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Year 10
AQA

'A Christmas Carol' Stave 3: Christmas around the world

I can understand Dickens’ message about Christmas being a joyful time.

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New
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Year 10
AQA

'A Christmas Carol' Stave 3: Christmas around the world

I can understand Dickens’ message about Christmas being a joyful time.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The Ghost of Christmas Present embodies Christmas spirit
  2. Scrooge is shown different scenes of Christmas being celebrated around the world, especially in isolated communities
  3. Scrooge observes the Christmas spirit they all demonstrate and the regard they hold for family and human connection
  4. Though there may not be an abundance of wealth, there is an abundance of joy and merriment
  5. Dickens emphasises the importance of community in this section of the novella

Keywords

  • To portray - The portrayal of a scene is how that scene is presented or depicted.

  • Hyperbolic - If you were being hyperbolic, you would be exaggerating.

  • Abundance - If you had an abundance of something, you would have a lot of it.

  • Merriment - Merriment means light hearted fun or cheerfulness, often used when talking about happy occasions.

  • Optimistic - Being optimistic means being positive and hopeful about the future.

Common misconception

Students think that Dickens' message about Christmas is focused solely on the importance of charity.

Dickens uses the many Christmas scenes in this section of the novella to emphasise the importance of community and human connection.

You could do the second task (from learning cycle two) as a class. Extend students' thinking by asking them: if you could only show Scrooge one of these Christmas scenes, which would you choose and why?
Teacher tip

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
  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

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.
The Ghost of Christmas Present visits Scrooge in Stave of the novella 'A Christmas Carol'.
Correct Answer: 3, three, 3., three.
Q2.
What might fire symbolise in 'A Christmas Carol'?
Empathy
Correct answer: Generosity
Poverty
Wealth
Isolation
Q3.
How is the Ghost of Christmas Present described in Stave 3 of 'A Christmas Carol'?
A tall, hooded figure in a black robe.
A small, winged creature with a lantern.
Correct answer: Giant and bearded with a green robe and a wreath of holly.
A strange young, but also old-looking figure with long arms.
Transparent with shackles and chains attached to it.
Q4.
What does the Ghost of Christmas Present carry with him in Stave 3 of 'A Christmas Carol'?
A scythe and an hourglass.
A sack of presents.
A torch and a heavy chain.
Correct answer: A lit torch.
A candle and some scriptures.
Q5.
In stave 3 of 'A Christmas Carol' by Charles Dickens, the Ghost of Christmas Present transforms Scrooge's house into a festive cavern. What does this symbolise?
Poverty and hardship.
Correct answer: Abundance and generosity.
Wealth and privilege.
Family and community.
Equality and kindness.
Q6.
Starting with those from stave 1, put these quotations about fire from 'A Christmas Carol' in chronological order.
1 - "He poked the fire, and extinguished the last frail spark for ever."
2 - "It was a very low fire indeed; nothing on such a bitter night."
3 - "A lonely boy was reading near a feeble fire."
4 - "Near to the winter fire sat a beautiful young girl."
5 - "Such a mighty blaze went roaring up the chimney."
6 - "They found a cheerful company assembled round a glowing fire."

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
In Stave 3 of 'A Christmas Carol', the Ghost of Christmas Present shows Scrooge lots of scenes of different people celebrating from all around the world.
Correct Answer: Christmas, Christmas.
Q2.
Who is singing Christmas songs in 'a cheerful company gathered around the fire' in Stave 3 of 'A Christmas Carol'?
A group of carolers.
A lonely traveller passing by.
Correct answer: A mining family.
A local choir.
Members of the local council.
Q3.
What does the Ghost of Christmas Present embody in Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol'?
The past.
The unknown future.
Santa Claus.
Correct answer: Christmas spirit.
Poverty and hardship.
Q4.
When describing London at Christmas in Stave 3 of 'A Christmas Carol', Dickens exaggerates the scene. This is called being...
Minimalist.
Correct answer: Hyperbolic.
Decorative.
Descriptive.
Optimistic.
Q5.
What method does Dickens use here in 'A Christmas Carol': "the French plums blushed in modest tartness"?
An extended metaphor.
A simile.
An allegory.
Pathetic fallacy.
Correct answer: Personification.
Q6.
Why does Dickens show us the different scenes of groups of people celebrating Christmas in Stave 3 of 'A Christmas Carol'?
To emphasise the importance of giving gifts at Christmas.
To emphasise that singing is really important at Christmas.
To emphasise that poverty is everywhere and the poor need help.
Correct answer: To emphasise the importance of family and community at Christmas.
To emphasise that Christmas is a time for introspection.