Twinkling lights, chilly nights, beautifully wrapped gifts, and tall decorated evergreen trees are just a few of the images that come to mind when one thinks about the Christmas season. In some parts of the world, Christmas just isn’t Christmas without a blanket of white snow on the ground. In other places,it is about church services and silent prayers. Christmas is one of the major holidays around the world because it has become much more than a Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. t has become a time for joy and togetherness no matter what your religion may be or where you arelocated. Throughout literature, countless Christmas stories have talked about the magic of Christmas and its meaning in people’s lives. However, few of them are as famous and well-loved as A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.
First published in December of 1843, A Christmas Carol tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, 1)greedy businessman who has no time for charity for anyone. The perfect example of this is the relationship Scrooge has with his employee, Bob Cratchit. Although Cratchit is a kind, soft-spoken, and loyal man, Scrooge treats him with impatience and cold-heartedness.
Dickens was inspired to write A Christmas Carol for several reasons including the new-found popularity with old Christmas traditions, especially those found in the writings of Washington Irving. Dickens’ troubles while growing up were another source, which mainly helped shape Ebenezer Scrooge’s character. The third major inspiration was the 2)plight of the poor, particularly poor children. In some ways,Dickens hoped that the coming together for Christmas 3)festivities could create more harmonybetween the social classes.
The plot of A Christmas Carol is a transforming journey. On the night before Christmas, Ebenezer Scrooge is warned that he will be visited by three spirits. Although 4)startled by the vision, Scrooge dismisses it and goes to bed. Not long after, Scrooge is woken up by the Ghost of Christmas Past, who reminds him of the young man he used to be. Scrooge remembers with joy the people he loved and the fun he used to have.
The second spirit is the Ghost of Christmas Present. This spirit takes Scrooge to the home of Bob Cratchit, where he finds the Cratchit family very poor but very kind. Scrooge takes a special interest in Cratchit’s youngest son, Tiny Tim, who has a big heart and 5)boisterous spirit despite being crippled. The final spirit is the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. Scrooge sees the death of Cratchit’s young son. He also sees his own passing, and no one cares or has a kind word to say about him. Terrified and ashamed, Scrooge wakes up to find it is Christmas morning. He immediately sets out to change his ways and future, beginning first with Bob Cratchit and his family.
Scrooge’s journey from 6)miser to 7)Samaritan gives spotlight to the true meaning most people attach to Christmas. It’s not about how rich you are in possessions, but how rich you are in love and family. Undoubtedly, this is the reason A Christmas Carol has stood the test of time and will hold a special place in thehearts of all for many years to come.
閃爍的燈光、寒冷的夜晚、包裝精美的禮物，以及有著裝飾點(diǎn)綴的高聳常青樹，當(dāng)我們想到圣誕節(jié)假期時(shí)，這些只是我們腦海中會(huì)浮現(xiàn)的其中幾個(gè)景象而已。在世界上的某些地方，圣誕節(jié)如果地上沒有覆蓋一層白雪就稱不上是圣誕節(jié)。而在某些其他地方，圣誕節(jié)則是上教堂做禮拜和安靜祈禱的節(jié)日。圣誕節(jié)是世界上最重要的節(jié)日之一，因?yàn)樗炎兂刹粌H僅是慶祝耶穌誕生的基督教節(jié)日而已。不論你信仰什么宗教或住在哪里，它已經(jīng)成了歡樂和團(tuán)聚的日子。縱覽文學(xué)作品，無(wú)數(shù)的圣誕節(jié)故事都談到圣誕佳節(jié)的魅力和它在人們生命中的意義。不過(guò)，很少有故事像查爾斯?狄更斯的《圣誕頌歌》那樣著名并深受喜愛。
《圣誕頌歌》的初版于1843年12月發(fā)行，它講述了一個(gè)貪婪的生意人埃比尼澤?史庫(kù)奇的故事。史庫(kù)奇是一個(gè)吝于付出時(shí)間為別人做點(diǎn)好事的人。這一點(diǎn)可以從他與他的員工鮑勃?克雷契的關(guān)系看出來(lái)。雖然克雷契是一個(gè)善良、說(shuō)話溫柔且又忠實(shí)的人，史庫(kù)奇對(duì)他卻很沒耐心又很冷酷。
狄更斯創(chuàng)作《圣誕頌歌》的靈感得自于幾個(gè)原因，包括當(dāng)時(shí)圣誕節(jié)舊傳統(tǒng)的新流行，尤其是華盛頓?歐文作品當(dāng)中所描述的。狄更斯成長(zhǎng)過(guò)程中所遭遇的煩惱是他另一個(gè)靈感來(lái)源，這主要幫助他塑造史庫(kù)奇的個(gè)性。第3個(gè)重要的靈感來(lái)源是窮人(特別是窮人家的孩子)面對(duì)的困境。在某些方面，狄更斯希望人們齊聚歡祝圣誕節(jié)的同時(shí)，能在社會(huì)不同階級(jí)中創(chuàng)造更和諧的氛圍。
《圣誕頌歌》的情節(jié)是一次轉(zhuǎn)變的旅程。圣誕夜當(dāng)晚，埃比尼澤?史庫(kù)奇被警告會(huì)有3個(gè)鬼魂來(lái)拜訪他。這個(gè)幻象雖然嚇到了史庫(kù)奇，但他不予理會(huì)，仍舊上床睡覺。不久，“過(guò)去的圣誕節(jié)鬼魂”吵醒了史庫(kù)奇，這個(gè)鬼魂讓史庫(kù)奇想起自己年輕的時(shí)候。史庫(kù)奇回憶著過(guò)去他所愛的人和一些開心的事，心里充滿喜樂。
第二位來(lái)的是“現(xiàn)在的圣誕節(jié)鬼魂”。這個(gè)鬼魂帶著史庫(kù)奇來(lái)到鮑勃?克雷契的家，史庫(kù)奇發(fā)現(xiàn)克雷契家里很窮，但他們一家人都非常善良。史庫(kù)奇對(duì)克雷契最小的兒子小提姆特別感興趣，盡管他跛腳，卻是個(gè)心胸寬大又活力四射的孩子。最后一個(gè)來(lái)的是“未來(lái)的圣誕節(jié)鬼魂”。史庫(kù)奇看到克雷契小兒子之死。他也看到了自己的死亡，沒有人在乎，也沒有人說(shuō)他的好話。史庫(kù)奇感到既驚恐又羞愧，等他醒來(lái)后已經(jīng)是圣誕節(jié)的早晨了。他馬上著手開始改變待人的方式和他自己的未來(lái)，而頭一站是到鮑勃?克雷契的家里。
史庫(kù)奇從守財(cái)奴變成慈善家的歷程，點(diǎn)出了大多數(shù)人賦予圣誕節(jié)的真正意義。那與你擁有多少財(cái)產(chǎn)無(wú)關(guān)，而與你在愛和家庭當(dāng)中的富有程度相關(guān)。無(wú)疑地，這也是《圣誕頌歌》能夠經(jīng)得起時(shí)間考驗(yàn)的原因，在未來(lái)許多年它仍將在所有人心中占有一席之地。
1) greedy (a.) 貪婪的
2) plight (n.) 困境
3) festivity (n.) 歡慶，慶典
4) startle (v.) 使嚇一跳
5) boisterous (a.) 活躍的，喧鬧的
6) miser (n.) 守財(cái)奴，吝嗇鬼
7) Samaritan (n.) 撒馬利亞人，樂善好施者
