Hello, my name is Miss Halliday, and welcome to today's lesson.

I'll be your teacher for today, guiding you through the learning.

I'm really looking forward to hearing all your contributions and seeing your engagement in today's lesson.

So let's get started.

So today's lesson is called "The Ghosts: Dickens' Use of Allusion." And by the end of today's lesson, you'll be able to understand the significance of Dickens' use of allusion in the ghosts' appearances.

Here are some keywords that you'll need for today's learning.

We've got allusion, cornucopia, to depict, and draw parallels.

Let's have a look at some of the definitions of these keywords.

So first of all, an allusion is a passing or indirect reference to something else.

A cornucopia is a large horn shaped container, overflowing with produce, typically symbolic of abundance or plenty.

If you're depicting something, you are representing it or showing it in a certain way.

And finally, to draw parallels basically means to make links between two things based on their similarities.

If you'd like to take a moment to jot these definitions down, then please do feel free to pause the video before you move on.

Here's today's lesson outline.

We're going to start by looking at some cultural context in some of the allusions that Dickens makes, and then we're going to move on to looking more closely at the objects that the ghosts carry, and the allusions that Dickens makes through these objects.

But let's start first of all looking at that cultural context.

So I'd like you to discuss using the images on the slide.

Well, what could these images represent? And which of the ghosts are they associated with, and how? So we've got flames and candles.

We've got holly.

And we've got the colour white.

I'm going to invite you now to pause the video while you have those discussions with the people around you, or jot ideas down if you are on your own.

Off you go.

Fantastic work, and well done to those of you who very cleverly recognise that each of these symbols is actually represented by the Ghost of Christmas Past, because we see the ghost as having that clear, bright jet of flame coming from its head, we see him carrying that sprig of holly, and we also see the white tunic of the Ghost of Christmas Past.

So well done if you made those connections.

We're going to focus in and look at the Ghost of Christmas Past, and the allusions that Dickens makes through it in more detail now.

So here are some parts of the description of the Ghost of Christmas Past in the novella.

We know that it is quote, "like a child: yet so not like a child as like an old man." We know that its "hair, which hung around its neck and down its back, was white, as if with age." We know that it has a "wrinkleless face", "and the tenderest bloom on the skin." We also know it has "very long and muscular arms" and that "its hands are the same." It wears "a tunic of the purest white, and round its waist was bound a lustrous belt, the sheen of which was beautiful." It "held a branch of fresh green holly in its hand, and had its dress trimmed with summer flowers." And finally, "from the crown of its head there sprung a bright, clear jet of light." And now I'd like you to read this description of the German Christkindl.

It's often depicted as a beautiful youth.

It's usually depicted with blonde hair.

It wears a bright white robe, it wears a wreath of candles on its head.

It's often depicted carrying a sprig of holly in its hand.

So using that description now, I'd like you to discuss, well, do you notice any similarities between Dickens' description of the Ghost of Christmas Past and depictions of the Christkindl? So I'm going to invite you now to pause the video while you discuss that with people around you, and see if you can directly draw comparisons between the two's appearances.

So off you go.

Fantastic discussions! And it was so nice to see so many of you making those connections and identifying exactly where the similarities are between the Christkindl and the Ghost of Christmas Past.

So well done.

So obviously there are noticeable similarities between the descriptions of these two figures, and these are most obviously the ones highlighted in purple.

So this idea that they both wear this bright white robe, that kind of the Ghost of Christmas Past has this clear jet of light, whilst the Christkindl wears a wreath of candles on its head.

And the fact that they're often both depicted carrying a sprig of holly in their hands.

But I also wanted to draw your attention to the fact of, the fact that the Christkindl is usually depicted with blonde hair, but the Ghost of Christmas Past has very white hair.

So again, there's a similarity there, because they've both got very fair hair.

So well done if you identified any of those similarities.

Excellent work.

Now in 1840, Queen Victoria married Prince Albert, who was from Germany.

