With less than three weeks left in the fall semester, Brackett Library is focusing on the spirit of the season with this month's READ(c) poster and with an upcoming public event.
Robin Miller, Professor of Communication, was chosen to select this month's Faculty Favorite. In light of the timing of his choice and the fall musical production, Miller picked Charles Dickens'
A Christmas Carol for December readers.
The Dickens story of "A Christmas Carol" has become a part of our culture. It has been adapted many times for film and for stage. Performers from George C. Scott to Patrick Stewart to the Muppets have played Ebenezer Scrooge. Yet, often in these variations on the novel, the gem of pure storytelling that is Dickens work becomes lost.
The novel tells a story of a hurt man who is trying trying to make it through this life. Over the course of the story we see him in the present as well as watch him as he sees the past he has experienced. To deal with all the pain in his life, he often makes poor choices. The result is that he becomes lonesome, bitter, resentful and self focused. That is, he is self focused until he is forced to confront not only his past, but the way his choices then and now affect others.
It is at the moment of recognizing how his life is affecting others that he chooses to live life differently. To live it better. To live for others. For me, that is the core of the story. He sees that no matter what has happened in his past to him and no matter what actions he has taken, he can start today to live life differently. Change in behavior, change in attitude and change in thought for the better are all possibilities that can be achieved today. Regardless of what he has done that has hurt others, he can now begin to live for others.
Although this story never quotes scripture, it effectively preaches a sermon on how to live. Dickens uses the craft of story telling to reveal a truth of how a life can be well lived. And he does it in an extremely entertaining way. This is the best of art. It is engaging, entertaining and reflects the reality that is God's world. I highly recommend this become a part of any family's holiday traditions.
In keeping with a recently adopted tradition, Dr. David Burks will be in the library on Tuesday, December 8th to read
The Night Before Christmas. Previous years have included guest reader Keith Cronk's interpretation of
The Aussie Night Before Christmas and carolers from Joli Love's French classes.
