A Christmas Carol Group

Question:

lorie105
lorie105

Why did some people not like the story "A Christmas Carol"?

Charles Dickens.

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Posted by lorie105 on Sunday October 25, 2009 at 3:17 PM and tagged with a christmas carol, charles dickens, public opinion.

Answers:

  1. sherrisuzanne
    sherrisuzanne Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    The story of the Christmas Carol brought the poverty of the lower classes in London to light.  The upper classes of the time period did not want to contemplate the living conditions of the very poor, especially the children.  They felt entitled and did not want to face the fact that human beings were suffering as a result of the various classes that existed during the time period. 

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    Posted by sherrisuzanne on Sunday October 25, 2009 at 6:29 PM

  2. parkerlee
    parkerlee Teacher

    eNotes Editor

    Even at Dickens' time, many people considered the book to be "gushy" and overly sentimental. Others could not stand what they considered an exaggerated view of the sordid side of urban life in London (and elsewhere).

    Dickens was very much in touch with his times. The impact of the industrial era and the radical changes which followed are  important leit motifs throughout many of his works.

    The following references will give you more helpful information concerning the social and economic background of the story and the public reception of this work once it was published (just before Christmas, of course!).

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/christmas-carol/critical-overview
    http://www.enotes.com/christmas-carol/historical-context
    http://www.enotes.com/christmas-carol/popularity-christma...

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    Posted by parkerlee on Monday October 26, 2009 at 8:50 AM