You will be asked to answer questions about a 19th-century novel in your GCSE exam. A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, is one of these novels.
In the exam, you will be asked to write about the characters, themes, and settings. As we progress through the text, we will focus on these elements of the story.
As with the English Language course, I will help you improve your reading and writing by discussing different literary devices and techniques as we progress through the unit. It is important that you complete these activities even if you think you are already fantastic at them; more practice means a better grade!
Task 1 - Stave One Basics
To begin with, I want to investigate similes and metaphors.
Watch the video by Chungdahm Learning
If you like learning through songs, here is a fun video by Bazillions
I want you to think of your favourite songs. Go online and find the lyrics. Can you identify any similes or metaphors?
Now that you have a good idea of what a metaphor and a simile are, it is time to consider their purpose.
Both similes and metaphors are examples of figurative language and are literary devices you can use in your own writing. They have several purposes:-
Create vivid imagery: They help readers or listeners picture concepts more clearly by comparing something unfamiliar with something familiar. This makes abstract ideas more relatable.
Enhance description: Similes and metaphors make descriptions more engaging by adding depth and emotion. Rather than saying something plainly, they allow for more creative expression.
Convey emotions or moods: These figures of speech can evoke specific feelings or tones in the audience, such as warmth, fear, or wonder, by associating ideas with familiar sensory experiences.
Simplify complex ideas: Comparing a difficult or complex idea to something simpler can help make the concept easier to understand.
Add emphasis: They can emphasise particular qualities of an object, person, or situation, making the writing more persuasive or powerful.
Encourage deeper thinking: Metaphors can provoke readers to think more deeply about the underlying meaning or message being conveyed.
Create a double page in your journal with the title Metaphors and Similes. Add examples of both with drawings and note their purpose.
Reading
You will first notice that the novella, a short book or long story, is split into staves and not chapters. This is in keeping with the name of the book 'A Christmas Carol'; a stave is one verse of a song. As you probably already know, Victorians enjoyed ghost stories, and popular books at the time were Dracula, Frankenstein, and Wuthering Heights. So, it is unsurprising that Dickens wrote a ghost story even for Christmas!
Read along with Stave 1 to point 20.22 where you can pause the video.
There are several important points to note in this section. You must understand and remember these, so keep coming back to these basic sections to refresh your memory and improve your understanding. If you remember nothing else, remember these points; they will help you answer a range of questions and create a basic timeline in your mind.
The narrator (voice)—it is Dickens himself or a Dickens substitute who tells us the story; he speaks directly to the reader. He is an omniscient narrator, knowing everything that is going on but not part of the action. This helps us trust him and what he is saying like we trust a friend.
Language—The language is light-hearted and humorous to begin with. The narrator makes light of the clichéd simile, 'as dead as a doornail,' by comparing it to a coffin nail. The narrator uses the phrase 'Once upon a time...' to introduce the main story, which is usually used in fairy tales. This suggests that the story will have some magical element and a happy ending. Together these features of language tell us that the story is likely to be a ghost story. Ghost stories were traditionally told at Christmas time in Victorian society.
Marley was dead - The narrator is determined to make sure we understand this and refers to it a number of times. He tells us, 'Marley was dead: to begin with.' He also mentions Hamlet's father, who appears as a ghost in the Shakespeare play. Dickens also uses the word 'sole' numerous times, making us think of the human soul and emphasising that Jacob Marley was so focused on work that he didn't have time for friends or family.
The use of the word sole, repetitiously, also emphasises the point that Jacob Marley was so focused on work that he didn't have time for friends or family.
Scrooge—The narrator makes a lot of effort to ensure we understand just how horrid a man Scrooge is. He uses a long list of adjectives, almost overwhelming us with them, and similes to further develop the impression of Scrooge as a cold, greedy, and uncaring man. His physical appearance is also described in very unfavourable terms.
Complete the worksheet below about pages 1-3 in the novella.
Add any extra details you have discovered to the picture of Scrooge.
Possible answers for the worksheet: only look at this after you have completed your work.
Task 2 - A Closer Look
We are now going to move on to another type of figurative language. Can you think of a definition for figurative language?
Figurative language is a way of using words that go beyond their literal meaning to create a specific effect in the reader or listener's mind. It's often used to convey a complex meaning, create an image, or evoke a strong emotion.
What mood or atmosphere do you think is created at the start of A Christmas Carol?
Today's figurative language technique is called pathetic fallacy.
Pathetic fallacy is a literary device in which natural non-human things, usually the weather are given human emotions.
Watch this BBC Bitesize video on pathetic fallacy.
It is important that you do not mix up pathetic fallacy with personification. Remember, personification is attributing any human attribute to a non-human thing. Pathetic fallacy is all about attributing emotions to a non-living thing.
Watch this video by Learn on the Go. Make sure you pause the video where it is needed.
