How Did Charles Dickens Contribute To A Christmas Carol

“The pain of parting is nothing to the joy of meeting again.” This is a quote by Charles Dickens, a timeless author who wrote memorable stories. Dickens had a life full of travel and had a few different homes. He made many contributions to literature with his classic books. One book was the beloved story, A Christmas Carol, where Dickens used character development to change a character’s view on Christmas. Charles Dickens was, and still is, one of the best authors of all time. Charles Dickens had a pretty eventful life. He lived in a few different places during his time on earth. Dickens was born in Portsmouth, New England, on Friday, February 7, 1812. He lived in London from 1822 to 1860, when he made a permanent move to a country house near Chatham called Gad’s Hill. He met his first wife, Catherine Hogarth, in 1835 and became engaged to her the same year. He died June 9, 1870 in London. In addition to traveling and meeting new people, Dickens still found time to write incredible stories. Literature was changed for the better by Charles Dickens. His works influenced cultures, ways of celebrating certain events, and how some people react to reading. Most of
Dickens’ books are well known all over the world. Some of these include A Christmas Carol, Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, A Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, and several more. One of the books that made one of the biggest impacts on how we view Christmas would undoubtedly be A Christmas Carol, where he made excellent use of character development. Charles Dickens uses character development to show how Ebenezer Scrooge, the main character, changes in A Christmas Carol.
Scrooge started out as a grouchy old man who hated Christmas. He states this several times, including when he says, “Every idiot who goes a bout with ‘Merry Christmas’ on his lips, should be boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart.” (Dickens 14). Towards the end of the story, he became kinder and started to care about other people. He shows this when he says to his employee Bob Cratchit, “A merrier Christmas, Bob, my good fellow, than I have given you, more many a year! I’ll raise your salary, and endeavor to assist your struggling family, and we will discuss your affairs this very afternoon, over a Christmas bowl of smoking bishop!” (Dickens
80). In conclusion, Charles Dickens was an amazing author who made an impact of people and literature everywhere. He wrote incredible stories during his busy life. His works changed literature for the better. Stories by Dickens have reached, and maybe even touched people of all ages. Charles Dickens was a great writer who created unforgettable stories that are sure to live on forever and touch the hearts of countless others.