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Year 11
AQA

'A Christmas Carol': the novella as a Gothic text

I can recognise Gothic conventions in 'A Christmas Carol' and explain how Dickens uses them.

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New
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Year 11
AQA

'A Christmas Carol': the novella as a Gothic text

I can recognise Gothic conventions in 'A Christmas Carol' and explain how Dickens uses them.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Dickens uses Gothic conventions as a way to greater explore immoral behaviour in society.
  2. Scrooge could be viewed as a typical Gothic protagonist: isolated and egotistical.
  3. Scrooge can be said to be in a liminal state of his metamorphosis for much of the novella.
  4. There are many examples of battles between good and evil (or moral and immoral) in the text.
  5. The gothic genre gives Dickens a great backdrop within which to frame his message of social responsibility.

Keywords

  • Egotistical - being self-centered and believing that the world revolves around you.

  • Liminality - at a boundary or transitional point between two contrasting elements.

  • Metamorphosis - the process of transformation from an immature form to a more responsible form in distinct stages.

  • Convention - the way in which something is done - the common features of something.

  • Transgressive - involving the violation of moral or social boundaries.

Common misconception

Students might think that Scrooge is evil.

Scrooge is not evil - he is immoral. A distinction between the two needs to be clarified.


To help you plan your year 11 english lesson on: 'A Christmas Carol': the novella as a Gothic text, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Ask students by the end of the lesson whether they think 'A Christmas Carol' is a quintessential gothic text, or whether it just contains gothic elements. Get them to debate using the conventions.
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Teacher tip
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Equipment

You will need access to a copy of Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol' for this lesson.

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Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
supervision-level

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

copyright

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the four ghosts in 'A Christmas Carol' is Scrooge most afraid of?
Marley's Ghost
The Ghost of Christmas Past
The Ghost of Christmas Present
Correct answer: The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come
Q2.
Which colours do we tend to consider 'Gothic' colours?
Correct answer: red
yellow
Correct answer: black
pink
orange
Q3.
How did the Victorians feel about Gothic literature?
They hated it and found it horrifying.
They were happy to read it but were mostly indifferent.
Correct answer: They were fascinated with Gothic literature.
Q4.
What might the word 'transgression' mean?
when someone behaves very aggressively in a hostile manner
when someone acts in a very moral and upstanding way
Correct answer: when someone's behaviour crosses a moral or social boundary
when a person travels across a county line
Q5.
Which of the following is not an example of something supernatural?
unicorn
ghost
vampire
werewolf
Correct answer: bat
Q6.
In which of these staves from 'A Christmas Carol', does Dickens use the corresponding spirit to create the most frightening atmosphere?
Stave 1
Stave 2
Stave 3
Correct answer: Stave 4
Stave 5

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following is not a Gothic convention?
violence and excessive emotional states
the power of the unconscious mind
Correct answer: an inspirational and powerful protagonist
a battle between good and evil
a dark, mysterious and remote setting
Q2.
In what way can Scrooge be considered as an isolated and egotistical protagonist in 'A Christmas Carol'?
Correct answer: Scrooge isolates himself from society.
Scrooge is charitable in the end of the novella.
Scrooge treats his employee with respect and kindness.
Correct answer: Scrooge has a selfish world view.
Scrooge is concerned about Tiny Tim's future.
Q3.
Throughout the middle section of 'A Christmas Carol,' Scrooge can be said to be in a state of transformation.
Correct Answer: liminal, Liminal, liminal., Liminal.
Q4.
A caterpillar turning into a butterfly is an example of what process?
birth
Correct answer: metamorphosis
devolution
liminality
transgression
Q5.
Complete the sentence: A common Gothic __________ is the battle between good and evil.
Correct Answer: convention, Convention., convention.
Q6.
Which Gothic conventions does this quotation from 'A Christmas Carol' exemplify: "The ways were foul and narrow; the shops and houses wretched; the people half-naked, drunken, slipshod, ugly"?
violence and excessive emotional states
the power of the unconscious mind
a battle between good and evil
Correct answer: a dark and remote setting
an atmosphere of mystery, secrecy or suspense