CONTEXT Flashcards
Who was Charles Dickens?
Charles Dickens was a social reformer who wanted to improve the treatment of the poor in 1840s England
What was he concerned with?
He was deeply concerned with the harsh plight of the lower and working class, especially child labour
What events led to the publication of ‘A Christmas Carol’?
When Charles had been removed from school and sent to work in Warren’s blacking factory after his father went into debt
What impact did the experience of working in a blacking factory have on Charles?
The experience was life altering and became a major influence for much of his work. It gave him an insight into the horrors of poverty
What are Ragged Schools?
What were they based upon?
Ragged Schools were charitable institutions that were created to provide a basic education for poor children. They also provided food, clothing and lodging for their students, but they only based upon charitable donations so the schools were usually found in slum-like conditions in disreputable sections of town?
Who was Thomas Malthus?
How do his ideas relate to this novella?
A person who had the idea that population will always grow faster than food & should be controlled by war, deaths, diseases, starvation.
Relates to ‘decrease the surplus population’ - Scrooge has similar ideas on this
What was the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act?
A law that stated that poor people should work in workhouses in order to survive
What are workhouses?
Deliberately harsh environment to live and work in
Families were separate and food was basic
A sort of prison system - providing refuge for the poor.
What was the class inequality like at the time?
The upper class were the ruling class & were afforded luxuries & everything you need to succeed in life, namely a good education & access to health care.
What did the Industrial Revolution do to London?
How was the housing?
Made its population go up from 1 million in 1800 to 6 million in 1900
Housing available was dreadful
What belief do Ignorance and Want show?
Dickens’ belief that education was a route out of poverty
How much did the book cost and what does this show?
5 shillings - fairly costly
So clearly intended for the middle and upper classes whose conscience he wants to touch.
Who did workhouses encourage?
It encouraged able bodied people to go there but discouraged ‘lazy poor’
What did Dickens do in Manchester and what did this influence?
He gave a speech at the Manchester Athenaeum in 1843
He saw the terrible conditions manufacturing workers lived in
These were the ‘seeds’ for the story - he wanted to make a change in society
Why was writing this book his method of making a change?
It was the most likely way he could touch the conscience of the upper and middle classes so they could learn to help the poor.
