'A Christmas Carol' Stave 4: Scrooge's fears
I can explain how Scrooge’s fears change throughout the novella.
'A Christmas Carol' Stave 4: Scrooge's fears
I can explain how Scrooge’s fears change throughout the novella.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Scrooge's Stave 1 behaviour is arguably motivated by his fear of abandonment; fear of poverty and fear of vulnerability
- Scrooge’s fears and the behaviour that these fears have encouraged exemplify Dickens’ fears for society
- Through Scrooge’s fear of poverty, we see how punishing life was for impoverished Victorian citizens
- Dickens criticises Victorian stoicism, suggesting that it led to a lack of empathy for others, which exacerbates poverty
- By the end of Stave 4, Scrooge’s greatest fear is the lack of legacy he will leave behind him, showing his change
Common misconception
Students think that, in Stave 4, Scrooge is frightened of dying.
Scrooge is not frightened of death. He is frightened of dying without leaving a legacy because he has not contributed anything to society.
Keywords
To abandon - to leave a person behind, usually forever
Vulnerability - able to be easily hurt or attacked, either physically or emotionally
To advocate - if you advocate for something, you promote it
Legacy - the long impact of a person's life
Stoic - enduring hardship without showing it - not showing one’s emotions
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).
Video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
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