International Journal of English

and Literature (IJEL)

ISSN(P): 2249-6912; ISSN(E): 2249-8028
Vol. 6, Issue 2, Apr 2016, 77-82
TJPRC Pvt. Ltd

MICKEYS CHRISTMAS CAROL: A DERIVATION

THAT IS NOT DERIVATIVE
AYANA BENJAMIN
Department of English Language and Literature, University of Kerala, Kerala, India
Department of Creative Writing, University of Aberystwyth, Wales, Kerala, India
ABSTRACT
My research paper titled Mickeys Christmas Carol: A Derivation That Is Not Derivative is a comparative
study of Charles Dickenss novella A Christmas Carol and the screenplay of the 1983 movie, Mickeys Christmas
Carol. I will be looking into aspects such as the voice of the narrator, character introduction, humour and
exaggeration. Disney compresses the story to a 25-minute short film, with the dialogues almost completely rewritten.
Unlike many other productions of A Christmas Carol, Mickeys Christmas Carol also lacks a narratorial voice
which often necessitates the characters to take up the responsibility of the narrator in the novella. I am also interested
in how Burny Mattinson and team, who adapted the story, has altered the dialogues to suit the nature and identities of

suggesting concepts and themes introduced at length in previous Disney movies. Do sthey impede with the style and
message of Dickens, and whether it is an undesirable effect is a question I would like to discuss. In Literature through
Film Stam writes An adaptation is automatically different and original due to the change of medium. Derridean
deconstruction dismantled the hierarchy of original and copy and Bakhtinian proto-poststructuralist conception
of the author suggests a devalourisation of artistic originality. I will try to establish the screenplay of Mickeys
Christmas Carol as a creative work in its own right despite its origin in Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol. In

Original Article

the Disney characters who play the roles. A large proportion of the screenplay has strong intertextual elements

Linda Hutcheons words, an adaptation is a derivation that is not derivative a work that is second without being
secondary.
KEYWORDS: Disney, Adaptation, Intertexuality, Originality, Film, Dickens

Received: Mar 10, 2016; Accepted: Mar 25, 2016; Published: Apr 07, 2016; Paper Id.: IJELAPR2016013

INTRODUCTION
The Canadian academic Linda Hutcheon in her 2006 book A Theory of Adaptation attempts to describe
what an adaptation is. She writes that it is (a) An acknowledged transposition of a recognizable work or works (b)
A creative and an interpretive act of appropriation/salvaging (c) An extended intertextual engagement with the
adapted work. Her conclusion is that an adaptation is a derivation that is not derivative a work that is second
without being secondary.
Dickens writing has been seen by critics such as Eisenstein as very filmic. A Christmas Carol is a major
example, a work that has proved to be very adaptable with recurring reworkings and reproductions for almost two
centuries. Dickens was concerned about the situation of the poor and children in the Victorian society which finds
expression in A Christmas Carol. Dickens was facing bankruptcy at the time he wrote A Christmas Carol, and had
been thinking of quitting the writing profession. However, the popularity of the novella saved his career.

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Ayana Benjamin

The earliest adaptation of A Christmas Carol by Disney is the 1983 movie, Mickeys Christmas Carol directed
and co-written by Burny Mattinson. The movie was advertised as Mickeys great come back to the big screen. This is
interesting as Mickey is not given the role of the protagonist or any character which particularly stands out from the rest.
However, the movie is still known as the movie that returned Mickey Mouse to the big screen.
For the purpose of this research I have used the movie script available at www.springfieldspringfield.com, and the
Hazell, Watson & Viney edition of the novella. It should be noted that as I am using a movie script and not an original
copy of the screenplay, any authorial or directorial instructions included in the screenplay by the team of writers who
worked for the movie will be missing in my discussion. In fact, as per the information in the video, The Making of
Mickeys Christmas Carol no such single complete formal document was written.
Numerous internet resources, both academic and non-academic, defines originality as the aspect of created or
invented works by [which they can be identified] as being new or novel, and thus can be distinguished from reproductions,
clones, forgeries, or derivative works. It is a work created with a unique style and substance. In William Verrones view,
film adaptations are intrinsically new texts wherein the spectator forms meaning based on the immediate experience of
watching the film. Some prior knowledge of the adapted text may be helpful, but it is not necessary to enjoy the film as its
own new thing.
In the next section, I will be discussing some of the characteristics of the movie script that makes it different from
the novella.

