'A Christmas Carol' Stave 4: death in the novella
I can understand the significance of death in the novella.
'A Christmas Carol' Stave 4: death in the novella
I can understand the significance of death in the novella.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Scrooge’s reactions to the first two deaths in the novella are callous - he represses his emotions.
- Over the course of the novella, Scrooge learns the value of individual human life, so is more affected by the deaths.
- Through Tiny Tim’s death, Scrooge recognises that the "surplus population" are, in fact, human beings worthy of life.
- Scrooge recognises the importance of living a fulfilling life and contributing positively to the welfare of others.
- Dickens emphasises that having a positive impact on others doesn’t always require money, it requires compassion/empathy.
Keywords
Indifferent - If you are indifferent to something, you are not bothered about it.
Callous - Someone callous is exceptionally harsh and cruel.
To repress - If you repress your emotions, you push them to the back of your mind and try to ignore them.
Welfare - A person’s welfare is their happiness, health and wellbeing.
Social responsibility - Somebody who believes in social responsibility invests in their community and supports those in need.
Common misconception
Pupils think that Dickens is solely emphasising the value of human life.
Dickens is also emphasising the importance of what we do with our lives - how we use them to enrich other people's human experience.
Equipment
You will need access to a copy of Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol' for this lesson.
Content guidance
- 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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