A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens Almost Wasn’t a Story
Charles Dickens was no stranger to poverty. As a young boy he was forced to work in a factory as his father served time in a debtor’s prison. His experiences there stayed with him throughout his life.
In 1843, Dickens, now an author with international fame, resolved to write a non-fiction pamphlet to “strike a sledge hammer blow” for the poor.
He was inspired after reading a parliamentary report titled, Second Report of the Children’s Employment Commission, and a trip to Manchester where he witnessed the strife of manufacturing workers there.
It was common for writers of the time to speak out against social injustice by writing essays that were published in pamphlets for widespread distribution. Dickens himself wrote hundreds of essays in his lifetime.
Yet, when he sat down to write this essay he realized that there was a much better way to get his message for social justice across than a polemic essay. Instead, he turned his message into a story — a story we now know as A Christmas Carol.
This novella has been immortalized and retold year after year for a century and a half. The characters (Ebenezer Scrooge, Jacob Marley, Bob Cratchet, and Tiny Tim) are known so well by all who celebrate Christmas. Even the phrase “Merry Christmas” was popularized by this story.
To think that A Christmas Carol was almost a essay criticizing the state of poverty in mid-nineteenth century England! Instead, we have a tale that has inspired millions of people to think of generosity and humility during Christmas and will continue to do so for years to come.
There is an important lesson here for all writers and artists:
Tell a story.
It is natural to want to speak out against the injustices of the world. It must be tempting even for famous artists to use their fame to bring attention to those who suffer.
Dickens might have had some success with a pamphlet pointing out specific problems in England during his lifetime. Instead, though, he gave us a story that has been universalized and shared year after year.
“Show, don’t tell.” This is common advice for writers and A Christmas Carol certainly shows this to be true.
So, instead of telling people what you want to share, show them. Show them in a story. Use your art to change hearts because the heart is easier to convince than the mind.
