Starter quiz
- When was 'A Christmas Carol' published?
- 1842
- 1843 ✓
- 1844
- 1845
- 1846
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- In which stave does the Ghost of Christmas Present visit Scrooge in 'A Christmas Carol'?
- Stave 1
- Stave 2
- Stave 3 ✓
- Stave 4
- Stave 5
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- Complete the quotation from 'A Christmas Carol': "We choose this time, because it is a time, of all others, when ______ is keenly felt, and Abundance rejoices."
- 'Want' ✓
- What does the Ghost of Christmas Past not show Scrooge in Stave 2 of 'A Christmas Carol'?
- the dissolution of his engagement to Belle
- his relationship with his former employer, Fezziwig
- the death of his business partner Jacob Marley ✓
- Belle's happily-ever-after
- his childhood, spent at boarding school
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- Match the quotations from 'A Christmas Carol' to the ghost they are describing.
- The Ghost of Christmas Past⇔"like a child: yet not so like a child as like an old man" ✓
- The Ghost of Christmas Present⇔"clothed in one simple green robe, or mantle" ✓
- Marley's Ghost⇔"folded kerchief bound about its head and chin" ✓
- Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come⇔"coming, like a mist along the ground" ✓
- Through the novella 'A Christmas Carol', what is Dickens' didactic message?
- the importance of wealth and possession
- the importance of social status and class
- the importance of social responsibility ✓
- the importance of friendship
- the importance of Christmas
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Exit quiz
- Which book in the Bible was Dickens most familiar with and fond of? The ______ Testament.
- 'New' ✓
- Which of the following statements are true of Dickens' religious beliefs?
- He liked to get involved in the politics of religion.
- He felt that people should live their lives according to Christian virtues. ✓
- He was very keen for his children to adopt the moral of the Old Testament.
- He viewed the New Testament as his 'unfailing guide to life'. ✓
- He rarely read the Bible, but still considered himself Christian.
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- Which of the following is not a Christian virtue taught in the New Testament of the Bible?
- charity
- wealth ✓
- gratitude
- humility
- obedience
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- A ______ is a simple story told to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson, as told by Jesus Christ in the Gospels (in the New Testament of the Bible).
- 'parable' ✓
- According to Jesus, what are the two purposes of parables found in the the New Testament of the Bible ?
- to conceal the truth from those who do not wish to know it ✓
- to entertain his followers
- to reveal spiritual truths ✓
- to teach his followers to read
- to position himself as a preacher - the son of God
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- In what way could 'A Christmas Carol' be considered a Christian parable?
- It contains a moral message of social responsibility. ✓
- It contains a Christ-figure in Tiny Tim.
- It was written to teach those who do not wish to be taught spiritual truths.
- It encourages its readers to abide by the virtues of Christianity. ✓
- It is a simple story with an isolated and egocentric protagonist.
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Lesson Details
Key learning points
- Dickens felt that people should live life adhering to Christian virtues, especially in relation to social justice.
- Dickens was very familiar with the Bible - he regarded it as his ‘unfailing guide to life’.
- Dickens' message is perhaps not entirely theological, but focuses on living out Christian morals to better society.
- Arguably, Dickens emulated the parable structure to teach his readers the importance of adhering to Christian virtues.
- ‘A Christmas Carol’ can arguably be viewed as one large parable, or several smaller parables.
Common misconception
Students think that a parable is just a story with a moral/didactic message.
The word 'parable' relates specifically to the stories told by Jesus in the Gospels. A story with a moral/didactic message is an allegory.
Keywords
Parable - A story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson, told by Jesus Christ in the Gospels.
Virtue - A virtue is a behaviour showing high moral standards.
Humility - Somebody with humility has a modest view of their own importance versus other people’s.
Prophet - A person who teaches the will of God.
To emulate - To emulate means to copy someone, or something else’s style.
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