Starter quiz
- Which of the four ghosts in 'A Christmas Carol' is Scrooge most afraid of?
- Marley's Ghost
- The Ghost of Christmas Past
- The Ghost of Christmas Present
- The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come ✓
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- Which colours do we tend to consider 'Gothic' colours?
- red ✓
- yellow
- black ✓
- pink
- orange
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- How did the Victorians feel about Gothic literature?
- They hated it and found it horrifying.
- They were happy to read it but were mostly indifferent.
- They were fascinated with Gothic literature. ✓
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- What might the word 'transgression' mean?
- when someone behaves very aggressively in a hostile manner
- when someone acts in a very moral and upstanding way
- when someone's behaviour crosses a moral or social boundary ✓
- when a person travels across a county line
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- Which of the following is not an example of something supernatural?
- unicorn
- ghost
- vampire
- werewolf
- bat ✓
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- In which of these staves from 'A Christmas Carol', does Dickens use the corresponding spirit to create the most frightening atmosphere?
- Stave 1
- Stave 2
- Stave 3
- Stave 4 ✓
- Stave 5
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Exit quiz
- Which of the following is not a Gothic convention?
- violence and excessive emotional states
- the power of the unconscious mind
- an inspirational and powerful protagonist ✓
- a battle between good and evil
- a dark, mysterious and remote setting
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- In what way can Scrooge be considered as an isolated and egotistical protagonist in 'A Christmas Carol'?
- Scrooge isolates himself from society. ✓
- Scrooge is charitable in the end of the novella.
- Scrooge treats his employee with respect and kindness.
- Scrooge has a selfish world view. ✓
- Scrooge is concerned about Tiny Tim's future.
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- Throughout the middle section of 'A Christmas Carol,' Scrooge can be said to be in a ______ state of transformation.
- 'liminal' ✓
- A caterpillar turning into a butterfly is an example of what process?
- birth
- metamorphosis ✓
- devolution
- liminality
- transgression
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- Complete the sentence: A common Gothic __________ is the battle between good and evil.
- 'convention' ✓
- Which Gothic conventions does this quotation from 'A Christmas Carol' exemplify: "The ways were foul and narrow; the shops and houses wretched; the people half-naked, drunken, slipshod, ugly"?
- violence and excessive emotional states
- the power of the unconscious mind
- a battle between good and evil
- a dark and remote setting ✓
- an atmosphere of mystery, secrecy or suspense
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Worksheet
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Presentation
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Video
Lesson Details
Key learning points
- Dickens uses Gothic conventions as a way to greater explore immoral behaviour in society.
- Scrooge could be viewed as a typical Gothic protagonist: isolated and egotistical.
- Scrooge can be said to be in a liminal state of his metamorphosis for much of the novella.
- There are many examples of battles between good and evil (or moral and immoral) in the text.
- The gothic genre gives Dickens a great backdrop within which to frame his message of social responsibility.
Common misconception
Students might think that Scrooge is evil.
Scrooge is not evil - he is immoral. A distinction between the two needs to be clarified.
Keywords
Egotistical - being self-centered and believing that the world revolves around you.
Liminality - at a boundary or transitional point between two contrasting elements.
Metamorphosis - the process of transformation from an immature form to a more responsible form in distinct stages.
Convention - the way in which something is done - the common features of something.
Transgressive - involving the violation of moral or social boundaries.
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