A Christmas Carol stands as the most famous, heart-warming and chilling festive story ever written, brought to life here with the scholarly guidance of Dr Keith Carabine and Professor Cedric Watts. At its centre is Ebenezer Scrooge, a man whose very name is synonymous with greed and parsimony: ‘Every idiot who goes about with “Merry Christmas†on his lips, should be boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart’. That attitude is challenged on Christmas Eve when the ghost of his old partner, Jacob Marley, returns from the grave to haunt him, followed in turn by the three spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Future, each revealing the error of his ways and gradually melting the frozen heart of the old miser as he moves towards redemption. Along the way Scrooge’s journey brings us into contact with a rich array of Dickensian characters, from the poor Cratchit family and the ailing Tiny Tim to the generous, jolly Fezziwig. Written in 1843, A Christmas Carol was Dickens’s enduring gift to the world, capturing the love, kindness and generosity of the Christmas season in a way whose uplifting magic remains as potent today as on first publication. Its richly drawn, emotionally vivid characters, from the iconic miser Scrooge to the endearing Cratchits, have captivated readers for generations, making this a compelling and thought-provoking read for students of all ages. Offering rich themes for exploration and discussion – compassion, generosity, and the true meaning of Christmas – and told in accessible language with universal appeal, it gives students an excellent opportunity to engage with classic literature and deepen their understanding of the human experience. Charles Dickens, Dr Keith Carabine, Professor Cedric Watts – Wordsworth Editions Ltd
ISBN 13: 9781840227567
Author: Charles Dickens
