Every holiday season, there are always a few must see Christmas movies and A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is on that list. One of the most adapted book to movie retellings, this story focuses on the life of Ebenezer Scrooge.
This man is a stingy, cold-hearted citizen who doesn’t have any space in his heart to show warmth or kindness to anyone regardless of whatever predicament they’re in. He despises the holiday season and often spouts ?bah humbug? whenever anyone wishes him good cheer.
As was the custom back then, people would often solicit funds to help provide food for those who were without – which were often poorer families, orphans and widows. When he’s approached for such a donation, he coldly refuses.
That night, he gets a visit from the ghost of his former business partner, Marley. Scrooge is told that unless he becomes a changed man, that he too, will end up in the afterlife in misery.
Scrooge is then visited by different ghosts who each represent what was, is and will be. The Ghost of Christmas Past shows Scrooge the child he used to be and Scrooge recalls a time in his childhood when he didn’t hate Christmas like he does as an adult. This scene gives viewers the backstory and shows why Scrooge became the man he did.
Next comes the Ghost of Christmas Present. This ghost shows Scrooge the happy visions of people celebrating the holidays and also takes him to see Mr. Cratchit at his home. It’s s during this scene that Scrooge learns about Mr. Crotchet s ill son, the sweet and brave Tiny Tim – and he sees how sick the boy is and will remain sick because the family is too poor to have him properly treated.
The final visit is from the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come and this ghost shows Scrooge the future. He shows the lonely demise of Scrooge, the fact that no one mourns him because of his hateful and miserly behavior and the ghost shows Scrooge that he can change this future.
After the visits by the ghosts, Scrooge becomes a different person. Where there was once hatefulness and sour actions, there is now cheer and thoughtfulness toward the people who are in his life.
You?ll watch this movie over and over and each time, it?ll never fail to touch your heart with the message behind the story, that we need to reach out in comfort and kindness to others while there?s still time.
