New
New
Year 10
Edexcel

'A Christmas Carol': symbolism in the novella

I can understand how Dickens uses symbolism to reflect Scrooge’s journey of redemption.

New
New
Year 10
Edexcel

'A Christmas Carol': symbolism in the novella

I can understand how Dickens uses symbolism to reflect Scrooge’s journey of redemption.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Dickens uses the weather throughout the text to symbolise Scrooge’s redemption.
  2. The fog in Stave 1 symbolises Scrooge’s wilful ignorance to the suffering of others.
  3. Dickens uses bells in the novella to symbolise judgement and as a call to moral awakening.
  4. Dickens uses music throughout the novella to symbolise unity and equality .
  5. The novella’s title is symbolic of Dickens’ hope for his message to be passed down from generation to generation.

Common misconception

Students think the novella's title was chosen simply to reflect the festive period it covers.

The title is more symbolic of Dickens' intentions - he intended for the message from this text to be spread far and wide, much like a carol.

Keywords

  • Symbolism - Symbolism is where the writer uses an object or image to represent an idea.

  • To redeem - If someone redeems themself, they regain your respect and support.

  • Transformed - If someone is transformed, they have drastically changed (usually for the better).

  • Moral awakening - A moral awakening is the discovery of a new sense of moral responsibility.

  • Unity - Unity is the state of being together.

This whole lesson could be mapped onto one big timeline of the text. Students could map the symbols in three different colours across the timeline to show how each symbol reappears and how they interact with one another throughout the text.
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
  • 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).

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6 Questions

Q1.
Who visits Scrooge in stave 1 of 'A Christmas Carol'?
The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come
Correct answer: Marley's Ghost
The Ghost of Christmas Past
The Ghost of Christmas Present
Q2.
Match the correct stave to the ghost who visits Scrooge in that stave of 'A Christmas Carol'.
Correct Answer:stave 1,Marley's ghost

Marley's ghost

Correct Answer:stave 2,The Ghost of Christmas Past

The Ghost of Christmas Past

Correct Answer:stave 3,The Ghost of Christmas Present

The Ghost of Christmas Present

Correct Answer:stave 4,The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come

The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come

Q3.
What is the weather like in stave 1 of 'A Christmas Carol'?
warm and sunny
mild and clear
Correct answer: cold and foggy
thunder and lightning
hot and humid
Q4.
What announces the entrance of Marley's Ghost in stave 1 of 'A Christmas Carol'?
Correct answer: the ringing of bells
the curtains parting
a supernatural voice from above
a dog barking
a door creaking
Q5.
Which of the following statements is true of Fezziwig's party in stave 2 of 'A Christmas Carol'?
Lots of people were too tired to dance after a long day's work.
The guest list was very exclusive.
Two fiddlers played jolly music for the guests.
Correct answer: There was lots of dancing and festive cheer.
Correct answer: Everybody was invited to the party.
Q6.
What is symbolism?
Using two or more words that all begin with the same letter.
Using elements from the beginning of a text again at the end.
Comparing two things that are the not the same using 'like' or 'as'.
Correct answer: Using an object or 'thing' to represent an abstract idea or concept.
Using words that sound like the sounds they make, e.g. boom.

6 Questions

Q1.
What method does Dickens use in this quotation from 'A Christmas Carol': "…whose gruff old bell was always peeping slily down at Scrooge"?
alliteration
onomatopoeia
Correct answer: personification
simile
mirroring
Q2.
What does the fog in stave 1 of 'A Christmas Carol' symbolise?
Scrooge's wealth
Scrooge's generosity
Correct answer: Scrooge's ignorance
Scrooge's cold-hearted nature
Scrooge's doubt
Q3.
Which of the following definitions means 'to redeem'?
To use an object or image to represent an idea.
Correct answer: To regain someone's respect and support.
To drastically change.
To discover a new sense of moral responsibility.
To be together with others.
Q4.
What do bells represent in 'A Christmas Carol'?
poverty and suffering
hope and light
Correct answer: judgement and moral awakening
ignorance and want
Christmas and goodwill
Q5.
What is the significance of the novella's name: 'A Christmas Carol'?
Carols are widely-known, so Dickens hoped he would become famous.
Correct answer: Carols are sung far and wide, Dickens hoped his message would be passed around.
Carols bring cheer and joy to people, so Dickens hoped to make people happy.
Correct answer: Carols unite people, so Dickens aimed to unite society through the novella.
Q6.
Why did Scrooge intimidate the caroller boy in stave 1 of 'A Christmas Carol'?
Scrooge cannot stand children, so he therefore hates the caroller boy.
Correct answer: Music symbolises equality and unity. In rejecting the boy Scrooge rejects unity.
Music symbolises poverty. Scrooge scares the boy because he hates poor people.
Scrooge cannot stand singing because it reminds him of his childhood.
Scrooge though the boy was a poor singer and so rejects his carol.