Now we know that A Christmas Carol was published in 1843.

So Dickens would have likely been familiar with the concept of the German Christkindl, because of the influence of German culture on British culture.

Now an example of this influence is the fact that actually, Prince Albert is often credited with introducing the Christmas tree to England.

Isn't that such a cool fact to know? So as I'm sure you can see, there were definite influences of German culture on the British culture at the time, and that did extend, we think, to the German Christkindl, and Dickens' use of it in the novella.

So the German Christkindl was presented as the child who announces the birth of Christ, and as somebody who delivers gifts to children on Christmas Eve.

So what I'd like you to discuss now is, well, why might Dickens have drawn parallels between the Ghost of Christmas Past and the German Christkindl, based on that piece of information that we've just read together.

What similarities in their purposes do they share, or might they share? So what I'm going to do now is invite you to pause the video while you review that information and consider the two questions on screen with the people around you, or just on your own, if you're by yourself.

So pause the video and off you go.

Fantastic discussions.

So let's have a look at what you might have said.

Andeep says, "I think that Dickens uses the spirit's appearance to allude to the Christkindl to position it as the bearer of gifts to Scrooge on Christmas Eve." Because we know that the Spirit visits Scrooge on Christmas Eve, and that is significant, if we take this interpretation.

"The gift it brings for Scrooge is hope.

The hope for Scrooge's transformation and redemption." So well done to Andeep, some really good ideas.

I'd like you to think now, well, can you think of any other gifts that the Spirit brings Scrooge that would kind of reinforce this interpretation that the Ghost of Christmas Past is kind of indicative or representative in some way of the German Christkindl? So what other gifts could you say that the ghost brings to Scrooge on Christmas Eve? So pause the video while you have a think about that and discuss it if you can, now.

Some really great suggestions there, and things that I never would have thought of.

I've picked out some of my favourite suggestions and put them on screen for you.

So here they are.

So we could say that the ghost brings Scrooge the gift of enlightenment, by showing him his past and the error of his ways.

Rebirth.

So the chance for spiritual rebirth and that hope for transformation that Scrooge has at the end of the novella.

And finally, the spirit arguably brings Scrooge the gift of empathy, because he actually learns to empathise with himself in this stave.

And it's a really touching moment for the reader there.

So here are just some of the gifts that you arguably could say that the ghost does bring to Scrooge, that might make the ghost representative of the German Christkindl, and make those parallels drawn between the two even clearer.

And as Andeep summarises, "So, by drawing parallels between the Christkindl and the Spirit, Dickens suggests that the ghosts themselves are a gift to Scrooge, and that the values he's being taught are Christian values.

So he's effectively being given a second chance to find God." And what a great gift that is to Scrooge, because we see how much positive influence those ghost visits do have on him in stave five.

So again, here Dickens is suggesting that the ghosts themselves and the chance that Scrooge has been given, is such a gift.

So well done if you got that.

So let's check for understanding.

Why does, or why might Dickens, use the Ghost of Christmas Past to allude to the German Christkindl? Is it A, to show that the ghost represents Christmas cheer and merriment? B, to show Scrooge the importance of generosity at Christmas? C, to portray the ghost's visit as a blessing to Scrooge? Or is it D, to illustrate that the ghost is bringing Scrooge the gift of hope or redemption? Pause the video while you make your answer selection now.

And well done if you selected C and D.

Dickens uses the Ghost of Christmas Past to allude to the German Christkindl, perhaps to portray the ghost's visit as a blessing, but also to illustrate that the ghost brings Scrooge the gifts of hope and redemption.

Well done.

So onto our first task of the lesson.

I'm going to look at the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come, and the fact that he, or it, rather, is reminiscent of the Grim Reaper.

So we know that the Grim Reaper is often considered to be a personification of death.

Now, early depictions of death personified in the form of what we now know as the Grim Reaper, appeared first in the 14th century, when Europe was actually battling against the plague and the Black Death.

