lacking cleanliness or hygiene, leading to potential health risks

a period of major industrial and technological advancements, transforming economies and societies

suggesting something bad or threatening is about to happen

a person who donates money or resources to promote the welfare of others

hints at or predicts a future event in a story

'A Christmas Carol': Dickens’ depictions of Victorian London

English

'A Christmas Carol': Dickens’ depictions of poverty and suffering

'A Christmas Carol': Dickens’ depictions of wealth and status

'A Christmas Carol': a comparison of social class

'A Christmas Carol': Dickens’ depictions of Victorian values

'A Christmas Carol': Dickens’ critique of Victorian institutions

Writing an extended response on 'A Christmas Carol'

In this unit, pupils explore Dickens’ use of religious ideas in order to explore themes of charity and morality, considering how he encourages Christian readers to show compassion to the poor.

In this unit, pupils explore how Dickens presents 'A Christmas Carol' as a critique of dominant Victorian values. They first look at how he presents Victorian London, before looking at how he depicts poverty, suffering, wealth and status. They then look at what Dickens is critiquing in the novella.

Nineteenth century text: third deep dive

extreme poverty where basic needs like food and shelter are not met

a conversation between two or more characters in a story

a negative mark of shame or disgrace attached to a person or group by others' judgements of them

a belief focused on practical and functional purposes, valuing usefulness over beauty or comfort

institutions where poor people worked in exchange for food and shelter, often in harsh conditions

having a lot of wealth or money; rich or prosperous

a person who hoards wealth and is reluctant to spend it

the act of giving money or resources to help others or support causes

sympathy and concern for the suffering or misfortune of others, often with a desire to help

a group of words related in meaning and used in a certain context (e.g. emotions = happy, sad, angry)

humble or moderate in amount, size or quality; not extravagant or overly showy

a division of society based on economic status, wealth, occupation and social standing

the gap between different social classes, often marked by inequality in wealth and opportunity

to represent or stand for something, often through a symbol, action or object

an amount beyond what is necessary or reasonable; overindulgence or surplus

careful and economical with resources, avoiding waste or unnecessary expenditure

a branch of Christianity which focused on frugality, hard work, discipline, and personal responsibility

fundamental beliefs guiding an individual's behaviour, decisions, and interactions with others

belief that actions are right if they benefit the majority and maximise overall happiness

a detailed evaluation or analysis, often focusing on weaknesses

the act of donating money or resources to help others, especially the poor

an institution where the poor worked in exchange for basic shelter and food under harsh conditions

the ideas or feelings a word invokes in addition to its literal meaning

to represent or stand for something, especially a larger concept or idea

the act of being saved from sin, error, or evil; moral or spiritual recovery

less obvious; nuanced; complex or understated

leading an analytical paragraph by identifying methods or techniques used by a writer

language which indicates a suggestion or idea (as opposed to a fact)

language used to signpost different parts of a text (e.g., 'In conclusion, ...')

rewriting parts of your work to include missing elements or upgrade the quality of your response

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Nineteenth century text: third deep dive

‘A Christmas Carol’: a critique of Victorian values

Choose a lesson (7)