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Year 10
AQA

'A Christmas Carol' Stave 3: the second of the three spirits

I can explain how Dickens characterises the second spirit.

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New
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Year 10
AQA

'A Christmas Carol' Stave 3: the second of the three spirits

I can explain how Dickens characterises the second spirit.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Scrooge meets the Ghost of Christmas Present, a jolly figure who closely resembles the Victorian Father Christmas
  2. Scrooge is frightened of the spirit, but is receptive to his teachings, as he ‘obeys’ his commands
  3. The spirit shows Scrooge different festive scenes from around the world
  4. The spirit represents generosity and abundance
  5. The spirit is a direct criticism of Malthusian concerns about food supply shortages

Keywords

  • Receptive - If someone is receptive, they are willing to consider or accept new suggestions and ideas.

  • Reflective - If someone is reflective, they are able to evaluate their own actions and behaviour.

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

  • Emotional repression - Emotional repression is when someone unconsciously pushes difficult or upsetting feelings aside so that they can’t surface.

Common misconception

Students believe that Father Christmas was always pictured wearing red.

Victorian depictions of Father Christmas show him wearing green, with a wreath of holly around his head.


To help you plan your year 10 english lesson on: 'A Christmas Carol' Stave 3: the second of the three spirits, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Take some time to explore how the presentation of Father Christmas has changed since the early Victorian period, so that students can recognise that the second spirit is a representation of mid-Victorian depictions of Father Christmas.
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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 discriminatory behaviour
  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
supervision-level

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

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Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), 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 two colours do we commonly associate with Christmas?
Blue
Correct answer: Red
Yellow
Orange
Correct answer: Green
Q2.
What is the commonly accepted definition of the term "Christmas spirit"?
The magical ability to grant wishes during the holiday season.
Correct answer: The feeling of joy, generosity, and goodwill towards others during Christmas.
The tradition of decorating Christmas trees with colourful lights and ornaments.
The belief in the existence of Santa Claus and his workshop at the North Pole.
Q3.
Which plants do we typically associate with Christmas?
Correct answer: Holly
Roses
Correct answer: Mistletoe
Willow
Correct answer: Ivy
Q4.
What changes did we see in Scrooge in Stave 2 of 'A Christmas Carol'?
Correct answer: We saw Scrooge's capacity for empathy.
We saw Scrooge's hatred for Christmas.
Correct answer: We saw Scrooge's potential to love others.
We saw Scrooge become a sociable character.
We saw Scrooge beg the ghost to teach him more.
Q5.
Complete the quotation from Stave 2 of 'A Christmas Carol': "I should like to be able to say a word or two to my just now. That’s all.”
Correct Answer: clerk
Q6.
Starting with the first, put the events of 'A Christmas Carol' in chronological order.
1 - We learn that Marley died seven years ago. He was Scrooge's business partner.
2 - Scrooge is rude to Fred, Bob and the two portly gentlemen.
3 - Scrooge sees the face of Jacob Marley in his door knocker.
4 - The ghost of Marley visits Scrooge and tells him he will be visited by 3 ghosts.
5 - Scrooge is shown his childhood, during which he was neglected by his friends.
6 - Scrooge is shown the breakdown of his relationship with his former fiancee.
7 - Scrooge begs the Ghost of Christmas Past to cover the light on his head.

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is the name of the second of the three spirits to visit Scrooge in 'A Christmas Carol'? The Ghost of Christmas .
Correct Answer: Present, present, Present., present.
Q2.
How does Scrooge feel about encountering the second spirit in Stave 3 of 'A Christmas Carol'?
Correct answer: He feels anxious to meet him.
He is excited to meet him.
Correct answer: He is receptive to the ghost's lessons.
He is not interested in listening to the ghost.
He feels hatred for the ghost and wishes he didn't have to meet him.
Q3.
Which of the words means 'to have a lot of something?'
Amount
Repression
Reflective
Correct answer: Abundance
Entity
Q4.
Finish the quotation from Stave 3 of 'A Christmas Carol': "He was not the Scrooge he had been."
Correct Answer: dogged, dogged., Dogged., Dogged
Q5.
Starting with the first, put the scenes the Ghost of Christmas Present shows Scrooge in 'A Christmas Carol' in chronological order.
1 - The ghost shows Scrooge Christmas in London.
2 - The ghost shows Scrooge Christmas at the Cratchits’ house.
3 - The ghost shows Scrooge Bob raising a toast to Scrooge the founder of the feast.
4 - The ghost shows Scrooge Mrs Cratchit condemning Scrooge for his cruelty.
5 - The ghost shows Scrooge the miners, who are celebrating Christmas round a fire.
6 - Scrooge sees two men in a lighthouse celebrating and some sailors humming.
7 - The ghost shows Scrooge Fred’s house at Christmas, where he is hosting a party.
Q6.
Which of the following is the correct explanation of what the Ghost of Christmas Present from 'A Christmas Carol' represents?
The spirit represents Malthusian ideology and concerns over food shortages.
The spirit is Father Christmas, shown through his physical appearance.
Correct answer: The ghost embodies Christmas spirit and represents abundance and generosity.
The ghost represents kindness and gift giving at Christmas time.
The ghost represents Scrooge's current Christmas present.