A Christmas Carol:book and film adaptation

Alexandra Parra BarkerPablo Pitarch Safont

CONTENTS

• Introduction

• Biography

• Literary Style

• Book information

• Film information

• Differences

• Discussion

INTRODUCTION• A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens

• A Christmas Carol (1984)

• Why this topic?

BIOGRAPHY• February, 7 1812

in Porstmouth, England

• Work at Warren's Blaking Factory.

• Bad parenting.

• Newspaper's reporter → Boz

BIOGRAPHY (II)• First real success

→ The Pickwick Papers.

• He wrote complex novels at an outstanding rate. (e.g. Oliver Twist)

• He also read his works aloud.

• He died on June 9, 1870

BIOGRAPHY (III)

• He was one of the best and most popular writers in history.

• His works have been screened, at least 200 times.

• He wrote approximately 20 novels, large amount of short stories and some non-fiction, poetry and plays.

LITERARY STYLE (I)

• His writing was designed to “fill space”

• Lots of repetition and long lists

• Rhythmic and designed to be read aloud

• Many of his characters are either hilariously comic or heart-breakingly sentimental

LITERARY STYLE (II)• Houses to symbolise the people who

inhabit them

• Dives straight into stories to capture attention

• Mixture of fantasy and realism

• Marking of the separation between privileged and under privileged

LITERARY STYLE (III)

• Descriptions:– Satire, flourishing his gift for caricature

was his forte.– Eye for detail– Powerful adjectives and metaphors,

imagery, personification, similes...– Presenting people, surroundings and

weather in ways to reinforce each other– Exaggerations– Development of arresting names

LITERARY STYLE (IV)• Marcus Stone (Our Mutual Friend) recalled

that the author was always “ready to describe down to the minutest details the personal characteristics, and life history of the creations of his fancy.”

• Dickens's public readings revolutionised the literary world.

BOOK INFO

• Written in 1843 by Charles Dickens

• Summary:– An old miser who makes excuses for his

uncaring nature learns real compassion when 3 ghosts visit him on Christmas Eve.

• Main topics:– Chritstmas, charity, rich vs. poor, change,

repentance, etc.

CHARACTER LIST• Ebenezer Scrooge

• Jacob Marley

• The Portly Gentlemen

• Fred

• Cratchit family: Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim

• The Ghost of Christmas Past

• The Ghost of Christmas Present

• The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come

• Fezziwig

• Belle

• Fan

FILM INFO• TV release 1984

• 100 minutes

• Director: Clive Donner

• Writers: Roger O. Hirson (based upon the book by Charles Dickens)

• Stars: George C. Scott, Frank Finlay and Angela Pleasence

DIFFERENCES

SETTING CHAPTER ONE

• In the book the men asking for money go to his office, in the film they meet at a party.

• In the book the carol singers are outside Ebenezer's workplace.

• In the book he has dinner in a tavern.

• In the book Scrooge sees the carriage in his house, but in the film he sees it in the street.

SETTING CHAPTER ONE

SETTING (II) CHAPTER THREE

• In the book there is a voice calling Scrooge only once, when he is next to the door; but in the film this still happens when he is on the bed.

SETTING (III) CHAPTER FOUR

• In the book, before visiting Bob's house, they visit another family.

CHARACTERS CHAPTER TWO

• In the book, the first ghost is reduced to child proportion and also changes form, in the book does not.

PLOT CHAPTER ONE

• Change in the presentation of Marley's death.

• The time in which the third spectre is expected changes.

PLOT (II) CHAPTER TWO

• There is something weird with time in the book that is not appreciated in the film.

• Scrooge's repentance.

• The film introduces the time when Scrooge felt in love and the fact that his father hold a grudge against him because her mother died in labour.

PLOT (III) CHAPTER THREE

• In the book, Ebeneezer prepares for the coming of the second ghost.

• Change in the order of visits (Bob, nephew, homeless vs overseas)

• In his nephew house they play different games.

PLOT (IV) CHAPTER THREE

In his agony, he caught the spectral hand. It sought to free itself, but he was strong in his entreaty, and detained it. The Spirit, stronger yet, repulsed him. Holding up his hands in a last prayer to have his fate reversed, he saw an alteration in the Phantom's hood and dress. It shrunk, collapsed, and dwindled down into a bedpost” (FICAR VIDEO)

PLOT (V) CHAPTER FIVE

• In the book, Ebenezer cries, but in the film he does not.

• In the book he shaves, in the film he does not.

DISCUSSION• Why the changes?

– Maybe because of time.

– To make it more attractive to the public.

– Impossibility of the year for recreating some effects.

CONCLUSION

Thank you for your attentionand

Merry Christmas