Dickens’ Christmas Carol - the facts

Mar 21st, 2008 | By Fiona Broome | Category: Ghosts in fiction

Dickens’ book, A Christmas Carol, was based on Dickens’ own life. What’s not clear is how autobiographical the tale is. Here are some clues.

Scrooge’s experiences… fact or fiction?

In the original 1843 edition, Dickens’ preface said:

I have endeavoured in this Ghostly little book, to raise the Ghost of an Idea, which shall not put my readers out of humour with themselves, with each other, with the season, or with me. May it haunt their houses pleasantly, and no one wish to lay it.

Their faithful Friend and Servant,
C. D.
December, 1843.

Marley's Ghost by J. Leech - original illustration in A Christmas Carol

Some of Dickens’ story was based in fact. Bob Crachit’s sickly child was originally named Fred, after Dickens’ younger brother. That character became the beloved Tiny Tim. The name, Fred, was still used in A Christmas Carol, but for Scrooge’s nephew instead. Scrooge’s scorn of Fred’s lifestyle may have echoed Dickens’ views of his real-life brother. The real Fred borrowed on his brother’s famous name, landed in debtors’ prison, and died an alcoholic.

“Fan,” or Fanny, was not only Scrooge’s sister in the book, but also the nickname of Dickens’ older sister, Frances. She died of consumption in 1848, at age 38.

Her son, Henry Burnett, was the most likely model for Tiny Tim. Henry was a sickly child who lived only ten years and died in 1849.

Haworth Main Street, York scene - photo by sootyangel Likewise, many locations in A Christmas Carol were based on places in Dickens’ past.

The location of Ebenezer’s early childhood–and Dickens’–was Strood, close to Rochester in Kent.

Young Ebenezer’s school was based on London’s Wellington House Academy, which Dickens’ attended during his youth.

Most people believe that Dickens’ tale was never meant as a literal account of events. His story delivers a message about living our lives in a way that benefits others as well as ourselves, with spiritual wealth far greater than gold.

Nevertheless, it is interesting that the settings and characters in the novel are largely based on fact. And, the various ghosts and spirits of A Christmas Carol are not pure fantasy, but based on events that could really happen.