FEATURES OF THE SCRIPT

Absence of a Narratorial Voice: Dickens A Christmas Carol has a very prominent narratorial voice. The voice
converses with the readers gives opinions, makes comments, wonderfully paints the atmosphere and backdrops,
contributes towards the portrayal of characters and gives suggestions to the readers as to what opinions or feelings they
should form of various situations and characters in the story. The voice adapts its rhythm, tone and speed to the events it
narrates. For instance, there is a world of difference between the style in which Mr Fezziwigs Christmas party is described
and the visit of the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is described.
Unlike some productions of A Christmas Carol, like The Muppet Christmas Carol, Mickeys Christmas Carol
does not have a narrator. So the weight of the narration is taken up by various characters and the visuals in the movie. For
instance, the character of Jacob Marley and the very important information that he has been dead for seven years when the
story begins are presented to the audience by Ebenezer Scrooge in a soliloquy. Many of the characters take upon
themselves to reveal their own nature and attitudes either through dialogues or through actions. For example, rather than a
narrator telling the audience how ruthless a moneylender was Scrooge, we hear him go over his books: Let's see now, 50
pounds, plus his 80% interest compounded daily
Exaggeration: The story that Dickens narrates in almost seventy pages is presented in just 25 minutes by Disney.
This means that each scene should have an intensity that can quickly reveal characters and situations rather than
reinforcing certain features by presenting them at work in various contexts or elaborating on a situation. Dickens Scrooge
gives his employee Bob Cratchit a whole day of on the 25th of December with full pay. However Scrooge McDucks
character gives only a half a day off to Mickeys Cratchit, and docks half a days pay. In A Christmas Carol, Belle releases
Scrooge from their engagement as his nature has altered and priorities have changed. While Scrooge does not behave like a
Impact Factor (JCC): 4.4049

Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 6.1

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sensitive lover, he isnt an outright brute in the novella. However, Disneys Scrooge is approached by an Isabelle who has
bought a honeymoon cottage and is waiting to be married. Scrooge forecloses the mortgage as her last payment was an
hour late. These scenes help portray the character of Scrooge within a very limited time.
Another example is the events during the visit of the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, which finally transform
Scrooge completely. In the novella, the ghosts take Scrooge to numerous places, some described in details and some just
mentioned or listed out. Dickens Scrooge is witness to a variety of experiences during the visits. However, Disney had to
create verisimilitude regarding the transformation of Scrooge within a very short time period. Hence, they have made the
final scene involving the spirit rather terrifying, with the evil laugh of Pete who plays the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come,
the taunting remark that Scrooge is the richest man in the cemetery and Scrooge almost falling into a burning hell. In the
novella, we find that the ghost feels kindness towards Scrooge when he weeps at the knowledge that he is the dead man
buried in the cemetery. But McDucks character does not receive any sympathy from the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.
Humour: Dickens work is largely didactic while Disney, true to its role as an entertainment industry, provides a
fun-filled package in Mickeys Christmas Carol. Dickens A Christmas Carol is an emotional journey, with empathising
readers going through pains, regrets, merriment, excitement, fear, repentance, hope and a lot more. Mickeys Christmas
Carol is so full of humour that the spectators are not likely to remain sorry or frightened for more than a couple of minutes
when they will find themselves smiling at a dialogue, an intertextual reference or physical comedy. It is not likely to have
the sort of impact Dickens work had although it does convey the same message. It is said that Thomas Carlyle was so
touched by Dickens story that he rushed out to buy a turkey with which to entertain his friends.
When the portly gentlemen visit Scrooge, the first person played by Ratty says, we are soliciting funds for the
indigent and destitute, which Moley paraphrases for a puzzled Scrooge, Were collecting for the poor. Jacob Marley
enters Scrooges room tripping on Scrooges walking stick commenting, Gosh, kind of slippery, and leaves tripping on
the first step of the staircase giving out a typical Goofy howl. Seeing him being a klutz, despite being a ghost, shakes away
the horrors of a dead persons visit and reminds the audience that it is the fumbling bumbling Goofy that they are watching
after all. Isabelle flirts with a young Ebenezer, My eyes are closed, my lips are puckered and I am standing under the
mistletoe and Scrooge replies, You are also standing on my foot.
Dialogues to Suit Actors: The Disney writers have written dialogues in such a way as to match the characteristics
of the Disney characters well known to the audience. For instance, although Goofy portrays Marleys ghost, which is
meant to be eerie and frightening, we find his dialogues not very unusual for Goofy. He says, I'm forced to carry these
heavy chains through eternity. Then he stops a second with a stupid expression before adding, Maybe even longer. The
pompous dialogues of Ratty contrasted with the nave responses of Moley is another example. Moley is a character very
much loved by Disney fans and it would have seemed very farfetched to give him any different style of speech or manners.
Scrooge McDuck, being a Scottish character, speaks in a Scottish dialect while there is no reference of Ebenezer Scrooge
being a Scotsman in A Christmas Carol. So he refers to his younger self as the shy lad in the corner and asks about Tiny
Tim, what's wrong with that kind lad? Introduction of this kind of dialogues helps the Disney fans accept their favourite
characters in the new roles. However, the Scottishness of his speech is more noticeable in accent and pronunciation than in
vocabulary and structure of sentences, and hence beyond the scope of this paper.
Intertextuality with Other Disney Works: Mickeys Christmas Carol abounds in intertextual elements. This is
one of the aspects of the work that makes it very rich. Each character brings with it numerous ideas, stories, values and
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morals from previous Disney movies and TV productions. For instance, Willie the Giant repeats some of his dialogues
from Mickey and the Beanstalk often adapting it to the purposes of the current story. Thus he smells a stingy little
English man(sic) instead of Mickey, Donald and Goofy, and he is still unable to pronounce the name of his favourite dish
-- chocolate pot roast with pistachio. Although Mrs Cratchit expresses her displeasure with her husbands employer in
Dickens A Christmas Carol, Minnie Mouse true to her nature refrains from any bitter remarks. We know very little about
the portly gentlemen introduced by Dickens. However, Ratty and Moley are very familiar to Disney fans and this gives
them a prominence in the story that the characters do not receive in the novella. It is significant that they remain true to
their nature as evident in the movies such as The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr Toad.
Style and Message: Dickens style of writing is very descriptive, didactic and replete with imageries. For instance,
he evokes the family atmosphere at Cratchits house with details of events, setting and dialogues, while frequently
moralising. Disney has chosen actors quite suitable for the roles they are playing and are largely relieved of the job to
impress upon their loyal audience the nature of each character. The spectators who have watched Mickey and Minnie in
company of their nephews and nieces do not have to stretch their imagination to take in the atmosphere at Cratchits house.
And of course, film has the additional benefits of music and visuals, along with the verbal expressions thus facilitating the
script to take a lesser role than words do in a novella. To take the same example, the events that happen in the Cratchit
household could be comprehended even without any dialogues.
Despite the humour, despite the intertextuality that is likely to inspire an audience to reminiscent of older Disney
movies which could be seen as distracting from the plot at hand, Mickeys Christmas Carol is able to send the message
of caring for fellow beings and holding the Christmas spirit. The time constraint does not allow the movie to draw an
audience into it and guide them through the experiences that Scrooge goes through in such an involving fashion that
Dickens is able to. However, with the sympathy and familiarity audience bring to the Disney characters, it becomes quite
possible to have a similar, not the same, impact on the audience as A Christmas Carol has on its readers.

CONCLUSIONS
Screenwriter DeWitt Bodeen says that writing an original screenplay is a simple task as one is free while
Adapting literary works to film is, without a doubt, a creative undertaking, but the task requires a kind of selective
interpretation, along with the ability to recreate and sustain an established mood. It seems that despite adaptation being
lately accepted as a new work and not obliged to be faithful, there is always a pressure to be in some way true to the
original. Christa Albrecht-Crane and Dennis Cutchins argue that a novel to film adaptation is never a matter of sameness
but rather one of difference. In the case of Mickeys Christmas Carol, the difference is not in the message conveyed by
the tale, but in how it is conveyed.
Verrone says, Translations also indicate that there is a change in spectatorship, from reading to viewing, if it is a
novel-to-film adaptation, for instance. Disney is mainly aiming at a different population to that catered by Dickens. Just as
Dickens audience come with a certain pre-knowledge, for instance, the Victorian social conditions and Joe Miller jokes,
the Disney audience are familiar with the actors, used to having certain messages passed on to them in a short period of
time, and able to make certain connections between music, dialogues and actions. There are certain expectations on the
movie that is different from the expectations the Dickens admirers had on his works. For instance, a Disney audience do
not expect extended sentimentality or moralising for which Dickens is well-known.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.4049

Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 6.1

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While there are moments of grief and grave thoughts, Mickeys Christmas Carol keeps a merry atmosphere for the
most part. The visit by the first ghost in the novella is very eerie and Scrooge is careful not to offend it. McDucks Scrooge
is visited by the high spirited actor Jiminy Cricket. From the moment they start conversation, the two exchange retorts:

Scrooge: Oh, I thought you'd be taller. Ghost of Christmas Past : Hmph. Listen, Scrooge, if men were measured
by kindness, you'd be no bigger than a speck of dust.

Ghost of Christmas Past: Come on, Scrooge, it's time to go. Scrooge: Then go. [Turning over in his bed to go
back to sleep]
The message of good cheer and kindness is not delivered through long speeches, or leading the audience through

terrifying or traumatising experiences. This is achieved by making use of the natural sympathy of the Disney fans towards
their beloved actors. By showing these actors in their misery, poverty, regrets and joy, Disney is able to move the hearts of
its audience. The children Ignorance and Want are absent in the Disney production. This might point to the difference in
the nature of the society to which Disney caters. This might also be why Scrooge brings to the Cratchits a sack full of toys
along with a turkey that isnt even mentioned anywhere in the script. A Disney audience is more likely to understand the
happiness of receiving toys rather than the happiness of satiating hunger.
Thomas Leitch in his work Film Adaptation and Its Discontents points out that the aim of the video The Making
of Mickeys Christmas Carol released along with Mickeys Christmas Carol is to shift the subject of classic from
Dickens to Disney and root Dickens in Disney prehistory. This shows that Disney has made a conscious effort to make this
adaptation of A Christmas Carol not secondary to the novella, despite coming after it in time. The creators of Mickeys
Christmas Carol were not weighed by the awareness of such situations as the suffering of the poor, child labour and unfair
laws, and driven by a desire to bring social changes. This difference in the spirit behind the creation of these works is very
obvious in the results. Thus it is quite clear that despite having its origin in Dickens A Christmas Carol, Mickeys
Christmas Carol is not a derivative or a copy. It has enough originality and novelty to claim an existence as a genuine
work of art and a product for entertainment.
REFERENCES
1.

Billpeters. 1983 Mickeys Christmas Carol. Dailymotion. 12 Mar 2011. Web

2.

Bodeen, DeWitt. The Adapting Art. Films in Review14, 1963.

3.

Dickens, Charles. A Christmas Carol. London: Hazel, Watson & Viney Ltd, 1843.

4.

Hutcheon, Linda. A Theory of Adaptation. London: Routledge, 2006.

5.

Jude Law. The Making of Mickeys Christmas Carol. Youtube. 21 Oct 2012.Web

6.

Leitch, Thomas. Film Adaptations and Its Discontents. Baltimore: JHU Press, 2009.

7.

Lundquist, Jack. Masters Thesis. A Time-Conscious Christmas Carol. All Theses and Dissertations. Brigham Young
University, 2013.

8.

McFarlane, Brian. Novel to Film: An Introduction to the Theory of Adaptation. Oxford: Clarendon Press,1996.

9.

Mickeys Christmas Carol (1983) Movie script. http://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/movie_script.php?movie=mickeyschristmas-carol

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10. Standiford, Les. The Man Who Invented Christmas. Crown/Archetype, 2008.
11. Van der Klis, Andriesa. BA Thesis. A Discussion of Linda Hutcheons Theory of Adaptation in Relation to Fletchers The
Tamer Tamed as an Adaptation of Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew. Utrecht University, 2013
12. Verrone, William. Adaptation and the Avant-Garde: Alternative Perspectives on Adaptation Theory and Practice. USA:
Bloomsbury Publishing, 2011.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.4049

Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 6.1