Theme - Supernatural

• How does Dickens use Christian beliefs in his narrative?

  • Incorporates beliefs of afterlife (purgatory)
  • Uses supernatural elements (the phantoms)
  • Engages the audience by creating a believable narrative
• What does the Ghost of Christmas Past represent?

  Personification of the past and innocence
• What does the Ghost of Christmas Past wear, and what does it signify?

  Wears a tunic of the purest white, showing truth in Scrooge's memories
• How is the Ghost of Christmas Present characterized?

  Resembles Father Christmas and represents a joyful spirit
• What does the size of the Ghost of Christmas Present symbolize?

  It shows impact and a dominating force
• What does the Ghost of Christmas Present use to spread joy?

  Uses incense to spread joy to families
• What does the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come personify?

  Personification of death
• How does the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come affect the story's tension?

  Establishes a sense of doom and heightens tension before the climax
• What supernatural quality does Fred possess?

  His goodness is supernatural as it is unchanging
• How does Dickens use imagery to contrast Fred and Scrooge?

  Uses imagery of light in contrast to Scrooge
• What similarities exist between Fred and the Ghost of Christmas Present?

  Both have a "sparkling eye" and supernatural qualities
• How does the theme of the supernatural develop throughout the story?

  • Supernatural experiences become more dramatic in each stave
  • Builds tension before the climax
  • Experiences leave a greater impact on Scrooge
  • His character transforms into good, prompting reader reflection on morality
• What does Tiny Tim symbolize in relation to religion?

  He has a 'childish essence from God' and brings messages like Jesus
• What biblical reference is associated with Tiny Tim?

  To inherit the kingdom of God one must be like a child
• How is Scrooge's transformation reflected in his demeanor?

  He becomes 'as merry as a school-boy'
• What do Ignorance and Want symbolize in society?

  They symbolize the disease of vices in society
• How are Ignorance and Want described?

  Described as 'wretched, frightful, hideous, miserable'
• What is the significance of Marley's Ghost's return?

  Heightens the impact of his ghost's return by emphasizing 'Marley was dead'
• What does Marley's Ghost personify in the narrative?

  Personification of social injustice
• What responsibility does Marley's Ghost highlight for the reader?

  To become socially responsible to avoid punishment in the after-life
• Who was Charles Dickens in relation to Victorian society?

  A social reformer who wanted to improve Victorian society
• What message does the novella convey regarding the middle classes and the poor?

  The middle classes should offer support to the poor
• What genre was popular during the Victorian era?

  Ghost stories
• How did Victorians view the supernatural?

  They believed it was possible to contact the dead
• What role do the ghosts play in Scrooge's transformation?

  They act as moral teachers with lessons for Scrooge
• What does Marley warn Scrooge about in Stave 1?

  He wears the chains he forged in life
• What does Scrooge need to learn according to Marley's warning?

  He must learn to value people
• What does the Ghost of Christmas Past symbolize?

  Memory
• How is the Ghost of Christmas Past described?

  It wears a tunic of the purest white and is a clear jet of light
• What does the Ghost of Christmas Past want for Scrooge?

  His reclamation, revealing he used to be a good person
• What does the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come symbolize?

  Death
• How does Scrooge react to the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come?

  He is shocked by his neglected grave
• What promises does Scrooge make to the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come?

  1. I'm not the man I was; 2) I'll honour Christmas and keep it in my heart
• What does the Ghost of Christmas Present symbolize?

  Generosity and goodwill
• What does the scabbard without a sword represent in the Ghost of Christmas Present?

  The peace that Christmas brings
• What lesson does the Ghost of Christmas Present teach about giving at Christmas?

  Anything given should be for those who need it most
• Who does the Ghost of Christmas Present show Scrooge?

  The Cratchit family
• What concern does Scrooge express for Tiny Tim?

  He pleads "say he will be spared?"
• How does the Ghost of Christmas Present respond to Scrooge's concern for Tiny Tim?

  By saying "decrease the surplus population"
• What do Ignorance and Want personify in the story?

  Society's problems