Charles Dickens dramatized by Fred Gaines CHARACTERS Carolers, Families, Dancers Jacob Marley Second Spirit, rhe Spirit First Boy Priest or Chriscmas Prcscm Second Boy Leper Poorhouse Children Third Boy First Spirit, the Spirit Mrs. Cratch it Girl with a doll of Christmai. Past Several Cratchit Children Ebenezer Scrooge Jack Walton Tiny Tim Ben Benjamin Beggar Children, Hunger Bob Cratch it, Scroone's::., clerk and lgnorancc Fred, Scroogt:'s nephew Child Scrooge Third Spirit, the Spirit Gent leman Visitor Fan, Scrooge's siscer of Chrisrmas Yer ro Comc Warder and Residents Fezziwig Peter, a Cratchir child of the Poorhouse Young Ebenezer Boy Sparsit, Scroogc's servant Dick Wilkins Butcher Cook Sweetheart of Young Coachman Charwoman Ebenezer 400 UNIT j: UNl>loR~IANDINC l"HE~IE t LITERARY ANALYS IS: THEME IN DRAMA To identify the theme in a drama, notice the action and Charles Dickens 1812- 1870 dialogue between characters. What characters do and say provides clues to the play's message. Characters' actions, Unhappy Childhood the setting, and events are often explained in stage Charles Dickens's childhood in directions, which are set off in parentheses. England provided material for many of his stories. When Dickens was 12 As you read A Christmas Carol, try to focus not only on and living with his family in London, what the characters say and do but also on how and his father was put in prison for not why they say and do those things. Then ask yourself what paying his debts. Young Dickens had message the playwright is sharing. to leave school to work in a rat-infested factory to help earn money for his I READING SKILL: UNDERSTAND SEQUENCE IN PLOT family. The hopelessness and shame Knowing the order ofevents in a work of literature helps he felt there affected him deeply. you better understand the work's theme. Events are BACKGROUND TO THE DRAMA not always presented in the order in which they happen. A Plea for the Poor The reader may be taken When Frederick Gaines wrote the play backward or forward in time. Ke.If f.vurts you are about to read, he based it on a In a drama, clues about the novel by the same name that Charles order, or sequence, of events Dickens first published in 1843. At that often appear in the stage time, about one-third of the people directions. The titles ofthe in London were living in poverty scenes also provide clues and hunger. The city was dirty and about the sequence ofevents. overcrowded, and jobs and houses As you read A Christmas were in short supply. Many children Carol, use a sequence wheel were forced to work instead ofstaying to help you keep track of the in school. Charles Dickens wanted his unusual sequence of events. novel A Christmas Carol to be "a plea for the poor." The book was instantly • VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT and w idely popular, and as Dickens had hoped, it and his other writings The following words all help tell the story ofa man who did affect how his readers felt about is too concerned with money. How many words can you the social conditions oftheir time. match with their definition? 1. accost a. abrupt or blunt in spea king 2. anonymous b. made very angry 3. brusque c. not having one's name known 4. currency d. to approach and speak unpleasantly to 5. incoherent e. money 6. infuriated f. confused KEYWORD: HML7-39 Complete the activities in your Reader/Writer Notebook. The play begins amid a swirl ofstreet Lift in and ic has (\\lists on it and an eyepiece chac you Victorian London. Happy groups pass; bright61 put up co look through. We can see all the way costumed ca rolers and families call out to one to che park with it. another and sing "joy to the Wlorfd. "Three boys Third Boy. Could I look through it? girl and a are grouped about a glowing mound Second Boy. Maybe . where would you look? ofcoal. As the carolers leave the stage, the lights (The chi rd boy points straight up.) Why chere? dim and thefoCl{s shifts to the mound ofcoals, .10 Third Boy. l'd like co see che moon. bright against the dark. SLow61, the children begi11 (The boys stand and Look upward as the girl to respond to the warmth. A piano plays softly sings to her doll. One ofthe boys makes a snow 10 as the children tfllk. angel on the ground.) First Boy. I saw a horse in a window. (pause) Girl (singing) . A dapple . .. gray and white. And a saddle, too Christ the King