A Christmas Carol

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 5

(If A Christmas Carol

was written by an English

teacher)

rewrite? 24/25: te lang voor 1 lesuur

filmpje ook niet goed te verstaan

Today:

• Looking at the period when the novel was written.
• Dicken's life and influence on the story
• Facts about the novel
• Watching the film!

Famous adaptations

Meer leren over de tijd waarin ACC zich afspeelt?

Dan maak je me erg blij!

Discuss with a neighbour, and write down:

1. Wat kan je in A Christmas Carol zien over het Britse leven in die periode? Wat weet je zelf al over die periode?

Victorian Era

Queen Victoria

20 June 1837 - 22 January 1901

'Firsts':

• Child rights introduced against abuse and neglect (at home)
• State-funded schools
• Telegraph system
• Germ theory

The 'Victorian world'

• The Great Famine
• Slum housing and disease
• Child poverty

• Morality - personal improvement
• Gentry: decline in gambling, horse races, and obscene theatres

Industrial Revolution

Child labour

Christmas in the Victorian era:

Caroling

Christmas cards

Christmas trees in the home

Renewed interest in Christmas stories

Discuss with a neighbour, and write down:

• What do you know about Charles Dickens?
  
• What do you think is meant by the term social criticism? Why would we mention it here?

Charles Dickens                                                     1812-1870

• Charles Dickens - English writer (Oliver Twist) and social critic. 
• 12 y/o: his father was imprisoned because of personal debt. 
• Charles left school 
• Had to make shoe polish in a dirty factory to support the family.
• HAD TO SELL ALL HIS BOOKS!
• This experience had a great impact on his life and career. 

• Beyond his personal reasons 

for writing "A Christmas Carol," 
Dickens felt a strong need to
comment on the enormous gap
between the rich and poor in 
Victorian Britain.

• It touched many people and was

very popular. It helped Christmas
become a major holiday in 
Victorian Britain

20/12

London, UK

Some facts about the novel

• Released 181 years ago TODAY

Some facts about the novel

• Released 181 years ago TODAY
• First edition sold out in five days (6,000 copies - €37,50 today), 

Some facts about the novel

• Released 181 years ago TODAY
• First edition sold out in five days (6,000 copies - €37,50 today), 
• Public readings: 127 in 21 years.

• Book has never been out of print.
• 5 chapters (staves)

Discuss with a neighbour, and write down:

• Noem twee personages, hun namen en persoonlijkheid
  
• Wat is, denk je, de boodschap van het verhaal?

Characters

Scrooge and Tiny Tim may have been based on his own family.

Static, dynamic?

If you were to write ACC today, what would be different?

Let's watch...

A Christmas Carol !

1971

Get comfortable, make sure you have a good view of the screen.

Lights off!

video assignment

Watch the video, then answer questions.

1. How would you describe Scrooge? What does he represent?

6. Explain Ignorance and Want, the two children with the Ghost of Christmas Present.

what is a novella?

1. a short story
2. a very long novel
3. just a story
4. a short novel

what did A Christmas Carol (1843) call attention to?

1. the spirit of Christmas
2. the poor and deprived
3. the reading of stories

what word did people use for "chapter" in the 19th century?

1. chapter
2. part
3. stave
4. number

Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by 4 spirits (ghosts). Who is the first to visit him?

1. Marley, his deceased business partner
2. Marley, his deceased boss
3. Marley, his deceased relative

What does Marley tell him to do?

1. change his mean and heartless life
2. continue to live as he lives now
3. Celebrate Christmas

the Spirit of Christmas Past makes Scrooge revisit

1. his childhood
2. his past Christmas years
3. his marriage
4. his student years

The Spirit of Chrishtmas Present shows Scrooge how his enormously underpaid employee celebrates Christmas

1. true
2. false

Scrooge's employee has a son who

1. is singing Christmas carols
2. is going to take over the business
3. doesn't like Christmas
4. is very ill and will probably die

The Spirit of Christmas Yet to Come shows Scrooge how everyone will be devastated the day Scrooge dies

1. true
2. false

It is Christmas morning. What is the effect on Scrooge after having been visited by 4 spirits?

2. And how would you describe Bob Cratchit and what does he represent?

4. What is the significance of The Ghost of Christmas Past in the story? Why do Scrooge and the Ghost visit memories of Scrooge’s past?

5. Why do you think Scrooge decided to change by the end of the 3 spirits' visits? What did he realise that influenced this change?

7. The story has a happy ending. So what does Dickens imply?

8. Explain the social criticism in A Christmas Carol. What is Dickens’ message? Why do you think Dickens chose the Christmas theme to send his message?