A Modern Classic
As long as I can remember, I have been drawn to the Charles Dickens classic, A Christmas Carol. I recall my parents watching it on television before putting my brothers and me to sleep on Christmas Eve. My grandmother would have it on in the background, when we visited her on Christmas Day. Now I tune in each Christmas after my own kids go to bed – perhaps looking for an annual reminder of the preciousness of life and the responsibility that comes with it.
Published in 1843, this ultimate holiday story has become one of the most adapted movies of all time. My favourite version stars George C. Scott, who brilliantly portrays the leading character, Scrooge, a self-obsessed, grouchy accountant who goes from being Mr. Bah Humbug to a believer in the Christmas spirit. Other memorable characters include Bob Cratchit, Scrooge’s dedicated employee and loving father, and Tiny Tim, a crippled boy who has the most positive outlook on life among the lot. From the original black-and-white films to the newer animated versions, it’s a cautionary tale for what happens when personal gain takes precedence over kindness.
What makes this story the annual favourite that draws me back each year? Is there a perennial lesson that can be learned from it, especially as we end this unprecedented year? Some say Dickens’ concepts are outdated and even outlandish. A modern audience might dismiss the idea of being visited by three spirits – the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future. However, I believe the story owes its success to its timeless message. It’s a story suitable for a wide range of audiences that carries a deeper and underlying meaning about promise and character.
It has been an incredibly difficult year for all of us. Parents have had to adapt to changes in their working lives while also supporting at-home learning and modified schooling. Teachers have had to flip their classrooms and compress learning into tighter quadmesters while ensuring the enriched curriculum remains intact. Students have had to attend school adhering to numerous health protocols, including daily screening, masking, and distancing while facing all of the regular demands of course performance. Truly, our individual character has been tested to face these challenges with resilience, fortitude, and compassion.
At this time of year, we are drawn to think about our lives in the context of the past we can’t change, the present which we do shape, and the future that is not yet known. What is our hope for 2021? Who am I? How will I lead? What is my legacy? These questions are for all of us, not just our boys. They can inspire us to fully live a life of purpose, a life more about joy and relationship than about personal success and individual accomplishment. And just like Scrooge, we might just awake from this terrible pandemic more committed than ever to a life of promise, on our path to character.
Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!
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What makes this story the annual favourite that draws me back each year? Is there a perennial lesson that can be learned from it, especially as we end this unprecedented year? Some say Dickens’ concepts are outdated and even outlandish. A modern audience might dismiss the idea of being visited by three spirits – the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future. However, I believe the story owes its success to its timeless message. It’s a story suitable for a wide range of audiences that carries a deeper and underlying meaning about promise and character.
It has been an incredibly difficult year for all of us. Parents have had to adapt to changes in their working lives while also supporting at-home learning and modified schooling. Teachers have had to flip their classrooms and compress learning into tighter quadmesters while ensuring the enriched curriculum remains intact. Students have had to attend school adhering to numerous health protocols, including daily screening, masking, and distancing while facing all of the regular demands of course performance. Truly, our individual character has been tested to face these challenges with resilience, fortitude, and compassion.
At this time of year, we are drawn to think about our lives in the context of the past we can’t change, the present which we do shape, and the future that is not yet known. What is our hope for 2021? Who am I? How will I lead? What is my legacy? These questions are for all of us, not just our boys. They can inspire us to fully live a life of purpose, a life more about joy and relationship than about personal success and individual accomplishment. And just like Scrooge, we might just awake from this terrible pandemic more committed than ever to a life of promise, on our path to character.
Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!
See all of Headmaster Fellin's Open Mike Blogs
