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CharlesCharles Dickens was novel. (http://www.leninimports.com/charles_dickens.html)
Gregory Maguire whas born in Albany, New York on June 9, 1954. His mother died in childbirth and was mostly taken care of by his aunt throughout his early childhood. He recieved his Ph.D. in English a Tufts University. Starting off writing children's books, Maguire wrote his first adult novel in 1995 entitled Wicked: The Lifes and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. After this success, Maguire began writing spin off from other books such as Mirror, Mirror from Snow white and Lost from A Christmas Carol. His book Wicked, has now been made into a Tony- Award winning musical on Broadway. He curretnly lives near Boston with his family. (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/writers/writerdetails.asp?cid=1010241)

Dickens uses allusions to free will and the ability to change the person that you are, sometimes all you need is a little help. "I am here tonight to warn you, that you have yet a chance and hope of escaping my fate. A chance and hope of my procurring Ebenezer." (13) Dickens uses this as well as metaphors to show that no one is completley condemned. "Old Marely was as dead as a door-nail. Mind! I don't mean to say that I know, of my knowledge, what there is particularly dead about a door-nail." (1) Dickens also uses symbolism with the bible on the matter of redeption and condemnation. We see this in the bible with Mary Magdaline. She was about to be condemned by her fellow man because she was a prostitute, Jesus saved her and forgave her for her sins. Also there are allusions to the nativity story involving the three ghosts. They are all interconnected someway with the birth of Christ. Especially the Ghost of Christmas yet to come. Like Jesus the figure does not say a word, but he evokes emotions and people react drastically to him. Also they are both omniscient even though they do no say anything. Jesus is the son of God and is obviously not a normal infant and the Ghost knows of death.
Maguire has beautiful use of parralles structure and alliteration. His use of syntax throughot the story adds an eloquent auroa to the story. "Elphaba looked like something between an animal and an Animal, like something more than life but not quite Life." (77) His wording allows for open interpretation . To question what exactly the statement means. Maguire also uses forshadowing to add effect to his story. "Elphaba looked like something between an animal and an Animal, like something more than life but not quite Life." (65) This quote suggests that the reason may be revealed in the future and keeps the reader intersted in what will happen.

A Christmas Carol has a common theme of redemption throughout the novel. In the Christmas spirit, Scrooge is forgiven for his past behavior and in the end Scrooge finally sees the error in his ways and changes for the better. Also there is evidence of free will throughout, especially with Jacob Marley and The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. When Scrooge encounters Marley, he tells Scrooge that he is destined for damnation if he does not change. Also the Ghost shows Tiny Tim's grave as well as his own grave. It was at the sight of his own grave that he decided to change. Through his free will to make choices, Tiny Tim did not die and he lived the rest of his life in charitly and love.
and rude. With these themes comes issues with sexuality and body image. The two sisters both have physical ailments. Nessa has no arms, and Elphaba has green skin. These ailments set them apart from others, it makes them standout. With the author setting these two characters apart he is showing the they are percieved as wicked. Sex also plays a significant role in this novel. Melena has an affair witht he Wizard and drinks his ellixer. It is because she did this, that Elphaba has green skin, is allergic to water, and has premonitions. Her mother also has an affair with Turtle Heart, who might possible be the father of Nessa, and she has a disability as well. Elphaba might be the possible mother of Liir because of her affiar. She eventually dies leaving him on his own.

