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T e a c h e rs n o t e s 1
A Christmas Carol
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by Charles Dickens
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ELEMENTARY
S U M M A R Y
crooge is a hard man who loves money more
ABOUT CHARLES DICKENS
S than people. For Scrooge, the very worst time of
year is Christmas when everybody seems to be Charles Dickens was born in 1812 in Portsmouth, a
happy for no reason, as he sees it. It is also the time naval town on the south coast of England but, after a
when he has to give his clerk, Bob Cratchit, the day off brief interlude in London between the age of two and
and pay him 15 pence! Christmas, indeed happiness four, of which he could later remember nothing, he
itself, is humbug to Scrooge. He scorns Christmas and spent his childhood in Chatham, another naval town to
spurns friendship even when it is repeatedly offered by the east of London.
his nephew, Fred. Then, one Christmas Eve, Scrooge is Dickens was the son of a clerk, put in prison for debt
visited by the ghost of his long dead partner, Marley, when Charles was just 12. This and other incidents in
who warns him that his heard-heartedness is making a the young boys life fuelled his imagination as they re-
heavy chain which he will carry for ever after his death, appear, suitably exaggerated, in his novels. The young
unless he takes heed of the advice of three ghosts that Dickens was sent to work in Warrens blacking factory
will visit him. The first ghost, the Ghost of Past making shoe polish. He hated the job and the memory
Christmases, shows him scenes from his life as a stayed with him always, as did the injustice of a young
schoolboy and young man. We learn that he had a boy having to work when he should have been at
lonely and probably unloved childhood, but that he won school. After he left the factory, he worked as a
the heart of a lovely women then lost her through his journalist. He got his big break at the age of 24, when
greater love for money. the publishers Chapman and Hall read his work and
The second ghost, the Ghost of Christmas Now, asked him to write a series of stories based on a
shows him that people can be happy without a lot of fictitious club. These were published in monthly form
money, and also shows him Tiny Tim. the ailing son of and then in a single volume, The Pickwick Papers, in
his clerk. Scrooge wants to know what will happen to 1836. Within a few months, Dickens was the most
the boy and he learns he will not survive. popular author in England.
The third ghost, the Ghost of Future Christmases,
shows scenes after Scrooges death. Nobody grieves BACKGROUND AND THEMES
him. His cleaner and his washerwoman are happy that
he is dead at least they were able to take and sell A Christmas Carol is a cautionary tale. It warns us that
some of his things, including the bed clothes from his we make our future with our actions in the present. But
death bed and the nightshirt from his back. One of his it is also an uplifting story in that it suggests that it is
tenants is happy they wont have to pay the rent this never too late to change. Scrooge was an old man, and
week. Only the Cratchit family are sad but not for had done many bad things in his life. But he was worth
Scrooge. Tiny Tim, in this future, is dead, but Scrooge saving, apparently, because no fewer than three ghosts
pleads with the ghost for a chance to change the future. took the trouble to show him the error of his ways. And
When Scrooge awakes after the visits of the three change he did, to the benefit of all around him.
ghosts, he discovers it is still only Christmas morning. Dickens was deeply affected by the real-life poverty
He orders a large goose to be sent round to Bob he saw all around him, but most especially in the slum
Cratchits house, pledges money for the poor and goes streets of London. When the Ghost of Christmas Now
to dinner at his nephews house. In the final paragraph, introduces the two poverty-stricken children and says
we are told that he became a second father to Tiny Tim They are Everybodys, he is dearly expressing
and, we assume, changed the future through his Dickens own feelings about the need for better-off
change of behaviour. people to help the less well-off, with money and with
education.
Chapter 1
The following teacher-led activities cover the same sections
of text as the exercises at the back of the Reader and candle (n) a stick of wax that you burn to produce light
supplement those exercises. For supplementary exercises chain (n) a series of metal rings connected together in a line
covering shorter sections of the book, see the clerk (n) someone whose job is to keep the records or accounts in an
photocopiable Students Activities pages of this Factsheet. office, law court, etc.
