings a day. The only reason he can afford that goddamn turkey and the dolly in the window is because he hasn't given Cratchit a raise since Marley kicked it 7 years ago and that his interest rates are of payday loan levels. Gee, thanks a lot, dick.
Finally, let's get to the matter of Scrooge making Cratchit partner, just after he tears up his debt ledger and declares everyones accounts settled. Who the fuck wants to be a partner in a bank that just declared they would have no further income? That sounds like a cracker-jack business plan. Better hope Tiny Tim's medical bills can be paid with good will and puppet shows.
-Sir Cloister Maximus III, Esq.
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