A CHRISTMAS CAROL - A BIO ON CHARLES DICKENS

A CHRISTMAS CAROL - INTRO TO CHARLES DICKENS

Today, we're going to spend a few minutes talking about Charles Dickens in preparation for tomorrow's first post on A Christmas Carol. I am downright giddy to dive into this Christmas classic with you. I don't like to put words in author's mouths as to the reasons they wrote a book, but I think there are a couple of things we can keep in mind and use for self examination as we travel through these pages! I'll tell you more on those thoughts in a moment, but first...

Charles Dickens was born on February 7, 1812. He was the second of eight children, and he was very sickly. Due to this, he spent a lot of time in bed and passed the time reading books.

His father tended to live beyond his means. This landed him in debtors prison when Charles was twelve years old. Charles had to quit school and go to work at a boot blacking factory. The factory was overrun with rodents. Dickens earned 6 shillings a week. Eventually, his father received a small inheritance that allowed him to pay off his debts. Charles was able to return to school, but at age fifteen he had to leave and work again.This time he found employment for two newspapers. Reporting on the news was the beginning of his writing career.

Over his lifetime, Dickens wrote fifteen novels. Many of them focused on the despondent and impoverished lives of the working class people. They caused a beacon to be shown on the mistreatment of this class which helped to usher in needed changes.

Dickens died on June 9, 1870 at the age of 58.

So, what do I think Dickens would have us look at as we read the pages of A Christmas Carol? The first is simple. How do you treat your fellow man, especially those who are in TRUE need around you? I'm not just talking about those in physical need (although that is certainly part of it!), but I'm also talking about their emotional and spiritual needs as well. Second, I don't know about you, and I get a little shameful saying this, but I can see a bit of myself in old Ebenezer Scrooge. Situations in life have made parts of my heart cold, unfeeling, and untouchable, and this Christmas story has a unique way of getting us to examine our past, our present, and our future.

So blow the dust off this classic, listen to the sound of the creak as you open the cover, and allow the music of this literary carol to settle into your soul.