Charles Dickens and Confession: A Path to Justice

Ebenezer Scrooge is a significant symbol in Christmas celebrations.  When we think about the stingy old humbug, we know exactly what Christmas isn’t.  That is sad.  It completely ignores Scrooge’s story.   Our symbol forgets that Charles Dickens wrote more than a couple of pages about the old man.  We remember Scrooge in chapter one, but we forget Scrooge’s response to his visitors and thereby we forget something key.  Scrooge is not the villain of A Christmas Carol.  Instead, Scrooge is the confessed – and just as importantly reformed – villain of A Christmas Carol.  Scrooge demonstrates that injustice requires a villain and that one way for justice to happen is for the villain to stop being the villain.

This essay is best read after reading the novel and will reveal significant plot points.

Charles Dickens and Forgiveness: Is There a Collision With Social Justice?

I expect that “Please sir, I want some more,” is the best known bit Oliver Twist, but I don’t think it is the most significant.  Young Oliver’s request is one event in a horrific life that leads him to be injured and at Mrs. Maylie’s door.  Going to Mrs. Maylie’s door turns Oliver’s life from one of torment to one of peace.  Forgiveness leads to the change. 

This essay is best read after reading the novel and will reveal significant plot points.

Charles Dickens and Greatness: Smug + Stupid = Foolish

There is a fun bit in Chapter 39 of The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens.  Samuel Pickwick and some of his friends are doing some spying.  They themselves are spied, by a great scientist and his servant.  When the scientist sees Pickwick and company’s torches, he thinks that the lights are coming from far off in space and that he has just discovered some new comets or other celestial bodies moving into orbit.  He calls in his servant, who speculates that what they are seeing is the light of torches carried by thieves.  The scientist calls his servant a fool and sends him on his way.  He dozes off, dreaming about his future greatness.  Alas, Dickens only provides us with one fool in this passage – the scientist.

This essay is best read after reading the novel and will reveal significant plot points.