came down one day, . red. And a strawberry mane down to here. rnro chis world of ours, All new. Golden scirrups. (People pms by the And crying from a manger bed, children, muttering greetings to one a11othe1:) Began rhe Christmas hour. Second Boy. Christmas Eve. (speaking) Third Boy. Wish we could go. 4o Christ rhe Kin g, my pretty one, First Boy. So do I. Sleep softly on my breast, Third Boy. l chink I'd like it. Ch rise rhe King, my gen de o ne, w First Boy. Oh, wouldn't I ... wouldn't I! Show us the way to rest. (She begins to sing the first verse again. As snow Second Boy. \Y/e're going up omo the roof. starts to fall on the boy making the snow angel he (The boys loo!< at him quizzicaL61.) /viy fo ther stands up and reaches out to catch a singlejla!?e.) has a glass. Telescope. A brass one. le opens up ,\ C IIIUST ~I AS CAROL 401 ,,l_ i :.' ! i . -- - -- :._. \ __ ' ~ SCROOGE IN HIS SHOP - The percussion1 thunders. Scrooge hurls himself might have derived good by which I have not through the descending snowflakes and sends profited, I daresay, Christmas among the rest. the children scattering. They retreat, watching. And though it has never put a scrap ofgold Cratchit comes in. He takes some coal.from the in my pocket, I believe it has done me good mound and puts it into a small bucket; as he and will do me good, and I say, God bless it! carries it to a corner ofthe stage, the stage area 40 Scrooge. Bah! is transformed.from street to office. Scrooges Fred. Don't be angry, Uncle. Come! Dine with Fred nephew enters, talks with the children, us tomorrow. gives them coins, and sends them away with Scrooge. I'll dine alone, thank you. 10 a ''Merry Christmas." Fred. But why? Fred. A Merry Christmas, Uncle! God save you! Scrooge. Why? Why did you get married? Scrooge. Bah! Humbug! Fred. Why, because I fell in love with a Fred. Christmas a humbug, Uncle? I hope chat's wonderful girl. meant as a joke. Scrooge. And with solitude. Good afternoon. Scrooge. Well, it's not. Come, come, what is I it you want? Don't waste all the day, Nephew. Fred. Nay, Uncle, but you never came to :;o sec me before I was married. Why give it as Fred. I only want to wish you a Merry a reason for not coming now? Christmas, Uncle. Don't be cross. Scrooge. Good afternoon. Scrooge. What else can I be when I live in such .-!o a world of fools as this? Merry Christmas! Out Fred. I am sorry with all my heart to find you with Merry Christmas! What's Christmas to you so determined; but I have made the attempt in but a time for paying bills without money, a homage to Christmas, and I'll keep chat good time for finding yourself a year older and nor an spirit co the last. So, a Merry Christmas, Uncle. hour richer. If I could work my will, every idiot Scrooge. Good afternoon! who goes about with "Merry Christmas" on his Fred. And a Happy New Year! lips should be boiled with his own pudding and Scrooge. Good afternoon! (Fred hesitates as buried with a srake ofholly through his heart. <,o ifto say something more. He sees that Scrooge Fred. Uncle! has gone to get a volume down .from the shelf, Scrooge. Nephew, keep Christmas in your own and so he starts to leave. As he leaves, the Jo way and let me keep it in mine. doorbell rings.) Bells. Is it necessary to always Fred. Bur you don't keep it. have bells? (The gentleman visitor enters, causing the doorbell to ring again.) Cratchit! Scrooge. Lee me leave it alone then. Much good may it do you. Much good it has ever done you. Cratchit. Yes, sir? Fred. There are many things from which I Scrooge. The bell, fool! See co it! Cratchit. Yes, sir. (He goes to the entrance.) 1. percussion: noise made by loudly striking objects, such as drums or cymbals. All pho1ograph, from 1he 200J performance ofA <__1,riJtm,lJ Ciro!. produc1ion by Loui,iana ·1cch Univer,i1y School of 402 UNIT J: UNDERSTANDING THEME 1he Performing Ans. Phn1ns (i) ~lichad Rubury. Scrooge (muttering) . Merry Christmas . Gentleman Visitor. It is; still , I wish I could -o \'(/olves howli ng and a Merry C hristmas .. say 1c was not. Cratchit. Ir's fo r you, sir. Scrooge. The poor law is sci II in full vigor then? Scrooge. Of course it's for me. You're not Gentleman Visitor. Yes, sir. receiving callers, are you? Show chem in. Scrooge. I'm glad to hear it. From whar Cratchit. Righr rhis way, sir. (The gentleman 110 you said, I was afraid someone had sroppcd .