Why Story of Ebenezer Scrooge Translates so Well to Film

Over the years, the story of Ebenezer Scrooge from "A Christmas Carol," by Charles Dickens, has been made into twenty-three big screen movies, over thirty television adaptations, two operas, and countless stage productions. What is it about the story of Ebenezer Scrooge that has made him such a notorious character in the world of entertainments?

We Can Relate

Anyone can relate to the story of an old miser like Ebenezer Scrooge. Over the years, many of us have found ourselves who care more about their pocketbooks than about humanity as a whole. It is a common fact that people connect more with characters that they can relate to, and find characteristics of in people that they have come in contact with.

Easy Story

In today world of movies and TV, we find ourselves bogged down regularly with complex stories. We sit in front of the TV for an hour to watch a multi-layered story about a murder on "Castle" or "CSI," and hope that we can solve the mystery by the end of the show. We watch movies like "Inception" or "Shutter Island," and try to follow every minute detail so that we can figure out as much of the story as possible before the big reveal.

One of the greatest aspects of the story of Ebenezer Scrooge is that it is a simple story. Mind the fact that children can watch a movie like "A Christmas Carol," and understand it from beginning to end. It is a story that has some twists and turns, but they are easy to foresee, and an easy ride to take. It is easy to connect with the story of Ebenezer Scrooge since many of us could retell the tale from memory.

The Miracle of Christmas

As children, many of us look at Christmas as a magical day where miracles happen in households all over the world. The story of Ebenezer Scrooge is one that is based on a Christmas miracle, and has inspired many writers and dreamers to believe that one day they might have a Christmas miracles of their own.

Christmas Traditions

Many people, including myself, have holiday traditions that revolve around the story of Ebenezer Scrooge. For example, I find myself reading "A Christmas Carol" sometime around the holidays. I find that I am drawn to see at least two t three different versions of the story in movie format within the last week before Christmas. I, like many others, would miss something if I did not come in contact with the story of Ebenezer Scrooge at least a few times during the holiday season.

Reasoning

Once you take all of these aspects into consideration, it is easy to understand why the story of Ebenezer Scrooge has been retold time and time again. It is easy to see why this story has been around for generations, and why it will be around for many generations to come.