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Year 10
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'A Christmas Carol' Stave 4: a significant death

I can understand the significance of the anonymous man’s death in Stave 4.

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Year 10
Eduqas

'A Christmas Carol' Stave 4: a significant death

I can understand the significance of the anonymous man’s death in Stave 4.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Dickens characterises the businessmen as physically grotesque to reflect their "monstrous" morals and attitudes
  2. During Stave 4, Scrooge expects to see himself in the scenes because he has already resolved to change
  3. The ‘criminal classes’ were people who were drawn to committing crimes by a misguided sense of morality
  4. Through Mrs. Dilber, Dickens illustrates that those neglected by society have no choice but to turn to criminality
  5. Dickens viewed criminality as the symptom of a failing society

Keywords

  • Disinterest - If somebody is disinterested in a conversation, they simply do not care about it.

  • Grotesque - Something grotesque is hideously ugly, vile or disgusting.

  • Frugal - If a person is frugal with their money, they try to avoid spending it.

  • Criminality - Criminality refers to illegal behaviour

  • Opportunistic - If someone is opportunistic, they will take any chance to prosper from a situation.

Common misconception

Students believe that Dickens only offers a condemnation of the immorality exhibited by Mrs. Dilber.

Dickens, though he doesn't condone the character's behaviour, does empathise with her, and illustrates that she is the product of injustice.


To help you plan your year 10 english lesson on: 'A Christmas Carol' Stave 4: a significant death, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

For task B in learning cycle two, invite students to come up to the board and place their initials on the spectrum, before justifying their position. This will help you facilitate a debate around Dickens' beliefs and intentions.
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Teacher tip
equipment-required

Equipment

You will need access to a copy of Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol' for this lesson.

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Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
supervision-level

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

copyright

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), 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.
In which stave of 'A Christmas Carol' does the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come visit Scrooge?
Stave 1
Stave 3
Correct answer: Stave 4
Stave 2
Stave 5
Q2.
In 'A Christmas Carol', which of the following are aspects of the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come's appearance?
Long, muscular arms.
Jolly giant.
Clear, bright jet of light emanating from head.
Correct answer: Draped and hooded in black robe.
Correct answer: Outstretched and pointing hand.
Q3.
In Stave 4 of ' A Christmas Carol', when Scrooge sees his own gravestone, he asks the phantom: "Are these the shadows of the things that Will be, or are they shadows of things that be, only?”
Correct Answer: May, may
Q4.
In Stave 4 of 'A Christmas Carol', Scrooge witnesses the relief of a young couple, who have learned that somebody significant to their lives has died. Why are the young couple relieved and thankful?
They are deeply immoral characters who do not care for human life.
They are a wealthy couple who will inherit the dead man's money.
Correct answer: They owed the dead man money.
They despised the dead man and had been wishing him dead for some time.
Q5.
Which of the following is the most accurate description of "spiritual judgement"?
The idea that every person is born with good and evil within them.
The idea that when a person dies, their spirit will live on forever.
When a person is born, a higher power decides if they will be good or evil.
Correct answer: When a person dies, they will be judged and either punished or rewarded as such.
Q6.
Match the quotation from Stave 4 of 'A Christmas Carol' up to the character who said it.
Correct Answer:The young woman in the couple,“To whom will our debt be transferred?”
tick

“To whom will our debt be transferred?”

Correct Answer:Scrooge, "I shall not leave its lesson, trust me."
tick

"I shall not leave its lesson, trust me."

Correct Answer:The charwoman,"Every person has a right to take care of themselves."
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"Every person has a right to take care of themselves."

Correct Answer:A businessman,“Old Scratch has got his own at last, hey.”
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“Old Scratch has got his own at last, hey.”

Correct Answer:Bob Cratchit,"My little, little child! ...My little child!”
tick

"My little, little child! ...My little child!”

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What kind of men does Scrooge observe gossiping about his death in the beginning of Stave 4 of 'A Christmas Carol'?
Poor, unemployed men.
Correct answer: Wealthy businessmen.
Immoral, criminal men.
Employed, but underpaid men.
Q2.
Which of the following quotations describe the businessmen that Scrooge observes in Stave 4 of 'A Christmas Carol'?
A "hearty gentleman with bright, sparkling eyes that blazed with empathy."
A "hard-faced old Tom with a bow tie and an umbrella."
Correct answer: “A red-faced gentleman with a pendulous excrescence on the end of his nose."
A "kind and ruddy gentlemen who was all in a glow."
Correct answer: A “great fat man with a monstrous chin.”
Q3.
Why does Scrooge look for himself in the scenes in Stave 4 of 'A Christmas Carol'?
He is vain and conceited and wants to see how his life turns out.
Correct answer: Scrooge expects to see himself because he has already resolved to change.
Correct answer: He thinks he is being shown the future, so he expects to see his better self.
He is terrified of becoming like Marley so wants to see his fate.
He worries about death, so wants to understand how much time left he has.
Q4.
In Stave 1 of 'A Christmas Carol', we could describe Scrooge as with his money.
disinterested
Correct answer: frugal
criminal
grotesque
opportunistic
Q5.
Who are the 'criminal class' in Victorian society?
People who committed crimes because they enjoyed being wicked.
People who had been incarcerated wrongly.
People who had recently been released from prison and were back on the streets.
Correct answer: People who were drawn to committing crimes by a misguided sense of morality.
People who committed crimes because they were exploited by their family.
Q6.
What is the connection between Mrs. Dilber and the characters Ignorance and Want in 'A Christmas Carol'?
Ignorance and Want are Mrs. Dilber's children that she lives with.
Mrs. Dilber exploits children, who turn out like Ignorance and Want.
Ignorance and Want are the children Mrs. Dilber gave up as a young woman.
Correct answer: Mrs. Dilber represents the destinations of children like Ignorance and Want.
Mrs. Dilber and Want are the same character - Mrs Dilber. is Want grown up.