A Christmas Carol and The Kite Rider

In my essay (assessed task) I will be comparing two books. A Christmas Carol and The Kite Rider. I will be giving you points on the differences and similarities. A Christmas Carol is written in 1843 and is set in about the same time. The book is set in London and is written by Charles Dickens.

The Kite Rider is set in the early middle ages and is written in 2001. The Kite Rider is written by Geraldine McCaughrean. In both of these books the main character goes on a journey and their journeys are very interesting and exciting.I especially like Haoyou's journey (the main character of The Kite Rider).

A Christmas Carol is written in old English and The Kite Rider is in modern English. Now I will be giving some information on the authors of these books. Charles Dickens was born on the 7 February 1812 Portsmouth, England and he died on the 9 June 1870 (aged 58) Gad's Hill Place, Higham, Kent, England. Geraldine McCaughrean was born on the 6 June 1951 and is still living.

Charles Dickens is probably a better known novelist than Geraldine McCaughrean. Both of the authors have a very good sense of adventure.Both stories start with a death. Right at the start of A Christmas Carol the very first sentence says "Marley was dead, to begin with".

In The Kite Rider in the very first chapter it says "But his spirit had remained among the birds". When Haoyou's father, Pei went up into the clouds to test the wind he died of fright. The meaning of that quote which I just quoted means that when he went up into the clouds he died. Both the novels start with a death and have quotes from the beginning of the stories to proof it.

The deaths in both novels have a large impact on the story.The death of Marley has a huge impact as he visits Scrooge and helps him to change his evil and wicked ways of thinking about Christmas. In The Kite Rider Haoyou thinks he sees his dead father up in the clouds and this makes a big impact on the story and in the end he finds out that his eyes was injured. Both of the main characters go on a journey. Scrooge goes on a journey in his mind and Haoyou's journey is real life.

Both of their journeys are very exciting. Here is a quote from The Kite Rider "I shall be going upriver soon to Dadu City! The quote is said by the circus master Miao before Haoyou joined the circus.This is when Haoyou's journey began and where he went. Another similarity is that both of the main characters in both stories change. This journey helps scrooge change his hard and rebellious nature towards Christmas, it also takes the love of money away from him.

This helps him to think other things than just money. Haoyou (main character of The kite rider) changes in wisdom and other things. He becomes less gullible as he thought his cousin was a real medium and he learns to keep his mouth shut refraining him from blabbering things out.As in the middle of the story he blurts something out and finds out that he nearly killed the whole circus. Here is a quote from A Christmas Carol "come back with him in less than five minutes, and I'll give you half a crown! " This does not sound nothing like Mr.

Scrooge but it really is him after his magnificent change. Scrooge wouldn't even waste money on himself and after his change he actually gave money to a boy. Here is a quote from the kite rider "He's only a member of the Song royal family! " This quote is when Haoyou blurts a secret out. He probably changed this in the end.

Another similarity is that they learn about there weakness and act accordingly. Scrooge learns that one of his main weaknesses is giving and being jolly at Christmas. He changes this nature at the end. Haoyou has fewer weaknesses than Mr. Scrooge but he still has a bit of weaknesses in him. He tries to get revenge on Di Chou for killing his father.

Haoyou tries to get revenge by sending Di Chou up in a kite like he had done to his father. Mr. Scrooge sees Marley's ghost and the Christmas ghosts. This is similar to what Haoyou thinks he sees up in the clouds.Haoyou thinks he sees the spirit of his dad but in the end he found out it was his eye affecting his vision. Here is a quote from a Christmas Carol, "you don't believe in me" observed the Ghost.

This quote is when Marley's ghost visits Mr. Scrooge and Scrooge does not believe in the ghost. Both of the stories are written in third person. Another similarity is between two characters, Haoyou and Mr. Bob Cratchit. Both of these characters are poor in the story.

At the end of A Christmas Carol, Mr. Scrooge helps other people and Haoyou helps his mum when his father dies.The moral of both stories are Families are important. Now I will be giving the differences between the two stories. The first difference is that the bad man (Mr.

Scrooge) changes and in The kite rider the bad men (Di Chou and Uncle Bo) don't change. Mr. Scrooge becomes a second father to Tiny Tim. Here is a quote "and to Tiny Tim who did not die, he was second father".

This quote proofs that Mr. Scrooge changes. Another similarity is that the spirits and ghosts in A Christmas Carol talk but in the Kite Rider the spirits and Ghosts don't talk.Here is a quote from A Christmas Carol "To a poor one most" this quote is said by a Christmas Ghost. Both of them learn things. Mr.

Scrooge learns that it is better to be kind and poor than to be rich and mean but Haoyou learns to be independent. Both of their learning is different. Scrooge does not like to use his money not even on himself and Uncle Bo just gambles it all away. Mr. Scrooge is very scared to let go of his money but Uncle Bo just throws it away.

Scrooge's journey happens in just one long night but Haoyou's happens in a year approximately. Now I will be explain which novel I like better.I think I enjoy the kite rider as it is very interesting and exciting. I think that it is definitely a better book than A Christmas Carol because for starters A Christmas carol is written in old English and not that interesting than the kite rider.

I also like the kite rider because it explores the world China when a Christmas Carol only happens in London. The kite rider also has a fever of death in it like when the whole Jade circus got killed that bit is very tensing and is like you can't predict what's going to happen to the circus. So for me I think that the Kite rider is a better book.