Research Report Organizer Introduction and Topic Sentence Charles Dickens has had a monumental and enduring impact on our culture, which can be seen through references and adaptations to his work in our arts and media, holiday traditions, and spoken and written language. Body Paragraph #1: References to and adaptations of his works Topic Sentence Evidence (x3) Explanation Dickens’ novels have such lasting A Christmas Carol has been adapted The fact that so many film and stage characters, themes, and ideas that for film multiple times, including an versions of Dickens’ different works they have been adapted into films, animated Disney version and a have been popular still to this day animated works, and theater version by the Muppets (Smith). demonstrate how his ideas are productions for modern audiences. timeless. They connect with and The play Oliver! based on Charles resonate with people of any place Dickens’ 1838 novel Oliver Twist was and age. In addition, the animated a huge hit. “It was welcomed by and Muppet adaptations theater goers in London in 1960, on demonstrate that his impact and Broadway two years later, and in influence is not just for adults, but repeated revivals…” (Pace). also for children who can appreciate, enjoy, and learn from his works of “Several of the show's songs became literature. popular standards, including 'As Long as He Needs Me’ and 'Consider Yourself.' The original London production of ''Oliver!'' ran for 2,618 performances and was one of the most successful musicals in London stage history” (Pace). Body Paragraph #2: Influence on modern Christmas traditions Topic Sentence Evidence (x3) Explanation A Christmas Carol A Christmas “The publication of A Christmas Carol Before A Christmas Carol, many Carol introduced and popularized added an emotional component to holiday traditions as we know them did not exist. Dickens’ novel both Grade 7: A Christmas Carol many of the Christmas traditions Christmas and changed it. We will introduced and popularized that we still see and celebrate never know what Christmas would be important traditions, including a today. like without Charles Dickens, but it white Christmas, the emphasis on would never have been quite the giving and celebration, and the idea of paid holiday. These are all ideas same as we enjoy today without him” that are prevalent today, but they (Hudson) were all foreign or non•existing concepts before Dickens’ time. That Dickens introduced the idea of a is why he is often referenced as the white Christmas. Despite the fact that father of the modern Christmas. it did not often snow on Christmas in the United Kingdom, people began to associate Christmas with snow because of A Christmas Carol (Hudson). Dickens illustrates how cities were less inclined to give paid holidays, as witnessed through Scrooge’s poor treatment of Cratchit. Widespread poverty and suffering, illustrated through the ghostly apparitions of Ignorance and Want, was the point Dickens wanted his readers to understand (Rowell). Body Paragraph #3: Influence on language Topic Sentence Evidence (x3) Explanation Dickens introduced a number of “No novelist has been more inventive The examples of words, idioms, and characters, words, and phrases in this area. Dickens used names to characters demonstrate that Dickens that represent or convey evoke character: Scrooge, Mr not only influenced our ideas with something bigger than themselves. Micawber, Uriah Heep, Oliver Twist, his novels, but he also influenced Fagin, Pecksniff and many more the very way we think about and names still resonate in the language” talk about ourselves, our world, and (Zimmer) others. For example, if someone calls another person a “Scrooge,” “Another feature of Dickens' use of you know immediately that they are language is the way he uses existing referring to someone who has a words to create new ones. He is negative attitude and who lacks Grade 7: A Christmas Carol particularly creative in converting compassion and/or generosity adjectives to nouns: messy to toward others. Scrooge the messiness and creepy to the creeps” character has become larger than (Zung). life in that he represents the archetype of that type of person. “Linguistically this was where ­ not to put too fine a point on it (Mr Snagsby in Bleak House) • Dickens displays his genius. The phrase 'I've got his number' (meaning I understand how he's trying to fool us) has a very contemporary feel but again we can trace it back to the interminable legal machinations in Bleak House” (Zimmer) Conclusion Charles Dickens has had a monumental and enduring impact on our culture, which can be seen through our arts and media, holiday traditions, and spoken and written language. Grade 7: A Christmas Carol .