The story

A Christmas Carol (1843) is a novel written by Charles Dickens that tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a man with a problematic character who only thinks of accumulating wealth, regardless of the circumstances and needs of those around him.

Scrooge is in his cold and gloomy office with his employee Bob Cratchit, whom he demands to stay working late even though it is Christmas Eve since it is just another day for him.

In his room's solitude, the ghost of his former business partner, Marley, appears and warns him that three spirits will visit him that night. Scrooge receives the Spirit of Christmas Past, the Spirit of Christmas Present, and the Spirit of Christmas Future. In this way, the main character understands that his way of life takes him away from love and the joy of enjoying the most important holiday of the year: Christmas.

A Little background on Dickens

Born in England (1812-1870), Charles Dickens’ works stand out for their accurate portrayal of 19th century England, shown through the dialogues between his characters. They represent the problems and adverse circumstances of the oppressed class, how hard it is to live in need, and the indifference of society. His characters´ lives and situations reﬂect the hardships that he suf-fered in his own childhood because his father was imprisoned for not being able to pay his debts, which required Dickens to work from a young age to support his family.

He is the author of true classic works of universal literature, including Oliver Twist (1837), David Copperﬁeld (1850), and A Christmas Carol (1843). Dickens's works continue to be a reference for new generations.

Dicken's England

What was the country that saw the birth of one of the most famous writers of the 19th century like? Asking ourselves this question helps us understand the characters of Charles Dickens and the social significance of their stories.

Nineteenth-century England was a place of contrasts. On the one hand, there was the bourgeois class, with its rules of etiquette, fashion, romance, the party life, traditions, lace, top hats, and appearances. We know this England through the novels of Jane Austen. And there is the other side of the coin, the England of the proletariat, which has concentrated in the city of London, the people who left the country life to seek to earn a living working long hours as machine operators in mass production factories. It is the rise of the Industrial Revolution in which money is scarce, and the needs of families of this economic class are difficult to achieve. In this reality, children work and support their families.

Thanks to the works of Charles Dickens, we can realize inequality, the pressing needs of families, and how children must work to earn a living.

A Christmas Carol:
from the written word to the digital age

Without a doubt, A Christmas Carol is one of the works performed each year on stages worldwide and has also been produced for other media, such as cinema and television. From Walter Booth's five-minute version for silent movies in 1901 to the story adapted by Disney Studios in 3D, it is the transformation of the character of the sullen Scrooge that leads us to think about the importance of Christmas. The podcast version of Guadalupe Radio is unique and different since it shows off music and voice to not only set the story but also help us reflect on realizing that sometimes we are deaf or blind to the beauty that surrounds us.

A Christmas Carol and the original music

Scrooge is trapped in his hardness, so ingrained that he can't even perceive the beauty around him. Through the visit of the spirits of Christmas, the origin of his bitterness is known, a childhood in which he receives cruel treatment from his father and his teacher, the abandonment to which he is subjected when leaving him, even at Christmas, in a boarding school; not even the love of his little sister rescues him from the rancor that begins to take root in his heart as a child. While the world offers beautiful melodies sung in the market, between homes, and in the town's streets, Scrooge can only listen to the bitterness within. The a cappella songs composed specially for the podcast show the joy that everyday life presents, resulting in a podcast that is worth listening to over and over again.

What does the A Christmas Carol podcast offer us?

“In adapting this version of A Christmas Carol, we differed from the original by shifting Scrooges' process of awakening. With each ghost, a new phase of Scrooge's awareness and commitment to change is roused. He begins early on as wanting to become a better man, however, as many of us do, he struggles, having desire but lacks the tools and ability to actually do so. Many fairy tales take us through a journey to inspire the individual to “wake up” from their wrong-doings but do not tell us how or what happens next when we decide to make that change. Many of us strive but fall back into our old ways repeatedly until we figure out what works for us to personally mature.

In the original story, the height of Scrooge's evolution comes when he sees his own grave, his change comes from self-interest, not from humanity. We shifted the story to recognize the harm he is responsible for in others' lives. His true awakening comes when seeing the finality of suffering he is partly responsible for, realizing he has added to that adversity, and understanding he has the means to assist in ending that hardship if he is allowed to continue his life with eyes open.

The question remains… how? I wanted to reflect on the steps that people go through in change. And provide some tools to actualize options once we recognize how difficult real change is, and the commitment it takes to achieve it. We all need love and respect but also to hold each other accountable for our actions so that we may grow individually and collectively as a society”. Juliette Blasor. Screenplay, Direction and Production.

“What happens when people forget their humanity and operate from revenge, spite, lack of empathy and judgment? What happens if you are given an opportunity to fix your past aggressions? These are some of the topics of A Christmas Carol and what I wanted to address in our new rendition of this classic story with writer Juliette Blasor. How does one take responsibility for one's actions and actually do something about it? We also wanted to expand on some of the female characters and give them a voice. We added a lot of a cappella singing, reflecting the joy of other characters and the melancholic instrumental music reflects what the main character, Ebenezer Scrooge, is feeling.

Ultimately the story is about love, respect, empathy, kindness and how we as humans on this planet can protect each other and grow spiritually in our life's journey”. Denise Blasor. Direction and Production.

"Although there have been many film, theater, and television productions about A Christmas Carol, there is no podcast like the one we present now. It's an aural setting that delivers Dickens's message through the music, sound effects, and extraordinary voice acting that make this Christmas classic a delight for all. We hope you like it". Dr. Rene Heredia. General Director and Producer.

Chapters

Chapter 1:
Marley's Ghost

Scrooge does not like Christmas time. He criticizes generous people whom he describes as hypocritical. The soul of Marley, his best friend, who died seven years ago, appears. Marley warns Scrooge that the spirits of Christmas will visit him.

Chapter 2:
The First of Three Spirits

Scrooge comes face to face with a supernatural visitor: the Ghost of Christmas Past. They return to Scrooge’s childhood , revisiting the bad memories he had from his school days. Scrooge also realizes he ignored the affection of his sister Serafina and, through carelessness, loses the love of Lucia, his old girlfriend.

Chapter 3:
The Second of the Three Spirits

As Scrooge travels with the Ghost of Christmas Present, he visits the house of Bob Cratchit, his honorable employee, where he observes Tiny Tim and learns the fate that awaits the child due to his illness. He also visits his beautiful, gentle niece Adeline and her family.