So some really serious kind of pandemics, I suppose, there.

Now the Grim Reaper allegedly appears at the point of death to reap the earth of those close to death.

So to kind of carry them away following their sickness.

So I'd like you to discuss based on the information, well first of all, in what way does the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come appear at the point of death in the novella? What or whose death might that be? And secondly, how could we link the Grim Reaper as a figure of sickness, to Scrooge? So in what way could Scrooge be considered to be ill or sick in the novella? So I'm going to invite you to pause the video now while you discuss those questions.

If you'd like to jot some answers down for your notes, then please do feel free to do so.

But I'm going to invite you now to pause the video and have those discussions.

Off you go.

Some really great discussions there, and it was lovely to see so many of you bullet pointing your ideas.

So we're going to turn to our Oak students and see what they think, and see whether any of your ideas match up with theirs.

So let's start with Aisha, who says that Scrooge could be said to be sick with immorality and cruelty.

And I really like this idea, because actually, we do see Scrooge as kind of having this kind of sickness where he just can't be nice to people, and he can't be generous, and he can't be empathetic.

And actually that in itself is kind of a sickness, because it kind of infects and infiltrates every aspect of his life, and makes him actually really quite miserable.

So I love that suggestion from Aisha.

Now Izzy adds to this, that actually, the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come appears at the point of Scrooge's spiritual death and rebirth.

So it's not that literal death, you know, Scrooge hasn't literally died, but it's this idea that the ghost appears at the point of Scrooge's old persona's death, and this idea that he will be reborn as a different person.

So Scrooge in the novella suffers a spiritual death, a moral death, but not a literal one.

And the distinction has to be drawn there.

And Andeep adds onto Izzy's point here, and says that actually, the ghost could also appear because the death of Scrooge's wickedness and immorality has occurred.

Okay? We know that by the end of stave three, Scrooge is very much resolved to change.

Scrooge recognises the error of his ways, and is actually quite keen to get started making positive changes, but he just has that one more lesson to learn.

So here, the Grim Reaper figure, which is the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come, appears at the point where Scrooge's avarice and greed has metaphorically died.

It's also interesting that Andeep points out that Dickens suggests that, through Mrs. Dilber, Dickens is suggesting that society is sick from injustice.

So not only is Scrooge sick from avarice and greed, but society as a whole is very sick, and that perhaps the cure might be social responsibility.

So really nice ideas from our Oak students, thank you to them, and thank you to you watching, who have also come up with some fantastic ideas, many of which are the same ideas as our Oak students.

So well done.

So onto the second part of the lesson now, where we're going to look at the objects that the ghosts carry, and why they're significant.

So I'd like you to discuss, well, can you remember what the Ghost of Christmas Present carries with him, and what he does with it? So I'm going to invite you to pause the video while you try and remember that now.

And as a little hint, and a little kind of cheat to you, if you can't remember, open your book and have a look quickly.

So pause the video and off you go.

Fantastic work.

And it was lovely to see that many of you actually remembered what the ghost carries without having to look, so well done.

So we know that the Ghost of Christmas Present actually bears a glowing torch, and it's in a shape not unlike Plenty's horn, and here we can see that lovely illustration of the Ghost of Christmas Present, with his torch in the shape of Plenty's horn.

We also know that he uses this torch to sprinkle incense on poor people's dinners.

And that we're told it's a very uncommon kind of torch.

It's a very unique torch.

"For once or twice, when there were angry words between some dinner-carriers who had jostled each other, he shed a few drops of water on them from it, and their good humour was restored directly." So I'd like you to discuss now, using those quotations, using that recap, well what is the spirit sprinkling, do you think, and why? So I'd like you to really pinpoint exactly what it is that you think is coming out of the spirit's torch, and why he's sprinkling it specifically on poor people.

So pause the video and have those discussions now.

Some really great ideas there.

And again, we're gonna turn to our Oak students, and see what they have to say by means of feedback.

