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Year 10
AQA

'A Christmas Carol' Stave 5: the change in Scrooge

I can explain how Scrooge is presented as a transformed character in Stave 5.

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New
New
Year 10
AQA

'A Christmas Carol' Stave 5: the change in Scrooge

I can explain how Scrooge is presented as a transformed character in Stave 5.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. In Stave 5, we see Scrooge brimming with positivity and newfound moral purpose.
  2. Scrooge makes several redemptive gestures of goodwill, showing that he is a transformed character.
  3. In Stave 5, we see Scrooge as liberated from his emotional repression and overwhelmed with newfound positive emotions.
  4. Dickens juxtaposes his use of similes in Staves 1 and 5 to show Scrooge's positive character development.
  5. Scrooge has gone from being the object of disdain and fear in society, to being the pillar of his local community.

Common misconception

Students fail to recognise that Scrooge doesn't just buy the Cratchits any old turkey.

Scrooge buys the Cratchits the "prize" (or most expensive) turkey. This shows that he is truly generous, as he goes above and beyond.

Keywords

  • Transformed - If someone is transformed, they have changed significantly.

  • Newfound - If something is newfound, it has been recently discovered.

  • Liberated - If someone is liberated from prison, they are released or set free.

  • To contrast - If an author contrasts two characters, they make them strikingly different or opposite.

  • Character development - Character development is the moral journey a character undertakes throughout the text .

For learning cycle 2, to show students the contrast between Scrooge in staves 1 and 5, you could get students to draw up a table and describe the differences between Scrooge in each stave. This would be another way of showing his transformation.
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

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

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which two words would you use to describe Scrooge in stave 1 of 'A Christmas Carol'?
kind and honest
disloyal and deceitful
Correct answer: avaricious and miserly
warm and gentle
impoverished and famished
Q2.
Complete the quotation from stave 1 of 'A Christmas Carol'. Dickens describes Scrooge as a " hand at the grindstone."
Correct Answer: tight-fisted, Tight-fisted, tightfisted, Tight fisted
Q3.
Think about the character Scrooge from 'A Christmas Carol'. Which of the following are accurate and reasonable analysis of the quotation "solitary as an oyster"?
illustrates his snappy nature, as oysters close quickly
illustrates that Scrooge is isolated, even though he doesn't wish to be
Correct answer: shows that he hoards money away, like an oyster hides a pearl
shows that he owns lots of precious jewellery, like an oyster hides a pearl
Correct answer: illustrates Scrooge's wilful and intentional isolation from society
Q4.
In stave 1 of 'A Christmas Carol', who was said to specifically avoid Scrooge?
stray cats
Correct answer: beggars
babies
Correct answer: children
Correct answer: blind men's dogs
Q5.
Match the four spirits from 'A Christmas Carol' with what Scrooge learns from them.
Correct Answer:Ghost of Christmas Past,Scrooge learns he should value relationships over money.

Scrooge learns he should value relationships over money.

Correct Answer:Ghost of Christmas Present,Scrooge learns the true meaning of Christmas spirit.

Scrooge learns the true meaning of Christmas spirit.

Correct Answer:Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come,Scrooge learns the importance of living a moral life.

Scrooge learns the importance of living a moral life.

Correct Answer:Marley's Ghost,Scrooge understands the consequences of a lifetime of greed.

Scrooge understands the consequences of a lifetime of greed.

Q6.
Match Scrooge's physical feature up to the corresponding quotation from stave 1 of 'A Christmas Carol'.
Correct Answer:lips,"thin...blue"

"thin...blue"

Correct Answer:eyes,"red"

"red"

Correct Answer:voice,"grating"

"grating"

Correct Answer:nose,"nipped and pointed"

"nipped and pointed"

Correct Answer:cheek,"shrivelled"

"shrivelled"

Correct Answer:head,"frosty rime"

"frosty rime"

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which two words would we use to describe Scrooge in stave 5 of 'A Christmas Carol'?
miserable
impoverished
Correct answer: well-intentioned
Correct answer: charitable
content
Q2.
What piece of punctuation does Dickens use throughout stave 5 of 'A Christmas Carol' to show Scrooge's excitement and enthusiasm?
speech marks
semi-colon
question mark
Correct answer: exclamation mark
hyphen
Q3.
Complete the quotation from stave 5 of 'A Christmas Carol': "I am as light as a feather, I am happy as an ".
Correct Answer: angel, Angel, angel., Angel.
Q4.
Which of the following words matches the given definition: the moral journey a character undertakes throughout the text?
transformation
Correct answer: character development
liberation
contrast
trajectory
Q5.
Starting with the first, put the events from stave 5 of 'A Christmas Carol' in chronological order.
1 - Scrooge is brimming with positivity and good intentions.
2 - Scrooge promises to honour the spirits' messages and lessons.
3 - Scrooge discovers it is Christmas Day.
4 - Scrooge sends the messenger boy off to buy the Cratchits the prize turkey.
5 - Scrooge meets the portly gentlemen again and donates an undisclosed amount.
6 - Scrooge attends Fred's Christmas party in the best of spirits.
7 - Scrooge becomes a pillar of his community and a second father to Tiny Tim.
Q6.
What transformations do we see in Scrooge in stave 5 of 'A Christmas Carol'?
We see him become more miserly and uncharitable.
Correct answer: We see him striving to enrich the lives of others.
We see him give up his money to live the life of a pauper.
Correct answer: We see him liberated from emotional repression.