'A Christmas Carol': the ghosts and Dickens' use of allusion
I can understand the significance of Dickens’ use of allusion in the ghosts’ appearances.
'A Christmas Carol': the ghosts and Dickens' use of allusion
I can understand the significance of Dickens’ use of allusion in the ghosts’ appearances.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Dickens uses the ghosts’ appearances to allude to other figures in popular Victorian culture.
- Dickens alludes to the German 'Christkindl' through the Ghost of Christmas Past’s appearance.
- Dickens alludes to the Grim Reaper through the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come to symbolise Scrooge’s spiritual death.
- The Ghost of Christmas Present carries a bountiful torch, which symbolises abundance and generosity.
- The Ghost of Christmas Past carries a sprig of holly to symbolise hope, new life and resilience.
Keywords
Allusion - An allusion is a passing or indirect reference to something else.
Cornucopia - A large horn-shaped container overflowing with produce, typically symbolic of abundance or plenty.
To depict - To represent or show something in a certain way.
Draw parallels - To draw parallels means to make links between two things based on their similarities.
Common misconception
Students often think that the Ghost of Christmas Present is actually holding Plenty's horn.
Dickens carefully clarifies that the torch is "in a shape not unlike Plenty's horn", showing that the torch is not actually Plenty's horn.
To help you plan your year 11 english lesson on: 'A Christmas Carol': the ghosts and Dickens' use of allusion , download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 11 english lesson on: 'A Christmas Carol': the ghosts and Dickens' use of allusion , download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
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The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 english lessons from the A Christmas Carol: a ghost story unit, dive into the full secondary english curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
You will need access to a copy of Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol' for this lesson.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
"I cannot stay, I cannot linger anywhere."
"Would you so soon put out... the light I give?"
"You are more worthless and less fit to live than millions."
"The Spirit answered not, but pointed onward with its hand."