A Christmas Carol grade 9 key words

Question 1

What is the meaning of archetypal villain? + example sentence

Answer 1

A main character who is presented as evil and unlikeable
E.g. In stave 1, Scrooge is presented as an archetypal villain as he is disgusted at the idea of giving to the poor whilst simultaneously ostracises himself from society

Question 2

What is the meaning of anti-malthusian? + example sentence

Answer 2

The novel was written against Malthusian beliefs
E.g. Dickens creates an anti-Malthusian tale to highlight the detrimental impact of holding these ignorant beliefs. He examples how the suffering and plight of the poor is synonymous with these unjustifiably prejudice beliefs

Question 3

What is the meaning of apathetic? + example sentence

Answer 3

Showing no interest
E.g. Scrooge’s apathetic nature towards the poor is clear in stave 1. He holds Malthusian views by branding them as the ‘surplus population’ and sees them as an inconvenience in society

Question 4

What is the meaning of allegory? + example sentence

Answer 4

A story, poem, or art used to explore a deeper meaning (normally a social, moral, or political one)
E.g. Dickens constructs an allegorical tale in which he aims to be didactic about the need for a collective social conscience to abolish poverty. He creates his allegorical characters to highlight that neglection from society is synonymous with the suffering of the destitute

Question 5

What is the meaning of catharsis? + example sentence

Answer 5

Relief from strong emotions
E.g. Scrooge’s plead for redemption and salvation from the ghost of Christmas yet to come, results in him experiencing catharsis in stave 5 - he realises he is no longer subject to this irreversible doom, instead can become an altruistic and philanthropic member of society

Question 6

What is the meaning of abundance? + example sentence

Answer 6

A large amount of something
E.g. The ghost of Christmas present is a symbol of abundance. His throne, made of an immense amount of food, directly indicts the Malthusian view of the scarcity of supply

Question 7

What is the meaning of catalyst? + example sentence

Answer 7

Something that spurs on/encourages something else
E.g. The ghosts catalyse a change within Scrooge. He becomes the epitome of a model citizen: compassionate and benevolent

Question 8

What is the meaning of covetousness? + example sentence

Answer 8

Wishing to have something and/or being envious if somebody else acquires this
E.g. Scrooge’s covetousness is explored as he is described as a ‘covetous’ sinner, signifying that he lacks gratitude and wilfully embodies sin

Question 9

What is the meaning of destitute? + example sentence

Answer 9

Extreme poverty
E.g. The Cratchits are emblematic of the destitute families that worked hard during the Victorian era but were ceaselessly oppressed and exploited. They help carry Dickens message about the injustice that pervaded Victorian society, particularly the victimisation of the poor and children

Question 10

What is the meaning of dehumanising? + example sentence

Answer 10

Treating a person as if they are not a human being
E.g. The dehumanising treatment of the poor is explored through the allegorical characters of ignorance and want. The animalistic presentation of the children highlights that the dehumanising treatment of them from the upper classes has resulted in them having closer resemblance to animals than humans

Question 11

What is the meaning of didatic? + example sentence

Answer 11

Intended for teaching purposes. Normally teaching a moral message or prompting people to take action
E.g. Dickens’ didactic novella intends to critique the vast amounts of social injustice that plagued Victorian society. Most significantly, the injustice towards innocent children who lived in poverty

Question 12

What is the meaning of exploitative? + example sentence

Answer 12

To unfairly take advantage of a person, especially those who are vulnerable
E.g. Dickens shuns the exploitative nature of the upper class through creating Marley as a symbol of the consequences of exploiting others and idolising money. This is also exemplary through Scrooge who exploits Bob Cratchit - he underpays him and makes him work in horrific conditions

Question 13

What is meant by emblematic? + example sentence

Answer 13

Means being symbolic
E.g. Scrooge is emblematic of the upper-class misers who value money over the collective well-being of others in society

