A Christmas Carol(a)|《圣诞颂歌》

A Christmas Carol

《圣诞颂歌》

by Rebecca A. Fratzke

Thanks to Charles Dickens, Christmas season will never be the same.

多亏了查尔斯‧狄更斯，圣诞节假期从此变得大不相同。

Twinkling lights, chilly nights, beautifully wrapped gifts, and tall decorated evergreen trees are just a few of the images that come to mind when one thinks about the Christmas season. In some parts of the world, Christmas just isn't Christmas without a blanket of white snow on the ground. In other places, it is about church services and silent prayers. Christmas is one of the major holidays around the world because it has become much more than a Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. It has become a time for joy and togetherness no matter what your religion may be or where you are located. Throughout literature, countless Christmas stories have talked about the magic of Christmas and its meaning in people's lives. However, few of them are as famous and well-loved as A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

First published in December of 1843, A Christmas Carol tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a greedy businessman who has no time for charity for anyone. The perfect example of this is the relationship Scrooge has with his employee, Bob Cratchit. Although Cratchit is a kind, soft-spoken, and loyal man, Scrooge treats him with impatience and cold-heartedness.

Dickens was inspired to write A Christmas Carol for several reasons including the new-found popularity with old Christmas traditions, especially those found in the writings of Washington Irving. Dickens' troubles while growing up were another source, which mainly helped shape Ebenezer Scrooge's character. The third major inspiration was the plight of the poor, particularly poor children. In some ways, Dickens hoped that the coming together for Christmas festivities could create more harmony between the social classes.

　　闪烁的灯光、寒冷的夜晚、包装精美的礼物，和有着装饰点缀的高耸常青树，当我们想到圣诞节假期时，这些只是我们脑海中会浮现的其中几个景象而已。在世界上的某些地方，圣诞节如果地上没有覆盖一层白雪就称不上是圣诞节。而在某些其他地方，圣诞节则是上教堂做礼拜和安静祈祷的节日。圣诞节是世界上最重要的节日之一，因为它已变成不仅仅是庆祝耶稣诞生的基督教节日而已。不论你信仰什么宗教或住在哪里，它已经成了欢乐和团聚的日子。遍览文学作品，无数的圣诞节故事都谈到圣诞佳节的魅力和它在人们生命中的意义。不过，很少有故事像查尔斯‧狄更斯的《圣诞颂歌》那样著名并深受喜爱。

　　《圣诞颂歌》的初版于 1843 年 12 月发行，它述说一个贪婪的生意人埃比尼泽‧史库奇的故事，他是一个吝于付出时间为别人做点好事的人。这一点可以从他与他的员工鲍勃‧克雷契的关系看出来。虽然克雷契是一个善良、说话温柔且又忠实的人，史库奇对他却很没耐心又很冷酷。

　　狄更斯写《圣诞颂歌》的灵感得自于几个原因，包括当时圣诞节旧传统的新流行，尤其是华盛顿‧欧文作品当中所描述的。狄更斯成长过程中所遭遇的烦恼是他另一个灵感来源，这主要帮助他塑造史库奇的个性。第 3 个重要的灵感来源是穷人（特别是穷人家的孩子）面对的困境。在某些方面，狄更斯希望人们齐聚欢祝圣诞节的同时，能在社会不同阶级中创造更和谐的氛围。