So first of all, Aisha states that, "The spirit brings the gift of peace to the quarrelling people." So here Aisha's suggesting that what the spirit's sprinkling on people's dinners is actually peace and tranquillity.

Now, Izzy states, "Well, I think that the spirit is spreading festive cheer with his torch." So Izzy's gone at it from a slightly different angle, and says that she thinks that actually, because the spirit represents Christmas, he's sprinkling kind of that festive goodwill and merriment onto people's dinners.

And finally, Andeep adds, "Well, the spirit says that the incense flavour works best on the poorest dinners, and that shows how generosity can make the biggest difference to the poorest members of society." So there, Andeep's kind of covering that question of, well, why does the spirit sprinkle the incense? And it's to show his generosity, and because he wants to help other people, and he's modelling those kind of values and those kind of virtues to Scrooge in this stave so that he can vicariously learn them.

So let's have a think about that torch itself, then.

We know that the torch is in the shape of cornucopia, and you can see that kind of shape in the diagram on screen.

It's kind of like a cone shape.

And a cornucopia, we know, is a hollow horn, that was kind of capable of producing plentiful gifts.

And it's present in a lot of classical mythology.

So the word cornucopia actually comes from the Latin words, "cornu", which means horn, and "copie", which means plenty.

Hence the word copious, which means kind of, lots of, so if you have copious amounts of something, you've got lots of it.

Okay? And again, that links back to this idea of plenty.

So the cornucopia has actually been associated with harvest, prosperity, and abundance, with the gods and goddesses of wealth and grain holding cornucopias.

So again, we really see that kind of imagery of the abundance of food, and the plentiful giving and harvesting of food.

So again, we see the cornucopia as a really kind of classical symbol of abundance.

So what I'd like you to discuss now is, well, why do you think that Dickens alludes to Plenty's horn here specifically? Because actually, he says it's not Plenty's horn, but that it's in the shape of Plenty's horn, which is different.

Okay? So I'd like you to think, well, what's the significance of the fact that it's shaped as a cornucopia, and therefore, what does the spirit represent? So I'm going to invite you now to pause the video while I discuss those questions on screen.

Again, some fantastic discussions.

So again, let's go back to Andeep, Aisha, and Izzy, to hear what they've got to say.

So Aisha states, "Well, the spirit's sprinkling joy and goodwill onto people arguing." So spreading that kind of festivity.

And Izzy adds to that and says, "Well yeah, the spirit represents abundance and generosity.

So the object that he's carrying reflects that." So the fact that the cornucopia reflects abundance and plenty, reflects the spirit's own generosity.

So a great point there from Izzy.

And Andeep adds, "Well, Dickens alludes to Plenty's horn to contradict Malthusian concerns about food shortages." 'Cause if you remember, Thomas Malthus made lots of claims about the fact that the growing population couldn't be sustained because we weren't producing enough food.

And Dickens here is directly contradicting that, and showing us how ridiculous these concerns were.

And he's actually suggesting that there is plenty of food to go around, if people are just slightly more generous and charitable with it, in the way that the spirit is.

So here, kind of the spirit is vicariously teaching not only Scrooge generosity, but also the general Victorian population, especially those who kind of bought into these Malthusian ideologies, that we just didn't have enough food to sustain the growing population.

And if you remember that really famous quote from Scrooge, and also Malthus, on surplus population.

You know, this is a kind of attitude that Dickens is really contradicting and criticising here, and saying that actually, there's plenty of food to go around, just share it more! Okay, so well done if you got those ideas yourself.

So let's check for understanding now.

And I'd like you to think, well, which of these explanations best describes the significance of the spirit's torch? I'm going to invite you to pause the video, while you read the two answer options and decide which best describes the torch's significance.

Off you go.

And well done if you got A.

You're absolutely right.

Dickens uses the Ghost of Christmas Present's torch to criticise Malthusian beliefs that there was not enough food to go around in Victorian Britain.

The cornucopia shape is used to represent the idea of abundance and plenty.

