The above paragraph is Dickens' description of the beginning of Scrooge's wanderings with the Ghost of Christmas Past. I think I mentioned before Dickens' use of setting and weather. The Inimitable, as Dickens liked to call himself, is single-handedly responsible for creating the stereotypical Christmas scene, with snow and cold and holly and ivy and so forth. Even though snow was not a common occurrence in London, Dickens paints a picture that's all Currier & Ives. Scrooge's memories of his childhood are all frost-tinged and icicle-laden. Bing Crosby would have had no problem singing about Dickens' version of the holidays.
In other sections of A Christmas Carol, Dickens uses weather and setting to similar effect. The Ghost of Christmas Present is surrounded by snow. He and Scrooge plow through drifts as they navigate the streets of London. The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is shrouded in fog and darkness. Weather is as much a character of the story as Jacob Marley or Bob Cratchit.
I love rain storms. This morning, it was pouring when I was getting ready for work. In fact, the sky was streaked with light and thunder. I almost didn't take a shower, but decided that hygiene was more important than safety. On my drive to the office, the rain sounded like an army battalion marching on the roof of my car. I don't know what the rain and lightning represent for my day. I'm not expecting any sort of conflict or upheaval. I'm not expecting any sort of cleansing or threshing of the fields of my life. I just like rain.
I'm not sure what Dickens would make of my storm this morning, either. I'm sure I could turn it into an ominous portent for the future, mental illness or financial instability. I could also turn it into an omen of good fortune, weight loss or the Nobel Prize in Literature. However, sometimes rain is just rain. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Saint Marty's still holding out for the Nobel Prize.
 |
| This may mean a bad day |
No comments:
Post a Comment