Know Thyself through your favorite book
My favorite book is A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. I love what this book stood for, the intent and purpose behind its inception, the method and process of its production, its indelible morale, and the beauty of the words.
When describing Scrooge’s public persona, Dickens writes:
“Nobody ever stopped him in the street to say, with gladsome looks, ‘My dear Scrooge, how are you? When will you come to see me?’ No beggars implored him to bestow a trifle, no children asked him what it was o’clock, no man or woman ever once in all his life inquired the way to such and such a place, of Scrooge….
But what did Scrooge care? it was the very thing he liked. to edge his way along the crowded paths of life, warning all human sympathy to keep its distance…”
When describing Scrooge’s house, Dickens writes:
“They were a gloomy suite of rooms, in a lowering pile of building up a yard, where it had so little business to be, that one could scarcely help fancying it must have run there when it twas a young house, playing at hide-and-seek with other houses, and have forgotten the way out again.”
I read the book at least once around this time of year and I believe I have watched all movie versions.
Like all cherished books, I like and dislike certain aspects of many of the movie versions. There are reasons why they are cherished, retain those and you are fine.
I do not require the plot to stay faithful to Dickens’, just as long as the message remains true, in fact, Scrooged with Bill Murray is one of my favorites. All the essence is kept yet almost all the details were altered, consistently, and therefore, okay by me.
What I do not like is when a version is set in the 1840’s and while attempting to remain ‘true’ to the book, disregard important points or dialogue, and worst of all, changes or adds seemingly unnecessary details. Now I understand a movie can’t be verbatim and therefore there are aspects I believe the storyline can afford to strikethrough, for example:
- The Lord Mayor’s holiday goings-on
- Scrooge remembering being alone at school over the Christmas holidays where books were his only company with their characters visiting him, specifically; Ali Baba, Valentine, his wild brother, Orson, and the Sultan’s Groom.
- Going around the world with the Ghost of Christmas Present including: a mine, a ship, and a lighthouse.
- The scene where you see Belle, her husband, and a gaggle of children meant to have Scrooge regret the family he could have had.
- The scene where the debtors who won’t be ruined, are the only people cheered by the death of the man shown to Scrooge by the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.
But what I viscerally do not like are when details of this perfect story are changed for no apparent reason. If it ain’t broke…. examples of frequent offenders:
- Scrooge does NOT fire Cratchit on Christmas Eve.
- Dickens’ character’s names are the best….why change them….why? His younger sister’s name was Fan, or Fanny. His fiancee’s name was Belle, and Scrooge’s nephew’s wife is referred to as ‘his niece’ and never named.
- Scrooge did NOT meet, nor dance with his future fiancee at Fezziwig’s Christmas celebration. He and the other apprentice were most likely between 12 and 14 years old and after the Christmas ball were physically small enough to retire to their ‘beds under the back counter’ in the office/warehouse.
- No one in the story ‘went down the slide on Cornhill’ but Bob Cratchit, who did so apparently 20 times.
- Jacob Marley announces Scrooge will be visited by three ghosts at 1am, 1am the next night, and at the stroke of midnight the night following. Hence Scrooge’s surprise when he wakes on Christmas morning and not three days later.
- Scrooge doe NOT take over Fezziwig’s business later in his life.
- Scrooge’s sister, who is younger and named Fan, does NOT die in childbirth nor in her dying breathe does she ask her brother to take care of her son, which he may or may not have heard.
- There is ZERO hint of a future romantic relationship between Scrooge and his cleaning lady, Mrs. Dilbert.
- Scrooge does NOT go to Bob Cratchit’s house ever without a Ghost by his side.
Honor the Dickens. When a story has remained relevant for over 180 years, never going out of print, then, in my opinion, the new story teller should change all of it or none of it. I don’t care who you are, you are no Dickens. He didn’t miss anything so don’t add.
Last Updated on 01/04/2026 by Death of Hypatia Inc.
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