Next we are going to look at how Charles Dickens uses pathetic fallacy in Stave 1.
"It was cold, bleak, biting weather: foggy withal: and he could hear the people in the court outside, go wheezing up and down, beating their hands upon their breasts, and stamping their feet upon the pavement stones to warm them."
There are three steps to analysing pathetic fallacy:
Spot specific words or phrases.
How does the weather make you feel?
What does this tell you about the character's emotions?
In this example:
Can you spot specific words or phrases that talk about the weather?
'cold,' 'bleak,' 'biting' and 'foggy'
The words ‘cold,’ ‘bleak,’ and ‘biting’ create a harsh and uncomfortable atmosphere. They evoke a sense of an inhospitable environment where the cold is so severe that it feels physically painful (“biting”). The word ‘bleak’ suggests a desolate and dreary setting, lacking any warmth, joy, or hope. This impression makes the reader feel as though the world around Scrooge is unforgiving, mirroring his own personality and outlook on life—void of compassion, joy, or generosity. Overall, these words paint the setting as unwelcoming and harsh, much like Scrooge himself.
The fog in the scene intensifies the sense of isolation and obscurity. It not only creates a gloomy and suffocating atmosphere but also suggests that there is something hidden or unclear, much like Scrooge’s inability to see beyond his own narrow worldview. The fog represents confusion, murkiness, and a lack of clarity—reflecting Scrooge’s detachment from others and his ignorance of the joy and warmth around him. It also symbolises how Scrooge is mentally and emotionally cut off from the people and the festive spirit of Christmas.
The cold, bleak, and foggy setting directly reflects Scrooge’s emotional state and personality. At this point in the story, Scrooge is emotionally cold, detached, and unfeeling. The harshness of the weather parallels his miserly, joyless attitude. Just as the cold weather bites and stings, Scrooge is similarly biting in his treatment of others, especially those in need. The fog symbolizes how Scrooge is clouded by his greed and bitterness, unable to see the warmth and generosity that Christmas represents. His emotional state is one of isolation, coldness, and indifference to the suffering of others.
If Dickens had described a warm sunny day, how would that have changed our impression of Scrooge?
At this point in the novella, Scrooge is depicted as a miserly, cold-hearted, and isolated character with no interest in Christmas or the wellbeing of others. His character reflects the themes of selfishness and lack of compassion.
When you are asked to analyse a character or develop your own character, the literary devices you use can really help paint a vivid picture in the readers mind of who your charcter is.
In your journal, using a double page, draw or print out a picture of Scrooge. What do the following three quotes tell us about Scrooge's character?
“External heat and cold had little influence on Scrooge. No warmth could warm, no wintry weather chill him.”
“Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?”
“If they would rather die, they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.”
The first quote shows how Scrooge is emotionally unaffected by warmth or cold, reflecting his cold-hearted nature.
In the second quote, Scrooge’s response to charitable donations shows his lack of compassion and concern for others’ suffering, especially around Christmas time.
In the third quote, Scrooge’s indifference to the poor and willingness to let people die reinforces the reader’s negative impression of him.
Around the outside of your picture of Scrooge, begin adding quotes from the text and what they tell you about his character. For example, next to “Are there no prisons?” they might write “uncaring,” “miserly,” or “indifferent.” Try not to make your quotes more than five words long.
There are nine quotes from Stave 1 that are important for you to know and understand in terms of Scrooge's character. How many of them did you spot and add to your character map? If you missed anything, please add them now.
Now, I want you to focus on writing a PEEL paragraph. This technique structures paragraphs to make their point clear to the reader. Print out the poster and stick it in your journal.
If I were asked to write a PEEL (Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link) paragraph on how Dickens develops Scrooge’s character in Stave 1, it would look like this:
Point: Dickens presents Scrooge as a cold and uncaring character at the beginning of the novella.
Evidence: For example, Scrooge says, “Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?”
Explanation: This shows that Scrooge is indifferent to the suffering of the poor and feels no responsibility to help them. His dismissive attitude reflects his selfishness and lack of compassion.
Link: Dickens uses this dialogue to emphasise Scrooge's cold and uncaring character and his indifference to suffering.
Now it is your turn. Use one of the quotes from Stave 1 to write a PEEL paragraph about how Dickens develops Scrooge's character.
Try to complete the activities on this worksheet.
If you are aiming for top grades in your exam then you need to elevate your analysis. Do not worry too much about this at this point, but I will be giving you videos to watch throughout the course that will help you achieve those top grades. Two aspects you can focus on to improve your grade are your vocabulary and using external context. External context means linking the novella to the Victorian era, the way society was structured, what people thought, and how they lived. We will also cover all of this content again towards the end of the course when we focus on exam preparation.
Watch Scrooge a Christmas Carol Analysis by Lightup Hub.
If you feel confident enough to try, look at one of your answers from the worksheet and rewrite it using a higher-level analysis.
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