A Christmas carol

• What is the main character's name in 'A Christmas Carol'?

  Scrooge
• What transformation does Scrooge undergo in 'A Christmas Carol'?

  He becomes kind and generous by the end of the book
• What societal issue does 'A Christmas Carol' explore?

  The problem of poverty in Victorian society
• How does Dickens criticize the attitudes of the rich in 'A Christmas Carol'?

  He shows them as dismissive and ignoring the problem of poverty
• What is the strong message emphasized in 'A Christmas Carol'?

  • Importance of social responsibility
  • Duty to help the less fortunate
• When is 'A Christmas Carol' set?

  At Christmas
• How does Dickens view Christmas in 'A Christmas Carol'?

  As a special time for kindness and generosity
• What childhood experience influenced Dickens's views on poverty?

  His family went into debt and he had to work in a factory
• How did Dickens's experience of poverty affect his writing?

  It made him critical of how society treated the poor
• What significant events occurred in Dickens's life in 1824?

  • His father was imprisoned for debt
  • Dickens had to work in a factory
• What was Dickens's first published work?


  A Dinner at Poplar Walk
• What was the population growth of London from 1800 to 1900?

  From roughly 1 million to 6 million
• What were the living conditions for factory workers in Victorian cities?

  • Overcrowded housing
  • Poor drainage and sewage systems
  • Shared taps and toilets
  • Led to hunger, disease, and crime
• How does Dickens portray Scrooge at the beginning of 'A Christmas Carol'?

  As a man who ignores the poverty around him
• What contrast does Dickens make between Scrooge and Bob Cratchit?

  Scrooge is wealthy while Bob Cratchit lives in poverty
• What does the Ghost of Christmas Present show Scrooge in Chapter Three?

  The abundance of food available in shops
• What did Thomas Malthus argue about poverty?


  That it was inevitable due to overpopulation
• How does Dickens respond to Malthus's views in 'A Christmas Carol'?

  He believes there is enough food if the rich share it
• What were the consequences of the 1834 Poor Law?

  • Reduced financial help for the poor
  • Required unemployed to enter workhouses
  • Workhouses had harsh conditions
• How does Scrooge's attitude towards charity change by the end of 'A Christmas Carol'?

  He becomes generous and gives to charity
• What role does education play in Dickens's view of solving poverty?

  It helps the poor gain self-respect and improve their lives
• What were Ragged Schools?

  • Schools offering free education
  • Provided clothing and food
  • Aimed at children from poor families
• How does Dickens depict the character of Ignorance in 'A Christmas Carol'?

  As a representation of the poor's lack of education
• What is Dickens's view on Christianity?

  • Good Christians help others
  • Emphasizes humility, charity, and forgiveness
  • Opposes mere appearances of religiosity
• What is Sabbatarianism?

  A practice of resting on Sundays and attending church
• How does Scrooge feel about Sabbatarianism in 'A Christmas Carol'?

  He believes it denies the poor opportunities for enjoyment
• How did Christmas celebrations change by the end of the nineteenth century?

  • Became the most important celebration of the year
  • Increased emphasis on traditions like cards and gifts
  • More secular celebrations with feasts and games
• What key values does 'A Christmas Carol' focus on?

  • Charity
  • Forgiveness
  • Goodwill
  • Generosity
• What does Scrooge promise at the end of 'A Christmas Carol'?

  To honor Christmas in his heart all year round
• How do Scrooge and Fred's views on Christmas differ?

  Scrooge sees it as a financial burden, while Fred sees it as a time for goodwill
• What is the significance of Marley's ghost in 'A Christmas Carol'?

  • Warns Scrooge to change his ways
  • Represents the consequences of a selfish life
• How does the narrator introduce Scrooge in the first chapter?

  As mean, greedy, and solitary
• What literary technique does Dickens use to introduce the story?

  He uses the phrase "Once upon a time"
• How does the introduction of Scrooge contrast with the beginning of the novella?

  It makes Scrooge seem less appealing compared to the lighthearted start
• What is the title of the chapter that discusses Marley's Ghost in A Christmas Carol?

  Marley's Ghost
• How does the narrator introduce Scrooge in the chapter?

  The narrator humorously discusses that Jacob Marley is dead before introducing Scrooge.
• What is Scrooge's personality like when he is introduced in the chapter?

  Scrooge is mean, greedy, and described as "solitary as an oyster."
• How does the cheerful beginning of the novella contrast with Scrooge's introduction?

  The cheerful beginning makes Scrooge seem even less appealing.
• What phrase does the narrator use to introduce the main story?

  "Once upon a time."
• What does Dickens's use of a fairy tale convention suggest about the story?

  It suggests that the story will have a magical element and is likely to have a happy ending.