Question 14

What is meant by enlightenment? + example sentence

Answer 14

Deeper understanding of something that gives a new insight into life
E.g. Scrooge becomes enlightened by stave 5. His old frugal and pessimistic view on the world has been completely shattered and replaced with benevolence

Question 15

What is meant by frugal? + example sentence

Answer 15

Stingy and tight with their money or supplies
E.g. Marley and Scrooge are frugal as they are reluctant to use their wealth to help anybody but themselves. Dickens shows this is a punishable offence and will be eternally punished in hell. Being frugal in life on earth will lead to eternal damnation

Question 16

What is meant by foil? + example sentence

Answer 16

A character who is the opposite to another in order to highlight the others characteristics
E.g. Fred is a foil to Scrooge as his benevolence and jubilant e juxtaposes Scrooge’s misanthropic and apathetic nature. This is further shown through the motif of light as Fred’s description is filled with imagery of light, yet Scrooge’s is surrounded with darkness

Question 17

What is meant by humanitarianism? + example sentence

Answer 17

To promote human well-being and reduce suffering of others
E.g. The ghosts help Scrooge transform by seeing the immense positive value of humanitarianism. By stave 5, Scrooge can be seen as a humanitarian as he practices benevolence and aims to reduce the suffering of others

Question 18

What is meant by hypocrisy? + example sentence

Answer 18

Claiming to have certain belief than going against that belief. it is appearing to be one thing/ or believe one thing, then doing the opposite
E.g. Dickens exposes the hypocrisy within Victorian society. They are condemning of the poor, putting laws in place to vilify the poor, yet the poverty is perpetuated by the same individuals who are putting these inhumane laws in place.
The 1834 poor law being exemplary of this

Question 19

What is meant by magnanimous? + example sentence

Answer 19

Being generous, kind and giving
E.g. Fred is the epitome of a magnanimous individual. He allows the reader to measure Scrooge’s redemption by how alike he is to the compassionate and magnanimous character of Fred- Scrooge’s redemption is confirmed for the reader when he appears akin to Fred in his nature

Question 20

What is the meaning of misanthropic? + example sentence

Answer 20

A person who dislikes human interaction and aims to avoid society
E.g. Scrooge epitomises misanthropy as he wilfully ostracises himself from society to avoid any human sentiment and emotion

Question 21

What is the meaning of miser? + example sentence

Answer 21

Somebody who does not like to spend their wealth and wants to spend as little money as they can
E.g. Scrooge is presented as a Victorian miser. He refuses to heat up his office, leaving Bob Cratchit to freeze, despite having the financial means too. He also loves darkness as it is “cheap”, reinforcing how he prefers to be miserable then to spend money

Question 22

What is the meaning of microcosm? + example sentence

Answer 22

A person or place showing the characteristics of something larger
E.g. The Cratchits are a microcosm of the plight of the poor and endless struggles they endure. Alternatively, Scrooge is microcosmic of the ignorant upper class that remain in a state of oblivion just so they can escape their moral duties in society

Question 23

What is the meaning of ostracised? + example sentence

Answer 23

Exclusion from society
E.g. Scrooge wilfully ostracises himself from society so he can isolate himself in his own protect bubble of misery - he refuses to interact with individuals in society. His ostracisation is so successful, even the weather refuses to be associated with him

Question 24

What is the meaning of oppression? + example sentence

Answer 24

Continuous horrible treatment and abuse- particularly one that makes a person feel inferior
E.g. Scrooge’s relationship with Bob at the beginning of the novella could be emblematic of the oppression the poor faced from the upper class. Scrooge relentlessly mistreats Bob, the only reason being because he was poor, thus showing how the upper class continually oppressed the lower class. This being reinforced through Bob’s lack of speech in Stave 1, showing how he has been silenced in his oppression

Question 25

What is the meaning of philanthropic? + example sentence

Answer 25

Charitable and giving
E.g. Fred demonstrates his philanthropic attitude in stave 1, he condemns his uncle’s lack of benevolence and philanthropy when Scrooge is so anti Christmas and giving. Bob is also an exemplary philanthropist as he and his family, despite having very little, are benevolent and generous regardless of this

Question 26

What is the meaning of political diatribe? + example sentence

Answer 26

A speech/ writing that aims to condemn and criticise politics at the time
E.g. Dickens creates his political diatribe to openly condemn the biased politics within the Victorian era. The rich were favoured in society, through the laws they put in place and their treatment. Yet, the destitute were left to suffer and experience the gruelling effects of socio-economic poverty.

