Christina Collings 1-8-14 A Christmas Carol & Its a Wonderful Life Mod 7

In his article Charles ic!ens" #ran! Ca$ra" and A Christmas Carol% &he '(erlasting )o*er of Influence+ Matt ,ath *rites" ic!ens *as (er- unha$$- *ith the state of .ritish /ociet- *hen he *rote A Christmas Carol and too! it u$on himself to create a tale that could simultaneousl- satiri0e the *orld as he sa* it and gi(e those *ho read the stor- a sense of ho$e1 Ca$ra em2raced this idea *hen ma!ing Its a Wonderful Life+ 34141 In his no(el" A Christmas Carol" Charles ic!ens encom$asses the $o(ertand greed in London at the time through the character '2ene0er /crooge1 /crooge is an old man *ho does not care for an-one 2ut himself" and he is soon (isited 2- three s$irits that attem$t to change his (ie*$oint on ho* to li(e life1 Its a Wonderful Life" directed 2#ran! Ca$ra" follo*s the life of a man named 5eorge .ail-" *ho runs his famil-s 2usiness1 After long 2attles *ith an o$$osing 2an!er" Mr1 )otter" there is a large *eight on .ail-s shoulders" *hich he finds un2eara2le1 uring an attem$t to commit suicide" an angel named Clarence sho*s 5eorge *hat the *orld *ould 2e li!e if he *as ne(er 2orn1 .oth Charles ic!ens no(ella A Christmas Carol and the film Its a Wonderful Life critici0e su$erficialit- and ho* greed can ma!e one ta!e man- things for granted" *hile also offering a sense of ho$e1 In A Christmas Carol" ic!ens use of imager- creates a sense of gloom and disma- that reflects criticism of su$erficialit- and ho* greed can ma!e one ta!e manthings for granted1 In /ta(e 1" /crooge is introduced to the reader as an old man *ho onl- cares a2out *ealth1 &*o men a$$roach /crooge at his counting house to as! for a

$ro(ision for the $oor1 &o this" /crooge ans*ers" I *ish to 2e left alone6 /ince -ou as! me *hat I *ish" gentlemen" that is m- ans*er1 I dont ma!e merr- m-self at Christmas and I cant afford to ma!e idle $eo$le merr-1 I hel$ to su$$ort the esta2lishments I ha(e mentioned 7$risons and *or!houses89the- cost enough: and those *ho are 2adl- off must go there+ 3 ic!ens 441 &he dar! mood and criticism is sho*n clearl- throughout /crooges *ords1 ;e is too greed- to donate a single cent to the $oor e(en though he is an e<tremel- *ealth- man1 /crooge idoli0es mone- more than an-thing: this is the most $rominent su$erficial as$ect of him1 After the t*o gentlemen (isit /crooge" he recei(es a (isit from his ne$he*1 &he ne$he* in(ites his uncle for a Christmas dinner" 2ut /crooge declines1 Instead of understanding that Christmas is a time to 2e cheerful and a$$reciati(e of *hat one has" he sa-s" Whats Christmas time to -ou 2ut a time for $a-ing 2ills *ithout mone-: a time for finding -ourself a -ear older" 2ut not an hour richer: a time for 2alancing -our 2oo!s and ha(ing e(er- item in =em through a round do0en of months $resented dead against -ou6 e(er- idiot *ho goes a2out *ith =Merr- Christmas on his li$s" should 2e 2oiled *ith his o*n $udding" and 2uried *ith a sta!e of holl- through his heart+ 3 ic!ens >41 /crooges o$inion of Christmas e<$resses the dar! mood and criticism clearl-1 ;e 2elie(es the true meaning of Christmas is not a2out a$$reciating *hat one has" 2ut instead it is ?ust another da- *asted that could 2e contri2uted to *or!ing1 @nfortunatel-" /crooge is o(erl- o2sessed *ith the idea of total *ealth and cannot en?o- a holida- *ith $eo$le that care a2out him1 When the first s$irit ta!es /crooge in the $ast" he (isits the *oman he *as su$$osed to marr-9 .elle1 ;e re(isits the $oint in time *here she told him she could no longer 2e *ith him" for another idol has ta!en o(er him1 As she confronts him a2out ho* mone- is no* his main focus" /crooge

sa-s" &here is nothing on *hich it is so hard as $o(ert-: and there is nothing it $rofesses to condemn *ith such se(erit- as the $ursuit of *ealth+ 3 ic!ens 841 &his clearle<$resses the su$erficialit- that /crooge gre* to ha(e and ho* it $ushes a*a- some2odhe lo(es (er- much1 &he Auote also encom$asses /crooges greediness as his $riorities change1 Bnce /crooge *itnesses this from a different $oint of (ie*" he understands that his focus on mone- and *ealth $ushes lo(e out of his life1 &his situation encom$asses the dar! mood and criticism of the no(el1