The Day A Christmas Carol was Born
It was October 12, 1843, and I was going for my normal nightly stroll through my neighbourhood in downtown London. Like always, I walk with my blank notepad in one hand and my ink pen in the other, waiting for inspiration to strike. I slowly walk down a gloomy, grim alley; I look up and see the yellow-tinted street lights flickering and buzzing. This white noise used to provide me with feelings of relaxation, calmness and pleasure; however, within the last few months, I don’t find my walks as joyous and comfortable anymore. They are now disappointing. Ever since the New Poor Law came into effect, the only activity on the streets at this time of night is the poor individuals forced to a life of labour and slavery. I genuinely believe that nothing is more depressing than seeing these unfortunate children working themselves to death and being abused within the workhouses.
As I was curiously walking, one child hastily ran out of one of the workhouses only to fall to their scraped and bloody knees. They scrounged around for any traces of food nearby but nothing. There was nothing. Soon enough, the adult in charge walked toward the child. He didn’t walk in a rush, but he didn’t walk slowly either. He walked in a way that said he wasn’t affected and did not have one ounce of care for this child. If you saw this, would you truly believe there was any good left in this world? We have gone so far as hurting children for merely being born. There must be something to make the government understand that this is not a solution to the poverty issue. Suddenly, it’s as if a light bulb went off in my head. I immediately start putting ideas down in my notepad: “lighthearted story with a serious message,” “representation of the government’s poor choices,” “portrays that change is possible and the better option,” and “a children’s book for our future generation.” Suddenly, I am no longer in control of my hand. It is as if my hand is a butterfly flying away on its own after it has found its purpose. I hurriedly turned the page to write “A Christmas Carol, By Charles Dickens.”
Comments