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Year 11
AQA

'A Christmas Carol': Marley's Ghost's regret

I can understand and explain how Marley’s Ghost represents the Christian idea of repentance.

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Year 11
AQA

'A Christmas Carol': Marley's Ghost's regret

I can understand and explain how Marley’s Ghost represents the Christian idea of repentance.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Marley's Ghost represents the Christian ideas of repentance and redemption.
  2. Marley expresses regret at his own immoral behaviour: ’and never raise [his eyes] to that blessed Star’.
  3. The line ’[...] Marley had no bowels’ links these being the seat of compassion, referred to in the New Testament.
  4. Dickens also uses Marley to allude to the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, showing us the consequences of greed.
  5. Dickens draws parallels between Marley and Cain to show that Marley’s eternal ‘wandering’ is punishment for his sins.

Keywords

  • Repentance - Expressing sincere remorse or regret for one's actions.

  • Penance - Penance is a set of actions or a deed done in repentance for sins committed.

  • Biblical allusion - A biblical allusion is when the writer draws parallels to, or references stories from the Bible.

  • To reconcile - The restoration of a good relationship between two opposing people or forces.

  • Parable - A story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson, told by Jesus Christ in the Gospels.

Common misconception

Students think that Marley's message is only about Christianity and not aimed at everyone.

Marley's Ghost's message is one of morality. When he alludes to biblical parables, he does it to draw attention to their moral lessons.

Instead of reading the summary of the story of Lazarus and the rich man, you could watch a short video summary of the parable and pause it, questioning students as you go on how it links. You could then use LC1 Task A to consolidate knowledge.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You will need a copy of 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.
Who is Jacob Marley in 'A Christmas Carol?'
Scrooge's nephew
Scrooge's brother
Correct answer: Scrooge's former business partner
Scrooge's employee
Q2.
What do we learn about Jacob Marley in the very beginning of 'A Christmas Carol'?
that he was a miser, like Scrooge
that he was very poor like Bob Cratchit
Correct answer: that he had died
that he had been a very popular man
Q3.
In 'A Christmas Carol', which of the following is not a feature of the ghost of Jacob Marley's appearance?
long chain made of cash-boxes, keys, padlocks, ledgers and deeds
Correct answer: clear, bright jet of light emanating from its head
wearing a waistcoat, and tights and boots
transparent body
folded kerchief bound about its head and chin
Q4.
What do the chains Marley's Ghost carries symbolise in 'A Christmas Carol'?
poverty and hunger
ignorance and want
Correct answer: sin and immorality
charity and empathy
Q5.
What makes Marley's Ghost different from the other spirits in 'A Christmas Carol'?
he is kinder and more benevolent to Scrooge
he does not enlighten Scrooge in any way
Correct answer: he is a traditional ghost - the spirit of a deceased person
Scrooge is the most frightened of him
Q6.
Starting with the first, put the following quotations from Marley's Ghost in chronological order of when they appear in 'A Christmas Carol'.
1 - “In life I was your partner, Jacob Marley.”
2 - “I wear the chain I forged in life”
3 - "Is its pattern strange to you?”
4 - "my spirit never roved beyond the narrow limits of our money-changing hole"
5 - “Mankind was my business"
6 - “That is no light part of my penance”
7 - “You will be haunted...by Three Spirits.”

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Why does Marley's Ghost visit Scrooge in 'A Christmas Carol'?
because he misses his old friend and business partner
Correct answer: to offer Scrooge the opportunity to redeem himself
to give him more money that he didn't leave in his will
Correct answer: to warn him of his impending visit from the 3 ghosts
Q2.
What is repentance according to the Bible?
Correct answer: changing your mind about something
being extremely poor and destitute
enacting revenge on those who have wronged you
apologising for doing something wrong
Q3.
Which biblical allusions does Dickens not make through the character of Marley's Ghost in 'A Christmas Carol'?
Lazarus and the rich man
Cain and Abel
Correct answer: Jesus feeding the 5,000
Correct answer: Jonah and the whale
bowels in the New Testament
Q4.
In 'A Christmas Carol', Dickens alludes to the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. Who could be the rich man in the novella?
Scrooge
Correct answer: Marley's Ghost
Bob Cratchit
the portly gentlemen
Fezziwig
Q5.
Match the key vocabulary up from 'A Christmas Carol' to its definition.
Correct Answer:repentance,expressing sincere regret or remorse for one’s actions

expressing sincere regret or remorse for one’s actions

Correct Answer:penance,a set of actions or a deed done to repent for one's sins

a set of actions or a deed done to repent for one's sins

Correct Answer:biblical allusion,when the writer references stories from the Bible

when the writer references stories from the Bible

Correct Answer:to reconcile,the restoration of a good relationship between two opposing

the restoration of a good relationship between two opposing

Correct Answer:parable,a story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson

a story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson

Q6.
Complete the following quotation from 'A Christmas Carol': "Why did I walk through crowds of fellow-beings with my eyes turned down, and never raise them to that blessed ..."
Correct Answer: Star, star, Star., star.