Starter quiz
- Which word best describes Scrooge in Stave 1 of 'A Christmas Carol'?
- furious
- indifferent
- miserly ✓
- philantrhopic
- grief-stricken
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- Complete the quotation from 'A Christmas Carol': "______ is cheap, and Scrooge liked it."
- 'Darkness' ✓
- What is the weather like at the end of 'A Christmas Carol'?
- raining, foggy and cold
- bright, sunny and cold ✓
- snowing, cold and icy
- bright, clear and warm
- foggy, warm and dry
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- What is a parable?
- a short story with a moral message
- a tale about two opponents who battle against one another
- a simple story with a moral message, as told by Jesus in the Gospels ✓
- a story which has been passed down form generation to generation
- a story that can only be told aloud because it is not written down anywhere
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- Why does Dickens liken Scrooge to the cold in Stave 1 of 'A Christmas Carol'?
- to reflect his kind and philanthropic nature
- to reflect the rejection that Scrooge faced in his early life
- to reflect Scrooge's cruelty and lack of emotional warmth ✓
- to reflect Scrooge's cold-hearted approach to business
- to foreshadow Scrooge's spiritual death in Stave 4
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- What does laughter symbolise in 'A Christmas Carol'?
- wealth and material gain
- emotional warmth and generosity ✓
- childlike innocence and vulnerability
- morality and spirituality
- community and social responsibility
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Exit quiz
- Which of the following words is the best synonym for 'dark'?
- misanthropic
- sorrow
- jovial
- airy
- gloomy ✓
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- Complete the quotation from 'A Christmas Carol': “Scrooge took his ______ dinner in his usual melancholy tavern."
- 'melancholy' ✓
- What method is used by Dickens in this quotation from 'A Christmas Carol': “Scrooge took his melancholy dinner in his usual melancholy tavern”?
- onomatopoeia
- repetition ✓
- alliteration
- simile
- anaphora
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- Which of the following is not a reasonable interpretation for Dickens' use of dark imagery in Stave 1 of 'A Christmas Carol'?
- It reflects Scrooge's immoral behaviour.
- It reflects the sadness Scrooge felt following the death of Jacob Marley. ✓
- It reflects Scrooge's lack of faith and guidance.
- It reflects Scrooge's unchristian nature.
- It reflects his callous and cold-hearted treatment of others.
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- Why does Dickens draw parallels between Scrooge and the 'young house' in this quotation: "…it must have run there when it was a young house, playing at hide-and-seek ... and forgotten the way out"?
- Dickens suggests that Scrooge has lost his childlike innocence. ✓
- Dickens suggests that Scrooge isn't responsible for his isolation.
- Dickens suggests that Scrooge has a playful nature.
- Dickens suggests that Scrooge can't find his way out of darkness on his own. ✓
- Dickens suggests that Scrooge doesn't take himself seriously.
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- What might the 'bright, clear.. golden sunshine" in Stave 5 of 'A Christmas Carol' represent?
- Scrooge's happiness and relief that his visits from the spirits are over
- that Scrooge has found faith ✓
- that the weather has improved because the spirits manipulated it
- that Scrooge has been successfully enlightened ✓
- Scrooge's love and joy at the acquisition of wealth
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Worksheet
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Presentation
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Video
Lesson Details
Key learning points
- Dickens uses the motif of light and dark throughout the novella to symbolise hope and faith.
- The cold and dark repeatedly associated with Scrooge at the start shows that he needs to change.
- The darkness could reflect Scrooge’s immorality, loss of childhood innocence, or loss of faith.
- The spirits enlighten Scrooge as to the error of his ways and guide him towards a more moral future.
- Arguably, the spirits guide Scrooge into the light (the light of God and Christianity).
Common misconception
Students often think that different ideas equal different arguments.
Show students our Oak pupils' suggestions. Their suggestions are not different arguments, but different ideas which can form an argument.
Keywords
Imagery - visually-descriptive language.
Melancholy - deeply sad.
Virtue - a behaviour showing high moral standards.
Draw parallels - to make connections with something.
Transformative - something that brings about changes (usually positive changes).
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