December 12, 2016
38,584
297
17
0.81%
Every word spoken in this episode is indexed. Type any phrase to jump straight to the moment it was said.
Type any word or phrase that may have been spoken. Click a result to seek the player to that exact moment.
Try a name, a topic, or a quoted line
3:30Now PlayingThe following video provides a brief summary of the story "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens. Get the workbook here
****
Teachers, check out our holiday lessons
***
Follow us on Facebook
****
In this video:
Most of us are familiar with the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, but how long has this story been around? Who wrote it?
A Christmas Carol is a short novel written by Charles Dickens in 1843. It tells the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, an elderly, miserable, rich man who dislikes Christmas. He is visited by the ghost of his deceased business partner, Jacob Marley, who explains that Ebenezer will be visited by three more spirits throughout the evening.
The first to visit is the Ghost of Christmas Past who takes Ebenezer on a tour of Christmases gone by. The spirit tries to help the old man understand at what point he began to dislike Christmas. The second spirit is the Ghost of Christmas Present who reveals all of the wonderful experiences Ebenezer is currently missing out on by brooding in his solitary misery. The final visit comes from the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. This ghost shows Ebenezer a glimpse of what lies in store if he refuses to change his ways.
As the story progresses, Scrooge learns the true meaning of Christmas. He is transformed from a grouchy old miser to a warm-hearted soul.
A Christmas Carol has been credited with establishing many of the modern customs and meanings associated with the holiday.
Traditions such as family gatherings, scrumptious dinners, and festive games are all aspects of the story we have included in our modern celebrations. Likewise, the story’s key message of “generosity towards others” is an important part of contemporary holiday tradition.
Aside from those things, the story has brought many other aspects to our holiday tradition. For example, someone with no holiday spirit might be called “a scrooge”. Also, the phrase “bah humbug!” has become rather popular. The warm greeting of “Merry Christmas!” was widely popularized by the story as well.
A Christmas Carol has never been out of print since 1843. The story of Ebenezer Scrooge has been retold countless times in the form of stage plays, feature-length films, radio programs, television specials, and even operas.
Sentinel Indexing in Progress
Metadata and chapters are available. Claim extraction for this episode is pending.
All video content is delivered via YouTube embedded players in accordance with the YouTube Terms of Service. Sentinel provides research tools that promote discovery and accountability across political media.