Christmas Carol (long ver)

 　I read "christmas carol". This book teaches the importance of caring for others.

     Merely was dead. Old Marley was as dead as a door-nail. Scrooge and he were business partners for years. Scrooge was his only friend and his only mourner. Scrooge was a cold, greedy, mean, old man! Nobody ever stopped Scrooge in the street to say, “My dear Scrooge, how are you?” And dogs ran away from him. Once upon a time, on Christmas Eve, old Scrooge sat in his office. It was a cold, foggy day. He didn't celebrate Christmas and he was invited to a Christmas party by his nephew, but he didn’t want to go. Scrooge lived in Jacob Marley’s old apartment. When Scrooge put his key in the lock, he saw Marley’s face instead of the knocker. And it became a knocker again. He went to his door. Then, there was Marley, dragging a chain. Scrooge asked him why he was carrying that chain. He answered it’s that I made in life. And more he said that I’m here tonight to warn you. You can still escape my fate. I’m giving you a chance. And three ghosts will come and haunt you. After that, Scrooge was very tired so he went straight to bed. When Scrooge woke up, it was very dark. Scrooge suddenly remembered the ghost come. He decided to lie awake until after one o’clock. The first ghost came to him, the ghost of Christmas past took his hand and flew with him over London. It first showed Scrooge his old boarding school, where he stayed alone, but for his books, while his schoolmates returned to their homes for the Christmas holidays. The second one came to him; he is the ghost of Christmas present. It showed Scrooge visions of the world on Christmas Day, including heart-warming scenes of celebration at the homes of Bob Cratchit and Scrooge’s nephew. The third one came to him. It showed Scrooge a vision of his unmourned death in the near future, as well as the death of Tiny Tim. He was really scared to see things shown by the three ghosts. Finally, he changed his actions to everyone and raised Bob’s payment and helped pay for Tim’s care. He became a good man, and everyone came like to him. Many people said, “Mr Scrooge knows how to celebrate Christmas, better than any other man on earth.” He is a really good man, at last.

Character Person

1. Scrooge

He is a cold, greedy, mean old man. The cold within him froze his old face. It made his eyes red and his lips blue. His voice is unkind. He had  only one friend, Marley. But Marley died at the beginning of this story. On Christmas Day, someone said “Merry Christmas” to him but he didn’t say anything and ignored it and didn’t want to celebrate Christmas.

2. Marley

He is Scrooge’s only friend. He died at the beginning of this story. But he appeared in front of Scrooge as a ghost. Sometimes as a knocker, again as a ghost. He was dragging a chain. It was long, and moved behind like a tail. Steel cash-boxes, keys, padlocks, and heavy purses hung from the chain. The chain is a thing to make his life. He wound it around himself. Then, he told Scrooge that three ghosts will come to him.

3. Bob Cratchit

He is the abused, underpaid clerk of Ebenezer Scrooge. He has poor working conditions, especially long working hours. He has a warm family. He has three daughters and three sons. They are poor but happy to live with helping each other.

4. Tiny Tim Cratchit

He is the youngest Cratchit child. He was given some kind of illness, and cannot walk without a crutch. He passed away because his father could not provide him good health. Finally, Scrooge raised Bob’s salary and helped pay for Tiny Tim’s medical treatment.

5. Nephew

He is Scrooge’s nephew. His catchphrase, “Bah! Humbug!” is often used to express disgust with many modern Christmas traditions. He is depicted as an embodiment of the Christmas spirit. He is Scrooge’s only living relative. He is unlike his uncle; he is a kind-hearted, generous, cheerful, and optimistic man who loves Christmas.

6. The first of the three ghosts

It was very strange. It was the height of a child but it looked like an old man. Its long hair was white like an old man’s, but there were no wrinkles on its face. It wore a white tunic, and a bright jet of light beamed out from the top of its head. It held a big cap under its arm. After appearing in Scrooge’s house, the ghost of Christmas past took his hand and flies with him over London. It first showed Scrooge his old boarding school, where he stayed alone, but for his books, while his schoolmates returned to their homes for the Christmas holidays.