Ebenezer Scrooge is a mean tyrant of an old man, who doesn't let anything get in the way of his desire for money. He runs a counting house with his assistant Bob Cratchit. He is very mean to his assistant, but Cratchit still continues to be nice to him. One Christmas eve while Scrooge is brooding over the waste of a day Christmas is, he is visited by his old partner, Jacob Marely. Jacob Marley had died several years before and appeared to Scrooge in a somber ghost-like form. Marley come to visit Scrooge with a warning that he is going down a path to hell. Scrooge will be visited by three ghosts before the night is over.
The three ghosts are the Ghosts of Christmas' Past, Present, and Future. Each of these ghosts show Scrooge error of his ways. We go back into the past, seeing that Scrooge was not always this abomniable. He had a lovley family and a girl he could of made his wife. Scrooge misses what he had in his past and starts to feel guilty about how he has treated the people he cared about. The gentle giant of the Present shows Scrooge how is crudeness affects everyone. By Scrooge not paying Cratchit enough money for his family, he will be personally responsilbe for ending the life of Tiny Tim, one of Cratchit's son. Scrooge is again hit with guilt as he watches the family eat scraps on Christmas. It is the last Ghost though, that finally breaks Scrooge of his evil. Although this spirit says nothing, his presence alone terrifies Scrooge into changing for the better. When Scrooge finally wakes up from what had appeared to be all a dream, it is Christmas morning. Scrooge is filled with Christmas joy and spirit going on wishing everyone a merry Christmas and buying tons of toys and food that he gives to the Cratchit family. Because of his sudden kindness Tiny Tim does not die and Scrooge spends the rest of his life being charitable and kind to every one.
Elphaba is born to Melena Thropp and Frexspar, a preacher. Melena, very unhappy in her marriage, turns to other men for satifaction. Because of this, it is difficult to know if her children are actually Frex's. Elphaba is born very unusual looking, with green skin and sharp teeth. No matter how much they try her parents cannot get Elphaba to touch water. Frex believes this child is punishment. After Melena has an affair with a Quadling, she gives birth to Nessarose, who while is born with normal skin, has no arms. Requiring constant care and attention she quickly becomes the favorite of her father's. Later in life Elphaba and Galinda meet as roomates at Shiz University. Galinda is not happy with the current rooming situation but would rather be there then with the common girls. AT the University is here Elphaba becaomes an Animal's Rights activist, thanks to Madame Morribles blantant discrimination. She becomes friends with Doctor Dillamond and Boq, a muchinlander who is in love with Galinda. After Dillamond is killed, Elphaba continues on with his research in secret. Soon a Vinkus Prince, Fiyero comes to Shiz as well as Elphaba's younger sister Nessarose. Eventually, Galinda and Elphaba travel to the Emerald city to see the wizard about the rights of Animals. He dismisses them and Elphaba send Galinda back to school alone.
Five years later, Elphaba is still in the Emerald city working towards animal rights. Fiyero spots her and sees that she now dabbles in magic. An affair begins between them and Fiyero is eventually killed for it. Afer becoming a nun, Elphaba travels to Vinkus to vistit Fiyero's family. She tries to tell his wife of their affair, but she will hear nothing of it. Elphaba brings along a boy named Liir who she believes has no relation for, but soon realizes that she has motherly feelings towards him. Elphaba goes back to Muchinland when she hears from Frex about Nessa. After inherity power, Nessa became a tyrant and is now known as the Wicked Witch of the East. Shortly after, Nessa is killed by a house being dropped by her. Galinda sends the murderer, Dorothy, with the slippers, to see the Wizard. Elphaba becomes very angry with Galinda that she let the girl have her sisters slippers and does in search for the girl. On her search for Dorothy, she encounters a scarcrow who she believes to be Fiyero but is mistaken and is further unhinged. When Dorothy and Elphaba meet, Dorothy apologizes for killing her sister and that she does not want to kill Elphaba. Elphaba becomes very angy and waves a burning broom on fire. By doing so, elphaba herself catches on fire and Dorothy dumps a bucket of water on her to save her, this inadvertantly kills Elphaba.

A Christmas Carol has a common theme of redemption throughout the novel. In the Christmas spirit, Scrooge is forgiven for his past behavior and in the end Scrooge finally sees the error in his ways and changes for the better. Also there is evidence of free will throughout, especially with Jacob Marley and The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. When Scrooge encounters Marley, he tells Scrooge that he is destined for damnation if he does not change. Also the Ghost shows Tiny Tim's grave as well as his own grave. It was at the sight of his own grave that he decided to change. Through his free will to make choices, Tiny Tim did not die and he lived the rest of his life in charitly and love.
of religion. This novel also combats the ideas of what good and evil actually are. For example, in The Wizard of Oz, Glinda is portrayed and kind and giving. In the novel, she is seen as self-centerd, stuck-up and rude.

