Starter quiz
- Which character in 'A Christmas Carol' best represents the wealthy, miserly class in Victorian society?
- Bob Cratchit
- Fred
- Ebenezer Scrooge ✓
- Tiny Tim
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- In 'A Christmas Carol', what does Dickens use the Cratchit family to represent in Victorian society?
- the rising middle class
- the challenges of the working poor ✓
- the lives of aristocrats
- the successful entrepreneurs of the time
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- What Victorian social issue is highlighted through Scrooge's transformation in 'A Christmas Carol'?
- the role of women in society
- the division between the rich and the poor ✓
- the rise of industrialism
- the spread of imperialism
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- Starting with the first, put each of these events from 'A Christmas Carol' in chronological order.
- 1⇔Scrooge is visited by the ghost of Jacob Marley, his business partner.
- 2⇔Scrooge returns to his past and watches Fezziwig throwing a Christmas party.
- 3⇔Scrooge watches the Cratchits celebrating Christmas.
- 4⇔Scrooge sees his own name on a gravestone.
- 5⇔Scrooge buys the Cratchit family a turkey.
- What is the name of Scrooge's former employer in 'A Christmas Carol'?
- Fred
- Jacob
- Bob
- Fezziwig ✓
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- Which of these words would you use to describe Scrooge at the start of 'A Christmas Carol'?
- generous
- cold-hearted ✓
- ambiguous
- careless
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Exit quiz
- What is a miser?
- a person who gives generously to others
- a person who hoards wealth and spends as little as possible ✓
- a person who manages money for others
- a person who lives in poverty by choice
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- Which of these these is an antonym (opposite word) for 'miser'?
- philanthropist ✓
- hoarder
- penny-pincher
- frugal
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- Consider the context of 'A Christmas Carol' and the time it was written. Wealthy Victorians ...
- had access to private education. ✓
- were required by law to donate to charity.
- enjoyed lavish lifestyles and foreign holidays. ✓
- didn't have to worry about their social reputation.
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- Which of the following are examples of wealthy characters from 'A Christmas Carol'?
- Fezziwig ✓
- Mrs. Cratchit
- Scrooge ✓
- the "portly gentlemen" ✓
- Old Joe
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- Which of these quotes from 'A Christmas Carol' imply Scrooge lives an empty and lonely life?
- "No beggars implored him to bestow a trifle" ✓
- "A frosty rime was on his head"
- "he iced his office in the dog-days"
- "spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice"
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- Which of these quotes presents Fezziwig as a jolly, lively person in 'A Christmas Carol'?
- "an old gentleman in a Welsh wig, sitting behind such a high desk"
- "Old Fezziwig laid down his pen, and looked up at the clock"
- "He rubbed his hands; adjusted his capacious waistcoat; laughed all over" ✓
- He "called out in a comfortable, oily, rich, fat, jovial voice" ✓
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Worksheet
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Lesson Details
Key learning points
- Reputation was important to wealthy Victorians because it ensured access to power, influence and social connections.
- The wealthy lived in large houses and had lavish lifestyles, attending operas, dinner parties and embarking on holidays.
- Dickens uses negative language and words linked to the cold to imply Scrooge's life was lonely due to his selfishness.
- He uses positive language to present Fezziwig as a jolly, lively figure who is well-liked and respected.
- He contrasts his depictions of both men to suggest that compassion can ultimately lead to a happy life.
Common misconception
Wealth alone guaranteed a high social status in Victorian society.
While wealth was important to securing high social status, reputation was extremely important to wealthy Victorians. Arranged marriages and inheritance were key levers to ensure a good family reputation.
Keywords
Affluent - having a lot of wealth or money; rich or prosperous
Miser - a person who hoards wealth and is reluctant to spend it
Philanthropy - the act of giving money or resources to help others or support causes
Compassion - sympathy and concern for the suffering or misfortune of others, often with a desire to help
Semantic field - a group of words related in meaning and used in a certain context (e.g. emotions = happy, sad, angry)
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