A Christmas Carol(II) 圣诞故事集:圣诞颂歌/小气财神(英文版)
DickenswroteAChristmasCarolatatimewhentheBritishwereexaminingandexploringChristmastraditionsfromthepast,suchascarols,aswellasnewcustomssuchasChristmastrees.Hewasinfluencedbyexperiencesfromhisownpast,andfromtheChristmasstoriesofotherauthors,includingWashingtonIrvingandDouglasJerrold.DickenshadwrittenthreeChristmasstoriespriortothenovella,andwasinspiredtowritethestoryfollowingavisittotheFieldLaneRaggedschool,oneofseveralestablishmentsforLondon'shalf-starved,illiteratestreetchildren.It'saveryspecialChristmasEvewhenEbenezerScroogeisvisitedbythreeghosts.ThisshortstoryisaChristmasclassicfeaturingtheGhostofChristmasPast,theGhostofChristmasPresentandtheGhostofChristmasYettoCome.Thetreatmentofthepoorandtheabilityofaself-interestedmanredeeminghimselfbytransformingintoamoresympatheticcharacterarethekeythemesofthestory.Thereisdiscussionamongacademicsastowhetherthiswasafullysecularstory,orifitisaChristianallegory.