A Christmas A Christmas CarolCarol

A Christmas TraditionA Christmas Tradition

by Charles Dickensby Charles Dickens

20152015

Dickens applied his unique power of observation to the city in which he spent most of his life. He routinely walked the city streets, 10 or 20 miles at a time.

His descriptions of nineteenth century London allow readers to experience the sights, sounds, and smells of the old city. This ability to immerse the reader into time and place sets the perfect stage for Dickens to weave his fiction.

Then and Now – London 1843 and Today

London in 1843 Victorian London was the

largest, most spectacular city in the world. While Britain was experiencing the Industrial Revolution, its capital was both reaping the benefits and suffering the consequences.

In 1800 the population of London was around a million people. That number would swell to 4.5 million by 1880.

While fashionable areas like Regent and Oxford streets were growing in the west, new docks supporting the city's place as the world's trade center were being built in the east.

Perhaps the biggest impact on the growth of London was the coming of the railroad in the 1830s which displaced thousands and accelerated the expansion of the city

The price of this explosive growth and domination of world trade was untold squalor and filth.

Imagine yourself in the London of the early 19th century. The homes of the upper and middle class exist in close proximity to areas of unbelievable poverty and filth.

Rich and poor alike are thrown together in the crowded city streets. Street sweepers attempt to keep the streets clean of manure, the result of thousands of horse-drawn vehicles.

Imagine The city's thousands of

chimney pots belch coal smoke, resulting in soot which seems to settle everywhere.

In many parts of the city raw sewage flows in gutters that empty into the Thames.

Pick-pockets, drunks, beggars, and vagabonds add to the colorful multitude.

Personal cleanliness is not a big priority, nor is clean laundry.

A Christmas Carol London…

In 1843, about one third of the people in London, England lived in poverty.

The Poor Law of 1834 forced the homeless into workhouses that were little more than prisons.

Dickens wanted to show people the suffering of the poor and convince people who read his play that these conditions needed to be changed.

Elements of DramaElements of Drama1. stage directions – instructions for actors, and stage crew2. drama – a story to be performed before an audience3. climax- the moment of highest tension and excitement in

the plot of a drama4. dialogue – a conversation between characters in a drama5. script – drama written form, including character’s lines6. foil – a character who provides a sharp contrast to the

qualities of the main character7. props – the objects the actors use during the play (cup,

chair, book) 8. scenes/acts – divisions in a drama (similar to chapters in

a novel)

Stage Directions

VocabularyVocabulary1. solitude – the state of being alone 2. charitable – generous in giving

3. incoherent – Unable to think or express one's thoughts

in a clear or orderly manner 4. finale – at the end, the concluding part5. odious – causing or deserving strong dislike6. currency - money7. welfare – a supplying of needs8. emerge – to come into sight9. provision - a supplies of food or other basic needs10. summon – to call for with authority or urgency

Match the vocabulary words to the pictures

Vocabulary (cont.)11. mortal – human, of the earth12. surplus – extra, more than is needed13. abundance - great amount or supply14. macabre – suggesting the horror of death and

decay15. endeavor - to try16. transform – to change the form or appearance of17. pledge - word of honor, oath18. reassurance – a restoring of confidence19. anonymous – not having one’s name known20. destitute – lacking the necessities of life

Match the vocabulary words to the pictures

Setting- The time and place of a storyExample: It was December 24th, 1824, on a snowy

Christmas eve in Victorian London. Personification- Giving human characteristics

to non-human thingsExample: The knife and fork looked on happily as

father began to carve the turkey. Foreshadowing- Hinting at things to comeExample: Scrooge wished he could rid himself of the

sick feeling in his gut that told him something terrible was going to happen.

A Quick Review

What do you already know?

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Overview-- Ebenezer Scrooge, a tight-fisted and

bitter man, is visited by three spirits to bring about his redemption before his

death. He learns to love his fellow man after being

shown the love and generosity that symbolizes

Christmas.

Introduction by Introduction by Charles DickensCharles Dickens

foreshadowiforeshadowing…....ng…....

Charles DickensCharles DickensCharles Dickens (1812-1870), English Victorian era author wrote numerous highly acclaimed novels.

•Dickens‘ writing style is flowing and poetic, with a strong comic touch.

• Many people thought of Dickens as an advocate for the poor, at a time when there was little sympathy towards those in

poverty.

• Dickens other works include: Great Expectations, David Copperfield, Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities, Bleak House, Nicholas Nickleby, The Pickwick Papers

A Christmas Carol It’s hard to imagine a Christmas

season without the story of old Scrooge, Bah Humbug! and

“God bless us, every one.” At the time this story was written (1843), the generous spirit of

Christmas charity didn’t exist in England. Many people did not believe in generosity to the poor. Instead, they believed the poor somehow brought poverty upon themselves.

* * * * * *

A Christmas Carol In a clever play on words,

Dickens divides the book into 5 “staves” instead of

chapters. Staves is a musical term, in keeping

with the title, A Christmas Carol– which,

of course, is a song.

How the Grinch Stole How the Grinch Stole Christmas Christmas by Dr. Seussby Dr. Seuss

The character of the Grinch is based on the protagonist

of “A Christmas Carol” – Scrooge. As we read the drama, note similarities in the two main characters and the plot of both the

book and the play.

Protagonist & Antagonist

“A Christmas Carol” is unusual because Scrooge, the Protagonist (usually the good guy), is a very BAD guy. The antagonist (usually the bad guy) is the good guy. Remember that the antagonist is the person who causes the conflict for the protagonist. They are not always good guysor bad guys.