A CHRISTMAS CAROL

Question 1

🧑‍💰 Scrooge (Character)
“Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?”

Answer 1

AO1:

• Shows Scrooge’s lack of empathy and belief that the poor are undeserving of help.
• Reflects Victorian capitalist attitudes.

✅ AO2:

• Rhetorical questions → Dismissive tone, shows lack of care.
• Cold, detached language → Reinforces his cruelty.

Question 2

🧑‍💰 Scrooge (Character)

“I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.”

Answer 2

✅ AO1:

• Shows Scrooge’s transformation—he embraces generosity and kindness.
• He has learnt from the spirits and wants to change permanently.

✅ AO2:

• Metaphor of “honour Christmas in my heart” → Suggests a deep, emotional change.
• Contrast → Opposite of his attitude at the start (“Bah! Humbug!”).

✅ AO3:

• Victorian Christmas traditions were becoming more widespread (influenced by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert).
• Dickens promotes the spirit of Christmas as a time for charity and goodwill.

Question 3

🧑‍💰 Scrooge (Character)
“I can’t afford to make idle people merry.”

Answer 3

✅ AO1:

• Scrooge says this in response to Fred’s invitation to Christmas dinner, highlighting his stinginess and self-centered attitude.
• He is focused on money and believes that celebrating Christmas is a waste of resources.

✅ AO2:

*he believes those who don’t contribute financially to society are unworthy of joy or generosity.

• The word “afford” demonstrates his prioritization of material wealth over human connection and compassion.

✅ AO3:

• Reflects Victorian attitudes toward work and class, where the wealthy often saw themselves as entitled to more and looked down on those who struggled.
• Dickens critiques these views and advocates for a more empathetic, communal society through Scrooge’s transformation

Question 4

👻 Jacob Marley (Character)
“I wear the chain I forged in life.”

Answer 4

✅ AO1:

• Marley warns Scrooge that greed and selfishness lead to suffering.
• Suggests people create their own punishment through their actions.

✅ AO2:

• Metaphor of “chain” → Symbolises the burden of his greed.
• Verb “forged” → He actively created his own suffering.

✅ AO3:

• Dickens criticises selfish capitalism and argues that the wealthy should take responsibility for the poor.
• Links to Christian morality—Marley is being punished for his sins.

Question 5

👼 The Ghost of Christmas Past (Character)
“A solitary child, neglected by his friends, is left there still.”

Answer 5

✅ AO1:

• Shows Scrooge’s lonely childhood, making the reader sympathise with him.
• Explains why Scrooge became cold and distant.

✅ AO2:

• Adjective “solitary” → Emphasises isolation and sadness.
• Past tense “is left” → Almost timeless, suggests Scrooge is still trapped by his past.

✅ AO3:

• Dickens highlights how childhood experiences shape people, linking to his own childhood struggles with poverty.

Question 6

🎄 The Ghost of Christmas Present (Character)

Answer 6

✅ AO1:

• The two children represent the dangers of poverty and ignorance in society.
• The Ghost warns Scrooge (and the reader) that ignoring these problems will lead to disaster.

✅ AO2:

• Personification → Poverty and ignorance are given human forms, making them more impactful.
• Short, direct sentence → Creates a powerful message.

✅ AO3:

• Dickens wanted education reform—he believed ignorance led to crime and suffering.
• Reflects social issues in Victorian England, where poor children often lacked education and opportunities.

Question 7

💀 The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come (Character)
“I fear you more than any spectre I have seen.”

Answer 7

✅ AO1:

• Shows Scrooge’s realisation that he must change.
• The fear of his future pushes him to redemption.

✅ AO2:

• Superlative “more than any” → Emphasises how terrifying this spirit is.
• Contrast → At the start, Scrooge dismissed the supernatural; now he is deeply affected.

✅ AO3:

• Reflects Victorian beliefs about judgement after death (Christianity).
• Dickens encourages readers to change before it is too late.

Question 8

💡 Theme: Class Divide
“Mankind was my business.” (Marley)

Answer 8

✅ AO1:

• Marley regrets not helping others in life.
• Highlights the importance of social responsibility.

✅ AO2:

• Metaphor of “business” → Criticises greed; real wealth comes from kindness, not money.
• Past tense → Too late for Marley, but not for Scrooge.

✅ AO3:

• Dickens wrote the novella to criticise selfish Victorian attitudes towards the poor.

Question 9

🎁 Theme: Generosity & Christmas Spirit

Answer 9

Quote 8: “God bless us, every one!” (Tiny Tim)

✅ AO1:

• Represents kindness, generosity, and the true spirit of Christmas.
• Contrasts with Scrooge’s earlier selfishness.

✅ AO2:

• Exclamation → Shows enthusiasm and warmth.
• Inclusivity in “every one” → Suggests everyone deserves kindness, rich or poor.

✅ AO3:

• Tiny Tim reflects the struggles of poor children in Victorian England.
• Dickens wanted to inspire charity and goodwill in his readers.

Question 10

⏳ Theme: Redemption
“I am as light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel.”

Answer 10

✅ AO1:

• Shows Scrooge’s joy after his transformation.
• He is freed from the burden of greed and selfishness.

✅ AO2:

• Simile “light as a feather” → He feels relieved and free.
• Religious imagery “angel” → Suggests he has been spiritually redeemed.

✅ AO3:

• Dickens presents redemption as possible for everyone, no matter their past mistakes.

Final Tips for Using These Flashcards:

• Read through them daily to memorize quotes and analysis.
• Cover the answers and try to recall AO1, AO2, and AO3 for each quote.
• Practice writing exam-style paragraphs using these quotes.