A Christmas Carol

A Christmas CarolBackground Knowledge

Thought questions:• How are modern times in the US different

from the 1800’s in England?• What might these two time periods have in

common?

The Victorian Era1837-1901

• Named for Queen Victoria of England• Her reign began in 1837• Ends with Victoria death in 1901.

Social Climate• Class Society: a society

arrange by socio-economic factors. Wealthy at the top with almost all the power financial and political.

• Very limited social mobility. A person stayed in whatever station they were born into.

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Social Climatecontinued

• The social classes were:• The Upper Class -Very

wealth the smallest but most powerful group.

• Middle Class a small but growing group that wanted social change, but lacked the political power.

• The Working Class: No political power and just barely able to maintain the necessities: food, clothing, shelter.

• The Under Class lived in extreme poverty usually on the streets and worked horrible jobs for minimal pay or resorted to crime.

Social Climatecontinued

Poor Laws:•In Victorian London being poor was a crime and if you could not pay your bills, you were sent to debtor’s prison. Where you worked off your debt and then were released.

Debtor’s PrisonA work house were those who couldn’t pay their bill were sent. They were forced to do whatever job was given them and the pay went directly to the people that the prisoner owed money to. The prisoner was released when all debt was paid.

Industrial Climate• Shifted from agricultural to

industrial society• High air pollution from

burning coal• Small children many as

young as 3 years old were forced to work 12-16 hour days in sewing mills, and mines.

• Children earned money to help support their families

• This limited the formal education that children recieved

Health ClimateHealth issues were greatly impacted both social issues and the

industrial climate .• No indoor plumbing lead to

waste being dumped into the streets.

• High rate of air pollution from burning coal

• Poor sanitation especially in urban areas (London)

• Drinking water is contaminated by human, animal and industrial waste.

• Poor hygiene people bathed at most once a week.

• Poor access to healthcare. Only the wealthy saw a doctor regularly.

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Educational Climate• Only the wealth were

formally educated• High illiteracy among lower

classes• Only males attended college• Female attended “finishing

schools”• Push for public education at

the end of the Victorian Era in England

• Only people who could read could vote.

newman.ac.uk

Charles Dickens1812- 1870

Charles Dickens

• Born a sickly child• Unable to play sports, Charles spent much of

his childhood reading• His father was a naval payment officer and a

horrible businessman.• Dickens’ father was sent to Debtor’s Prison in

1824.

Charles Dickens

• Charles’ family turned to him at that time to earn money.

• He worked in a shoe polish factory to pay off his father’s debts.

• After his father was released from prison, Charles and his father’s relationship was strained.

• Charles vowed he would never go to debtor’s prison.

Charles Dickens Writing Style and Famous works

• Dickens’ novels were originally published in parts through newspapers and literary magazines. (Serial novels)

• Dickens wrote very few drafts unlike most writers.

• Famous works:– A Christmas Carol– Oliver Twist– A Tale of Two Cities– Great Expectations