7. The second of the three ghosts

On the throne of food, there sat a jolly giant with a glowing torch. The eyes are very kind. It wore a green robe, bordered with white fur. Its feet were bare. It wore a holly wreath on its head. It had long curly hair, a kind face and a cheerful voice. He is the ghost of Christmas present. It showed Scrooge visions of the world on Christmas Day, including heartwarming scenes of celebration at the homes of Bob Cratchit and Scrooge’s nephew.

8. The third of the three ghosts

It was a solemn ghost. It was hooded and it was moving like a mist along the ground, towards him. It moved through the air, it scattered gloom. The ghost wore a black robe. The robe covered its head, its face and its body. The only thing visible was a hand. It neither spoke nor moved. He only pointed somethings. It showed Scrooge a vision of his unmourned death in the near future, as well as the death of Tiny Tim.

This book teaches the importance of caring for others.  Scrooge is a protagonist who is a protagonist who doesn't want to spend money and time for others.  On Christmas Day, the spirits of past, present, and future are taken to teach you the importance of love.  Although it is a work of the 19th century, I felt the universality of the 21st century, when the world is divided into rich and poor.  By drawing a lonely gentleman against the backdrop of a world-wide event called Christmas, I felt the author's passion about how to live the second half of my life.  Anyone can be a scrooge regardless of the times, so I think we have to be careful about how we interact with people.

word

p6~7

carol: a song sung at Christmas time

relevant: important

sympathiser: supporter; someone who understood

oppressed: people who are not free or who haven't got the same rights as others

p13

chief mourner: friend or relative of the dead person

clergyman: religious leader

frost: covering of ice

froze: stop moving because of the cold

hanuts: visits (of a ghost)

thaw: make ice melt

undertaker: person who organises funerals

p14

beggars: poor people asking for money

cell: very small room, like a prison

neighbouring: next door

poured in: a lot came in quickly

stamping: putting down heavily

p16~p17

humbug: hypocrite

charitable: when you help others

stake: wooden stick with a sharp nd like a knife

p18~19

poked the fire: moved the cpals to make the fire burn better

put out: stopped burning

muttered: talked quietly( usually when angry or complang)

p20~p21

frowned: looked angry

in operation: working; in use

to raise money: collect money for a person or thing

p22

grew thicker: there was more fog

shivering shaking with cold

p24~25

at long last: finally

rundown: old and in bad condition

feel his way: touch in order to be sure of the way

knocker: metal object on a door

p26~27

echoed: heard again and again

cravat: neck tie men wore in the past

dressing-gown: long piece of clothing worn over night clothes

gruel: food which poor people ate

barrels: large round containers for food or liquid

clanking: when two metal objects hit each other

p29

jaws: bones

mercy: forgiveness and understanding

steel: hard matal

to his horror: he was shocked

p30~31

shadowy: like a ghost

welfare: good health and happiness

p32~33

flung:threw

floated: moved slowly through air

strikes: sound of a clock

wide open: completely open

pleaded: asked in a strong and serious way

p34~35

waistcoat: jacket without sleeves

beamed: shone; came out of

flew open: opened quickly and suddenly

jet: strong, thin line

wrinkles: lines on people’s faces showing age

p39

rubbed his hands: moved his hands together

p40

cosiest: most comfortable and like home 

clear away: make space; tidy up

fiddler: person who plays the violine

p49

bordered with: at the borders/ends

shovelling away: clearing

wreath: circle of flowers worn in the head

p50~51

bless: ask for God’s protection, happiness or good fortune

threadbare: thin and old clothes

p55

for your sake: for you; for your good

rebuke: critisism

indignantly: shocked and angrily

p56

indignantly: shocked and angrily

p59 

campaigned: worked to make people aware of something

p60

solemn: serious and unhappy-looking

yet to come:in the future