When we think about Charles Dicken's 'The Christmas Carol,' the picture of Ebenezer Scrooge comes to mind. As much as the story of Scrooge and his famous "Bah, humbug" line have managed to catch our imagination and become a part of Christmas, it's background story held so much interest that a lot of people do not know of.
So what really was the real story behind Dickens' 'Christmas Carol?' Actually, Dickens had two main reasons why he wrote the story of Scrooge. First was as a means to feed his growing family and second was because of his love for children.
According to the historian Catherine Golden, Dickens wrote the 'Christmas Carol' after he visited a school where the poorest kids of Victorian England went. There, he saw the plight of these kids considered as outcasts of the society, neglected and abused. The sight filled him with pity for the kids and outrage for the rich and thus, Ebenezer Scrooge was born, a rich miser who loved his wealth more than anything in the world.
Scrooge represented the hypocrisy of the wealthy and how they are deaf and blind to the cries of the poor around them. Despite Scrooge being a miser, Dickens redeemed him at the end after getting a visit from three ghosts.
Another reason why Dickens wrote the 'Christmas Carol' was because he was strapped for cash at that time and he needed to feed his big and growing family. And what he saw at that 'ragged school' became his inspiration.
When the 'Christmas Carol' was released, the first print successfully sold 6,000 copies within a week. By the end of the year, a total of 14,000 were sold. Dickens hoped to get a profit of around £1000 but unfortunately, the price was too cheap and the cover was too lavish that he did not earn that much. Dickens expressed his disappointment at the turnout. Nevertheless, his book has outlived him and is still one of the most-loved stories in history.
