'A Christmas Carol': Dickens’ depictions of Victorian London
I can analyse how Dickens uses his descriptions of setting to depict Victorian London.
'A Christmas Carol': Dickens’ depictions of Victorian London
I can analyse how Dickens uses his descriptions of setting to depict Victorian London.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- Victorian London was noisy, overcrowded and diverse, with people from various cultural backgrounds and social classes.
- The Industrial Revolution transformed the city, worsening pollution and widening the class divide.
- The poor lived in cramped, unsanitary conditions, with little support available to improve their lives.
- Dickens campaigned for social reform and the novella encouraged middle-class readers to show compassion for the poor.
- Descriptions of the setting foreshadow how this ghost story exposes the harsh realities of poverty in Victorian London.
Keywords
Unsanitary - lacking cleanliness or hygiene, leading to potential health risks
Industrial Revolution - a period of major industrial and technological advancements, transforming economies and societies
Ominous - suggesting something bad or threatening is about to happen
Philanthropist - a person who donates money or resources to promote the welfare of others
Foreshadows - hints at or predicts a future event in a story
Common misconception
The Industrial Revolution brought great prosperity to the Britain; factories helped to provide wealth equality because it provided jobs to help poor people out of poverty.
The Industrial Revolution did bring great prosperity but unfortunately the wealth was not shared across all social classes. Industrial wealth improved the lives of business owners but poor people suffered due to low wages and overcrowding.
To help you plan your year 11 english lesson on: 'A Christmas Carol': Dickens’ depictions of Victorian London, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 11 english lesson on: 'A Christmas Carol': Dickens’ depictions of Victorian London, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
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Explore more key stage 4 english lessons from the ‘A Christmas Carol’: a critique of Victorian values unit, dive into the full secondary english curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
You will need access to two extracts from 'A Christmas Carol' by Charles Dickens. The extracts can be found in the additional materials section. You may also wish to have highlighters for annotating.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
People employed in manual or industrial jobs with lower wages.
Professionals with moderate incomes and education.
Wealthy individuals with significant assets and social influence.