Question 27

What is the meaning of prolepsis? + example sentence

Answer 27

Hinting at something in the future that hasn’t actually happened yet but soon will
E.g. The ghost of Christmas yet to come shows Scrooge his proleptic tragic death. He taunts Scrooge with his bleak future filled with abandonment and sorrow

Question 28

What is the meaning of parsimonious? + example sentence

Answer 28

Stingy and tight with their money
E.g. Scrooge’s parsimonious nature is salient in stave 1. He is repulsed at the idea of being charitable an is baffled at why others would be compassionate and giving- this is clear within his interaction with Fred when he questions why one could be happy if they are poor and give to others

Question 29

What is meant by rebirth? + example sentence

Answer 29

To be reborn
E.g. Scrooge’s enlightenment about life and his uncompassionate nature leads to his rebirth. He is reborn from an old miser to a jubilant and benevolent man who seizes life

Question 30

What is meant by redemption? + example sentence

Answer 30

Being saved from sin or evil
E.g. Scrooge pleads for redemption in stave 4 during his interaction with the ghost of the Christmas yet to come. He understands that if he is not permitted redemption, he will be subject to his inevitable bleak and lonesome death

Question 31

What is meant by salvation? + example sentence

Answer 31

In Christian terms, it is being saved by the faith in Christ and God
E.g. When Scrooge understands his embodiment of the 7 deadly sins, paired with his general dismissal of religion, will mean he will be eternally punished, he wishes for Salvation. He promises the ghost, and also God, that he will change and no longer embody these sins

Question 32

What is meant by sabbatarian? + example sentence

Answer 32

A Christian who sees Sunday as the holy sabbath day. This meant no work on Sundays.
E.g. Dickens was scathing of blue laws (laws that meant you weren’t allowed to work on Sundays) as this meant that the poor and destitute couldn’t make money on this day when they desperately needed it - this was known as Sabbatarianism. His criticisms are clear in the exchange between the ghost of Christmas present and Scrooge

Question 33

What is the meaning of social commentator? + example sentence

Answer 33

Providing commentary on social situations or issues
E.g. Dickens, a social commentator, uses his allegorical novella to emphasise the need of social justice and the abolition of socio-economic poverty

Question 34

What is meant by socio-economic poverty? + example sentence

Answer 34

Poverty that has come from economic and societal factors
E.g. Dickens indicts the stereotype that the poor were lazy and created their own poverty. He highlights this through the character of Scrooge that it was socio-economic poverty that led to the deprivation of millions- not the choice of the poor themselves. He shows this through making Scrooge, a microcosm for the upper class, deprive the lower class (Bob) despite his immense work efforts

Question 35

What is meant by social conscience? + example sentence

Answer 35

Feeling responsible for others in society. Using your innate sense of morals to understand that we must look after others in society
E.g. Dickens expresses that the reduction of poverty and thus making society a more desirable place is synonymous with the development of a social conscience

Question 36

What is meant by transmogrification? + example sentence

Answer 36

Transformation in a surprising or unexpected way
E.g. Scrooge goes from an archetypal Victorian miser to an elated joyous member of society. His transmogrification sets an example to Dickens’ readership that change is possible in any individual, regardless of how ingrained their worldwide views are

Question 37

What is the meaning of victimisation? + example sentence

Answer 37

Singling someone out to abuse and mistreat them
E.g. Dickens passionately aims to expose the victimisation of children which is because of the negligence from the upper classes. He uses Tiny Tim to evoke sympathy from the reader and make them feel they must take a stand against the victimisation of children