These are primarily for use with class readers but, with the coal (n) a hard black substance that is burned to product heat
exception of the discussion and pairlgroupwork activities, fog (n) thick cloudy air near the ground which is difficult to see though
can also be used by students working alone in a self-access
ghost (n) the spirit of a dead person that some people believe they can
centre.
see or feel
humbug (n) an old exclamation which means something is bad or
ACTIVITIES BEFORE READING THE BOOK
stupid
1 Ask students to work in groups. Tell them to look at the merry (adj) happy
picture on the front cover. Ask them whats happening. past (n) the time that existed before now
Elicit possible answers. Ask them where and when they
poor (adj) having very little money and not many possessions
think this story took place and why they think that.
prison (n) a building where criminals are kept as a punishment
2 Ask students to discuss these questions in pairs. workhouse (n) a building in past times where poor people were sent to
(a) Look at the table of contents. What kind of story is live and work in bad conditions
this? How many ghosts are there in the story? Chapters 23
(b) Look at the pictures in the book. Can you find any carol (n) a religious song that people sing at Christmas time
of the ghosts? goose (n) a common water bird that is similar to a duck but bigger
holly (n) a tree with green leaves and red berries used as a decoration
ACTIVITIES AFTER READING A SECTION at Christmas
Chapter 1 tiny (adj) very small
Chapters 23
1 Put students into groups of three to role play the visits
of the Ghost of Christmases Past and the Ghost of
Christmas Now. The ghosts must describe each scene
they are showing to Scrooge and Scrooge must react.
2 Put students into groups to think of one more scene
from Scrooges past life which shows why he has
become so hard and in love with money.
Students activities 1
2
A Christmas Carol 3
Photocopiable 4
Students can do these exercises alone or with one or more
other students. Pair/group-only activities are marked. 5
(b) A house with a happy family father, mother and The Ghost of Future Christmases
daughter the news
(c) A young Scrooge at a school desk Tiny Tims death
(d) A young Scrooge with a girl who is crying
(a) I know that you want to help me.
(e) A young Scrooge with his sister, Fan
(b) They left the busy centre of the city.
(f) The place where he was bor n
(c) Hes dead. He cant use these things.
(g) The place where young Scrooge worked
(d) There was nobody there when he died.
3 Find a reply (ixii) for each statement or question (al) (e) How much money can I have for them?
from Chapter 3.
(f) Is it good or bad?
(a) Tonight you can teach me and I will learn. (g) Hell be here in a minute.
(b) Wheres Martha? (h) Ive very sorry about that.
(c) Martha. youre very late.
2 What did Scrooge do in the morning? Match the
(d) How was Tiny Tim in church? beginnings and endings of the sentences from
(e) A Merry Christmas to us all! Chapter 5.
(f) WiI! Tiny Tim live? (a) He looked (i) about the goose in the
(g) Oh, no, kind ghost! Say that he will live. shop window.
(h) My uncle, Ebenezer Scrooge, says Humbug (b) He heard (ii) at the bed curtains.
when you say Merry Christmas to him. He does it
every time. (c) He ran (iii) dinner with Fred.
(i) Fred, I know the answer. (d) He called (iv) for the goose.
(j) Lets drink to Uncle Scrooge! (e) He asked (v) his best clothes.
(k) Ghost. Are they yours?
(f) He put on (vi) into the street.
(I) Isnt there a place for them somewhere?
(g) He paid (vii) the church clock.
(i) Arent there any prisons? Arent there any
workhouses? (h) He gave (viii) the man Bob Cratchits
(ii) He was very good. address.
(iii) Here I am, Mother. (i) He went out (ix) to a boy in the street.
(iv) I can see Tiny Tims chair. It is near the fire. (j) He spoke (x) to a man.
Nobody is sitting in it.
(k) He had (xi) to the window.
(v) In this future the Ghost of Future Christmases will
not find him here. 3 The story ends happily. Work with a partner. What are
(vi) Merry Christmas! some of the good things that Scrooge does at the end
of the story?
(vii) Take my hand.
(viii) Thats very bad.
(ix) They are Everybodys.
(x) Uncle Scrooge! Activities after reading the book
(xi) We had to do a lot of work in the shop last night
Work with a friend. Which part of this story did you find:
and we had to finish it this morning.
(xii) What is it? 1 the most frightening