Present- The second ghost that visits Scooge is a huge giant that shows Scrooge what all of his friends and relatives are doing for Christmas.
Future- The last and final spirit that visits Scrooge. A dark ominous figure who doesn't speak is what finally halps Scrooge to change for the better.
Elphaba-
Glinda- The protangonist of the story. She is an animal rights- activist who is constantly austrasized for her gree skin. She is later known as the "Wiked Witch of the West" becauseof her sister's nickname.
Galinda/Glinda- Elphaba's roomate at Shiz University. At first the two hate eachother but soon become close friends. After college She joins a high society and becomes known as Glinda the Good.
Nessarose- Elphaba's younger sister, who was born without arms. Out of the two girls, Nessarose is favored more because of her beauty and her condistion. As a gift from her father, Nessarose recieves the jeweled shoes. After inheriting power in Muchinland, she is later become known as "The Wicked Witch of the East", and eventually is killed by a house falling on her.
Fiyero- Prince of a tribe in Vinkus, who attended Shiz university. After college her has an affiar with Elphaba and is eventually killed for it.
Wizard- A human who came to Oz in a hot air balloon and realized that he could fool the people of Oz. It is also implied that he is the father of Elphaba and is the cause of her green skin and other ailments.
Madame Morrible- Headmistress at Shiz University and is suspected for the murder of Doctor Dillamond. It is also suspected that she has magical powers and inner connections within Oz. Elphaba believes that she is responsible for the fates of Elphaba, Galinda, and Nessarose.
Doctor Dillamond- A talking goat and professor at Shiz University. He is suspiciously killed one night after starting his research between the difference between Animals and animals.
Dorothy Gale- a 12 year-old girl from Kansas who accidently killed Nessarose when her house fell on her. The people of Oz think that she is the Second Coming and the wizard sends her off to kill Elphaba. Dorothy accidently kills Elphaba when she dumps water on her skirt that was on fire.

This story has a powerful message that does not only go with Christmas time. It has the moral of kindness and charity toward all. I enjoyed this book and it was interesting contrasting the book to the movie I had previously seen. An example of this would be the figure of the Ghost of Christmas past. In the movie it a woman but in the book it is something like a floating orb with a head. Also reading this along with A Prayer for Owen Meany helped alot with the symbolism and literary devices. Reading both at the same time helped me look at the story in a different way than I had before.
Before I read Wicked, I went to New York and saw the broadway version. Being such an iconic musical I figured I had to read the book it was based off of. Even though the musical is said to be based off Gregory Maguire's Wicked, there is very very little that is actually similar. Besides the character names, nothing is the same. It was like rading something completely new. Wicked puts a dark spin on the story of The Wizard of Oz and makes you think about the characters and the story in a different way. Putting the story into a different perspective makes the reader judge for themselves what is actually true.

A Christmas Carol has a common theme of redemption throughout the novel. In the Christmas spirit, Scrooge is forgiven for his past behavior and in the end Scrooge finally sees the error in his ways and changes for the better. Also there is evidence of free will throughout, especially with Jacob Marley and The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. When Scrooge encounters Marley, he tells Scrooge that he is destined for damnation if he does not change. Also the Ghost shows Tiny Tim's grave as well as his own grave. It was at the sight of his own grave that he decided to change. Through his free will to make choices, Tiny Tim did not die and he lived the rest of his life in charitly and love.
Wicked has varying themes of combatting animal violence, political tension, and issues of religion.

Present- The second ghost that visits Scooge is a huge giant that shows Scrooge what all of his friends and relatives are doing for Christmas.
Future- The last and final spirit that visits Scrooge. A dark ominous figure who doesn't speak is what finally halps Scrooge to change for the better.
Elphaba-
Glinda-
Fiyero-
Wizard-

The setting takes place in London England, all in the time span of one night. The story goes from Christmas eve to Christmas morning, but during this time the time period changes from past, present, and future. All of these times are also at Christmas.
continues to whrewhere Dorthy emerges