A Christmas Carol

Question 1

Who wrote a Christmas Carol?

Answer 1

Charles Dickins

Question 2

What is the writer’s view about Christmas and the message of Christmas?

Answer 2

Dickens views Christmas as a time to celebrate with family and friends. One shouldn’t save at Christmas, they should splurge and there should be an abundance of food at Christmas time.

Question 3

What themes are introduces in the preface?

Answer 3

The supernatural (ghost story)
Christmas

Question 4

How does the writer present Scrooge in stave one? Give a quote to support this.

Answer 4

Blunt- “you’re poor enough”

Greedy- “tight-fisted”

Question 5

Why does the writer present Scrooge in such a negative way in stave one?

Answer 5

He wants us to have the opposite opinion to Scrooge and dislike him.

Question 6

What is the effect of Bob Cratchit being “in a dismal cell”

Answer 6

He’s imprisoned by his job; there was no benefits system.

Question 7

Who (other than Scrooge) had the idea to reduce the surplus population?

Answer 7

Thomas Malthus

Question 8

What does Scrooge say Christmas is a poor excuse for when speaking to Bob Cratchit?

Answer 8

“A poor excuse for picking a man’s pocket every twenty-fifth of December”

Question 9

What does Jacob Marley regret the most?

Answer 9

Not being charitable to others
Not using his assets to benefit others
Being selfish and greedy
Not showing mercy

Question 10

What does Scrooge blame for him seeing Marley’s ghost?

Answer 10

‘A slight disorder of the stomach’

Question 11

Give some contextual information about Dickens’ life.

Answer 11

His father was imprisoned for debt and this lead to his family living in poverty.
He worked in a blacking factory for some time

Question 12

Give some contextual information about the industrial revolution.

Answer 12

• Between 1800 and 1900, London’s population increased by 5 million
• This increase let go over-crowding, hunger, disease and crime.
• There were no proper drainage systems
• Children were exploited by factory owners that forced them to work long hours in dangerous conditions.

Question 13

Give some contextual information about Malthus and the poor laws.

Answer 13

• Dickens believed that Malthus was wrong
• Malthus thought that he poor laws were too charitable
• A new poor law was introduced in 1834; if unemployed people wanted shelter and food, they’d have to work in a workhouse

Question 14

Give some contextual information about Education.

Answer 14

• Dickens believed strongly in the importance of education. In 1840s he became involved in ragged schools.
• He believed the way out of education was the tough education

Question 15

Give some contextual information about the religion.

Answer 15

• Strict moral code; attend church regularly, avoid alcohol and exercise sexual restraint.
• Dickens didn’t agree; he believed that to be a good christian, people should seek out opportunities to do good deeds for other people.
• He didn’t believe in Sabbatarianism.

Question 16

Give some contextual information about Christmas.

Answer 16

• At the start of the 19th century it wasn’t celebrated. By the end, it was the most important celebration of the year.
• Christmas traditions became important; cards, crackers, carols, decorations, gifts and Christmas dinner.

Question 17

What is the irony of the title?

Answer 17

None of the prose Dickens writes in rhymes or is particularly rhythmical.
However he may hope that the story is retold.
The use of ghosts is ironic as it’s a christmas story.

Question 18

Is is structurally easy or difficult to follow? Why?

Answer 18

Easy. Marley’s visit establishes the arrival of the three ghosts that are to come after him. This eliminates the confusion of the different times. Also the ghosts names cleary show what they are showing scrooge.