A Christmas Carol: Disability Informed Reading Guide

A Christmas Carol: Disability Informed Reading Guide PDF

Everyone is familiar with the story of the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge who sneers “Bah, humbug” at everyone and cares only for his own monetary gain. It’s a story of how a man is moved to kindness by three ghosts who, among other things, present to him the memorable image of a tiny crutch, once owned by a small child in a large, loving family, standing alone in the corner. This image of disability convinces Scrooge to love Christmas and become charitable, even to the point of becoming a second father to Tiny Tim. Yet this narrative takes Tiny Tim and reduces him to an object of pity, existing only for the sake of Scrooge’s narrative. Through exploring historical context around disability in Victorian London, Dickens ’ life, and students will be able to discuss the ways that Dickens constructs disability in his novel.