Context

• What is the purpose of 'A Christmas Carol'?

  • To challenge social injustice
  • To expose impact of poverty in the 19th century
  • To encourage support towards the poor if capable
• What were the effects of poverty?

  • Working class lived in deprivation
  • Child mortality was high
  • No healthcare; death rates were high
  • Lack of education; lack of awareness
  • Forced labour; chimney sweeping, workhouses, apprentices
• What was the Poor Law Act?

  • Created in 1834, against poverty
  • Workhouses (prison-like systems) created
  • Poor Law Unions were created
  • Ensured the rich paid less to support the poor
• What is Karl Marx's theory?

  • Society is based upon capitalism; wealth over people
  • Working class made money for the upper class; who controlled production
  • 2 social classes in conflict leads to social unrest until a revolution occurs
• What is John Locke's theory?

  • People are born without sin / not innately evil
  • Born with empty minds, they are shaped through experience
  • Childhood has a great impact on how one grows up to be
• What is Thomas Malfus' theory?

  • Population would eventually outgrow its ability to produce food and other necessities 
  • Believed it would be solved if poor people stopped growing big families
  • Surplus population was due to poor people having so many children
• What were Dickens' views on poverty?

  • Believed poverty was caused by the rich who neglected and did not help the poor 
  • Growing up in poverty as a child, empathised with those in the same situation
  • Impassionate supporter of the poor, especially little children; 'Oliver Twist', 'David Copperfield' and 'Great Expectations'
• How did Dickens' journalism influence his writing?

  It made him socially aware
• What financial difficulties did Dickens' family face?

  His father was imprisoned for debt
• How is Bob Cratchit related to Dickens' father?

  Both were clerks
• What does the Cratchit household represent in 'A Christmas Carol'?

  Sympathy towards the lower-class
• Where did Dickens work after being separated from his family?

  Warren’s Blacking Factory
• How does Scrooge's character reflect Dickens' childhood experiences?

  Scrooge mirrors Dickens' loneliness
• What are the impacts of Dickens' journalism on 'A Christmas Carol'?

  • Highlights social issues
  • Reflects personal beliefs
  • Accessible to the public
• What is the name of Dickens' sister who inspired a character in 'A Christmas Carol'?

  Fanny
• What does Fanny symbolize in 'A Christmas Carol'?

  Goodness
• Who is Tiny Tim in relation to Dickens' family?

  His sister's crippled son
• What does Dickens link to the themes of "Ignorance" and "doom"?

  Value of education
• What does Scrooge's attitude towards workhouses reflect?

  Apathetic beliefs of the rich
• What major event characterizes the Victorian era?

  The Industrial Revolution
• What was the impact of the Industrial Revolution on the rural population?

  Migration to cities for work
• How did the Industrial Revolution change production methods?

  Shifted from agriculture to machines
• What was the effect of mechanization on the working class?

  Reduced demand for workers
• How did the end of the Industrial Revolution affect social inequalities?

  Exacerbated inequalities in society
• What societal impacts resulted from the Industrial Revolution?

  • Overpopulation and slums
  • Spread of disease
  • Child labor exploitation
• How does Scrooge refer to the working class in 'A Christmas Carol'?

  Surplus population
• What does Dickens illustrate through the Cratchit household?

  Cramped living conditions
• What was the working age for children during the Industrial Revolution?

  Five years old
• How does Dickens portray the consequences of child labor?

  Children unable to attend school
• How does the Industrial Revolution function as a character in 'A Christmas Carol'?

  • Dictates lives of the working class
  • Highlights the plight of the Cratchits
  • Represents societal power dynamics
• How does Dickens criticize the attitudes of the rich in 'A Christmas Carol'?

  Through Scrooge's unfavourable characteristics
• What is the nature of Scrooge's speech in the novella?

  Hyperbolic and exaggerated
• What message does Dickens convey to contemporary readers through Scrooge?

  To question their own ignorance
• What societal responses to poverty are depicted in 'A Christmas Carol'?

  • Workhouses as harsh solutions
  • Charity viewed as problematic
  • Ignorance towards the poor
• What was the purpose of the New Poor Law of 1834?

  To force the poor into workhouses
• What was a common belief about charity during Dickens' time?

  It rewarded bad behavior
• What are the key themes surrounding poverty in 'A Christmas Carol'?

  • Lack of basic necessities
  • Ignorance of the wealthy
  • Critique of societal attitudes
• How did some people view the relationship between poverty and choice?

  They believed poverty was a choice
• How did Dickens view the working class in relation to poverty?

  As victims, not creators of poverty
• What did the Elementary Education Act of 1880 require?

  Children to attend school until age 10