University Guild Program: Dickens' Christmas Carol

Please attend the University Guild program Dickens’Christmas Carol with Linda Putnam, a London and Dickens Specialist, on Monday, November 18, at 1:30 pm in the University Guild Lounge in Scott Hall, 601 University Place, on Northwestern University’s beautiful campus.

Everyone knows the story of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, the beloved Christmas tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, the ghost of Jacob Marley, and the three ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Yet to Come. But while we all know this wonderful story, do we know the source of Dickens’inspiration for writing it? What was his motivation? And what were some of the social situations in 1843 England during the course of the story?

Was this story immediately popular, or did it take some time on its journey to fame? Did Dickens make any money on this project or was it a financial failure? What was the source of the names Scrooge and Marley, and upon whom was the character of Tiny Tim based?

These are just some of the fascinating issues Linda Putnam focuses on in her presentation. This program is accompanied by a presentation of the original illustrations, a photo of the illustrator, a copy of the first edition, and a photo of a door knocker that might very well have been Scrooge’s.

Linda began her interest in Dickens in the early 1970s. She worked at the Charles Dickens Museum in London during the summer of 1993, created and guided a tour of Dickens’ London in 1995, and has traveled to London 25 times. At this point, she creates and presents programs at public libraries, adult education facilities, and various social organizations. Some of her titles include Dickens and ‘A Christmas Carol’, London’s Less Traveled Treasures, and Jack the Ripper: The Whitechapel Murderer. She has taught a series of classes in 19thCentury English Social Issues, using those issues that were especially important to Charles Dickens; that he spoke about and that he wrote about in his magazines, newspapers and fiction.

Next University Guild Program: Share the Joys of the Holidays with Shirlee Todd Vocalist and leader of Jazmer on December 2nd, at 1:30 pm, in Northwestern University’s Scott Hall, Guild Lounge. Music and language go hand in hand. Start the holiday season by hearing and learning about the “songs of the season”. Web site: http://jazmerband.com/

(A raffle for the holiday tabletop decorations will be held; proceeds will go to the scholarship fund.)

The University Guild’s Annual Membership is $50. Membership is open to all in the community. Guests are welcome and cost is $2.00 per program. The purpose of the University Guild is to bring to the membership of the Guild the intellectual resources of the University, to promote the interests of the University, to work for the collection and exhibition of the objects of art, and to advance the development and appreciation of the fine arts in the University and in Evanston. The University Guild also gives scholarships to students at Northwestern University.