Christmascarol初中課外閱讀

Christmas☆Doyouknowwhat’stheorigin(起源)ofChristmas?◆ThatdaywasthedaytocommemoratethebirthofJesusChrist.(紀念耶穌誕生的日子)☆WhenyoutalkaboutChristmas,whatcanyouimagine?◆

Balloons,Christmascarols,Christmaspudding,Christmastree,snow,snowmen,Christmasstockings,presents,FatherChristmas,snowballfights,turkey,Christmascake

Keywords:ChristmasCarol

AnindispensableprogramonChristmasEveAteam=twentyyoungpeople+anangel+SantaClausSingfamiliarChristmascarolsAllofpeoplepraySantadeliverthegiftsUntilfouro’clockthenextmorningChristmascarols

SilentNight——《平安夜》

Jinglebellsring——《鈴鐺響鈴鐺》

Listen,Angelcaroling——《聽，天使報佳音》CharlesDickensAChristmasCarolisa

novel

，writtenbyEnglishauthor

CharlesDickens

firstpublishedby

Chapman&Hall

on19

December

1843.Thenovellametwithinstantsuccessandcriticalacclaim.

◆

Thebookwaswrittenandpublishedinearly

Victorianera

BritainwhenitwasexperiencingainterestinitsforgottenofChristmastraditions.

◆

AtthetimewhennewcustomssuchasChristmastreeandgreetingcardswerebeingintroduced.Dickens'ssourcesforthetaleappeartobevariedbutareprincipallythehumiliatingexperiencesofhischildhood,hissympathyforthepoor.

ContentInthemiddle19thcentury,anostalgicinterestinpre-CromwellChristmastraditionssweptVictorianEnglandfollowingthepublicationsof

DaviesGilbert's

SomeAncientChristmasCarols

(1822),

WilliamB.Sandys's

SelectionofChristmasCarols,AncientandModern

(1833),and

ThomasK.Hervey's

TheBookofChristmas

(1837).Thatinterestwasfurtherstimulatedby

PrinceAlbert'sintroductionofthe

Christmastree

in1841,thefirst

Christmascard

in1843,andarevivalin

carolsinging.Hervey'sstudyonChristmascustomsattributedtheirpassingtosocialchangeandtheurbanizationofEngland.

Content

◆

Dickens's

Carol

wasoneofthegreatestinfluencesinrejuvenatingtheoldChristmastraditionsofEngland,but,whileitbringstothereaderimagesoflight,joy,warmth,andlifeitalsobringsstrongandunforgettableimagesofdarkness,despair,coldness,sadnessanddeath.◆Scroogehimselfistheembodimentofwinter,and,justaswinterisfollowedbyspringandtherenewaloflife,soisScrooge'scold,pinchedheartrestoredtotheinnocentgoodwillhehadknowninhischildhoodandyouth.Plot

Thetalebeginson

ChristmasEve

sevenyearsafterthedeathof

EbenezerScrooge'sbusinesspartner

JacobMarley.Scroogeisestablishedwithinthefirststaveasagreedyandstingybusinessmanwhohasnoplaceinhislifeforkindness,compassion,charity,orbenevolence.AfterbeingwarnedbyMarley'sghosttochangehisways,Scroogeisvisitedbythreeadditionalghosts–whoaccompanyhimtovarioussceneswiththehopeofachievinghistransformation.Scroogeisaheartlessoldmiserwhodoesn'tenjoyChristmasanddoesn'tthinkanyoneelseeither.But,oneChristmasEve,someghostlyvisitorstakeScroogeonajourneythatchangeshismindforever.

PlotThefirstspirits,the

GhostofChristmasPast,takesScroogetothescenesofhisboyhoodandyouthwhichstirtheoldmiser'sgentleandtendersidebyremindinghimofatimewhenhewasmoreinnocent.PlotThesecondspirit,the

GhostofChristmasPresent,takesScroogetoseveralradicallydifferingscenes.Inordertoevincefromthemiserasenseofresponsibilityforhisfellowman.Plot

Thethirdspirit,theGhostofChristmasYettoCome,harrowsScroogewithdirevisionsofthefutureifhedoesnotlearnandactuponwhathehaswitnessed.Plot

Inthefinalstave,ScroogeawakensinChristmasmorningwithjoyandloveinhisheart,thenspendsthedaywithhisnephew'sfamilyafteranonymouslysendingaprizeturkeytotheCratchithomeforChristmasdinner.Scroogehasbecomeadifferentmanovernight,andnowtreatshisfellowmenwithkindness,generosity,andcompassion,gainingareputationasamanwhoembodiesthespiritofChristmas.PlotThestorycloseswiththenarratorconfirmingthevalidity,completeness,andpermanenceofScrooge'stransformation.CriticalReceptionThebookreceivedimmediatecriticalacclaim.TheLondonliterarymagazinethe

Athenaeum

declaredit,“Ataletomakethereaderlaughandcry—toopenhishands,andopenhishearttocharityeventowardtheuncharitable.AdaintydishtosetbeforeaKing.Poetandeditor

ThomasHood

wrote,"IfChristmas,withitsancientandhospitablecustoms,itssocialandcharitableobservances,wereeverindangerofdecay.Thisisthebookthatwouldgivepeopleanewlease.ThemeDickenswroteinthewakeofBritishgovernmentchangestothewelfaresystemknownasthe

PoorLaws.濟貧法

Dickensaskspeopletorecognisetheplight

ofthosewhomtheIndustrialRevolutionhasdisplacedanddrivenintopoverty,andtheobligationofsocietytoprovideforthemhumanely.ThemeFailuretodoso,thewriterimplie