Stave One. Marley's Ghost. (Part 1!)

For as long as I can remember, I've always read "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens at least once each holiday season. It's always interesting to be reminded of what's in the original text and what makes it into various adaptations. Equally interesting is what's not in the book but shows up in multiple adaptations!

Just in case it needs to be said... SPOILER ALERT!

The book opens with the statement that "Marley was dead to begin with." How dead was he? All together: dead as a door-nail! Just about every version uses that simile. Must be Scrooge law! Many versions use a narrator for this, other times it pops up in dialogue.

It's mentioned that Scrooge and Marley were partners were partners for many years and that Scrooge had not painted out Marley's name after he had died. We see the sign with both names fairly often.

Besides his less than desirable character traits (wrenching, covetous, etc.), Scrooge himself is given a physical description, which may or may not match up with his various depictions. Dickens says he has old features, a pointed nose, thin, blue lips and a frosty rime on his head, eyebrows and wiry chin. You don't see that "frosty rime" on the chin very often! Most versions show him as old, with longish white hair. Usually you can tell right away that it's Scrooge, as the typical "look" is well-known.  He's always portrayed as mean, often a bit eccentric. I think for him to really seem like miser rather than just a mean guy, he needs to be a bit eccentric.

We're also introduced to Scrooge's clerk. Everyone knows his name is Bob Cratchit, but we don't actually learn his name until Stave Three! Almost every adaptation, however, has Scrooge call him by name early on, often yelling his last name in the manner of Mr. Slate hollering, "Flintstone!"

Named or not, Bob would love to get his mitts on some additional coal for the fire, but Scrooge isn't buying it. In the book, Bob is pretty timid about the whole thing, but some versions have him arguing with Scrooge over the coal. I think that's out of character, as the implication is that Cratchit has been Scrooge's clerk for some time and Scrooge certainly wouldn't put up with an argumentative employee for very long! 

It's hard to say how old Bob is supposed to be. His age seems to vary a bit in various incarnations.

Next up: Another character whose name we learn much later...