Sunday, September 18, 2011

A Christmas Carol

Charles Dickens remains the greatest of English literature. I think at psychological level 2 things makes him the greatest of all. Firstly, at the end of his writings he leaves reader with sense of happiness. Secondly, he can see simple things in life from an unusual perspective (true for all great men).

Recently, I read one of his famous work "A Christmas Carol". Conventional teaching and wisdom to all humans is to forget the past, not to worry about future and to learn to live in the present. Charles Dickens argue against it and says that - for balanced and happy life - you need to live simultaneously with your past, present and future as portrayed by characters of 3 visiting ghosts in the story. Sweet memories of past, living happily in present and keeping optimistic picture of future makes a good life.

It is so interesting to read 2 contrast characters of same person (central figure in story named Scrooge) - one with nothing but all ignorance and other after enlightenment of past, present and future. I felt like I am reading my own life and I think what makes this story great and famous as each reader feels the same way. We all have 2 ways to live life - either with sadness or with happiness. We make the choice and Charles Dickens teaches us how to do it.

You can read the full text here

2 comments:

Shaan said...

U know it happens most of the time we try to find our self, and we really do.

mystic-soul said...

..but its probably one of the most longest journey..I guess