Book Review: A Christmas Carol: a coming of age experience in the older generation

Abstract

This book review on Charles Dickens' ‘A Christmas carol’ explores a ‘coming of age’ experience in someone of the older generation. As the term ‘Bildungsroman’ translated in German to the phrase ‘novel of education’ A Christmas carol demonstrates our coming of age theme diverselyin a diverse way as it shows it personal journeys and coming into a new phase of life is not just limited to the younger generation. Through the book review, it is shown that a coming of age experience isn't just limited to the transition from childhood to adulthood and that the internal journey and revelations the main protagonist faces during the novel still illustrate a personal inward coming of age journey. The book review focuses on Scrooge’s change of attitude from the beginning of the story to the end due to the influence of the ghosts, It discusses the impact of the ghosts on Scrooge’s changed outlook on the life and his inner discovery. It reflects on the context of the novel and how the victorian era is the perfect setting to encapsulate the main protagonists ‘coming of age’ revelation and personal journey.