And thus, Dickens contradicts Malthusian ideology, by showing that there's actually plenty of food to go around, if it's shared equally.

So well done if you correctly identified that it is in fact A that's the best description of the significance of the spirit's torch.

So onto our final task of the lesson.

Now we know that Dickens uses the objects that the ghosts carry to reflect their purposes and messages.

We've established that.

Now, the Ghost of Christmas Past carries a branch of fresh green holly in its hand.

And here's a little bit of background information about what holly symbolises culturally.

So culturally, holly has been a symbol of winter festivities, prominently featured during the Christmas season, where its vibrant green leaves and red berries are associated with renewal and the hope of spring.

In folklore and mythology, holly has been linked to protection and good fortune, often believed to ward off evil.

Its evergreen nature also represents resilience and enduring life in the midst of winter's dormancy.

So using that information on screen now, I'd like you to bullet point how the sprig of holly might reflect the Ghost of Christmas Past's purpose and message in the novella.

So pause the video, and off you go.

Fantastic work.

And here's what you might have said.

So here's our information again.

Now you might have picked out this idea that actually, red berries and vibrant green leaves have been associated with this idea of renewal, and the hope of spring.

And you might have linked it back to the spirit, because actually, the ghost brings Scrooge the hope of transformation and redemption.

So in the same way that holly kind of symbolises new life, well the spirit's almost bringing Scrooge a new life through showing him his past and where he went wrong, and showing him what he needs to do to change his future, and have that opportunity to live a long and fulfilling life.

You also might have picked out this idea that actually, in folklore and mythology, holly's been linked to protection and good fortune.

And you might have said that actually, in the case of the novella, the holly could represent the blessing of the ghost's visit, and the good fortune of the intervention that Scrooge has been sent to help him steer his life in a more philanthropic and moral direction.

And finally, I love this idea of holly representing resilience and enduring life, because actually, that's really relevant to the novella, because holly could represent the resilience that Scrooge will need, in order to look back at his past and learn to be introspective.

And we know from the novella that actually, this whole experience of Scrooge witnessing his past events again, was actually really difficult for Scrooge to do.

And it did require a level of resilience, that unfortunately, Scrooge stops demonstrating when he extinguishes the spirit's cap.

But that resilience is something that Scrooge learns throughout the course of the novella, and it's something that kind of the holly that the spirit carries might represent in stave two.

So well done if you got any of those ideas.

Super impressive.

And I'd like to end the lesson with just this quick question of, actually, which other ghost carries something symbolically significant? So pause the video while you discuss that question.

Off you go.

Fantastic! And I was really impressed to see that many of you remembered that obviously Marley's ghost carries all those chains, cash boxes, ledgers, and deeds, that are symbolic of the sins that he committed in life.

Excellent recall.

So to summarise the learning from today, well we know that Dickens uses the ghosts' appearances to allude to other figures in popular Victorian culture.

Dickens also alludes to the German Christkindl through the Ghost of Christmas Past's appearance.

And that's to present the visit from the ghost as a blessing to Scrooge, 'cause he brings him that hope for transformation and that enlightenment.

Dickens also alludes to the Grim Reaper through the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come, and that is to symbolise Scrooge's spiritual death, and the death of the old Scrooge, and the rebirth of the new, more moral and more philanthropic Scrooge.

We also know that many of the ghosts carry symbolic objects that indicate their purpose or their message.

For example, the Ghost of Christmas Present carries a bountiful torch in the shape not unlike Plenty's horn, which symbolises abundance and generosity.

And finally, the Ghost of Christmas Past carries a sprig of holly that might symbolise hope, new life, and resilience.

Thank you so much for coming to today's lesson.

I've really enjoyed teaching you, and it's been really fascinating to delve deeper into Dickens' use of allusions through the objects that the ghosts carry and their appearances.

Thank you for all your engagement and contributions, and I hope you have a lovely rest of your day.

See you later!.