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      'A Christmas Carol': Dickens' ghosts as agents of time

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      Lesson details

      Learning outcome

      I can understand how and why time is manipulated in the novella.

      Key learning points

      1. Before the spirits’ visits, Scrooge viewed time as a resource that he could use to make money.
      2. Scrooge learns that time is a privilege and a gift that many in society are not blessed with.
      3. Scrooge learns that time's fluid and that all aspects of time interact with one another to inform a person's experience.
      4. The spirits’ visits defy time, but all occur within the course of one evening.
      5. Dickens illustrates how one person's drastic change in a short space of time can vastly improve the lives of others.

      Keywords

      • Agent - If someone is the agent of something, it means that they act on its behalf or represent it.

      • Fluid - Something that is fluid does not have a fixed shape or pattern and flows freely.

      • Phenomenon - An extraordinary, unusual or abnormal occurrence.

      • Privilege - A privilege is a blessing or an advantage that someone has.

      Common misconception

      Students think that Scrooge's visit with the Ghost of Christmas Present is limited to Christmas Day.

      Scrooge's time with the spirit goes beyond Christmas Day - to the Twelfth Day of Christmas, showing how time is manipulated in the novella.

      Teacher tip

      Ask students how the novella itself interacts with time. The novella continues to influence our present (its future) because of its cultural significance. The novella itself is timeless, much like the spirits.

      Equipment

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

      Content guidance

      Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

      Supervision

      Adult supervision recommended

      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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      Prior knowledge starter quiz

      Download starter quiz questions (PDF)

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      Which ghost's face appears in Scrooge's door knocker before he encounters it in 'A Christmas Carol'?

      The Ghost of Christmas Past
      Correct answer: Marley's Ghost
      The Ghost of Christmas Present
      The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come

      Q2.
      What is the opening line to the novella 'A Christmas Carol'?

      "Oh! but he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone!"
      "Come in man, and know me better!"
      "Once upon a time—of all the good days in the year, on Christmas Eve..."
      “A merry Christmas, uncle! God save you!' cried a cheerful voice"
      Correct answer: "Marley was dead: to begin with."

      Q3.
      What is the purpose of Marley's Ghost's visit to Scrooge in Stave 1 of 'A Christmas Carol'?

      Correct answer: to show him the consequences of greed and avarice
      to catch up with his old friend, whom he loved dearly
      Correct answer: to warn him that he will be visited by three further ghosts
      to reassure him that his future looks bright
      to haunt him for being a bad friend and not mourning his death

      Q4.
      Which sentence uses the word 'privilege' correctly?

      He was tall, with dark hair and a privilege.
      Correct answer: She had grown up on the Upper East side - that was privilege for you!
      She was fraught with privilege about how she was going to accomplish the feat.
      The house was huge, with great privileges connecting lower and middle floors.

      Q5.
      What time do the Ghost of Christmas Past and Present both visit Scrooge in 'A Christmas Carol'?

      12 am
      Correct answer: 1 am
      2 am
      3 am

      Q6.
      Match the ghosts up with one of the lessons they teach Scrooge in 'A Christmas Carol'.

      Correct Answer:Marley's Ghost,the consequences of greed and avarice

      the consequences of greed and avarice

      Correct Answer:The Ghost of Christmas Past,the importance of love and human connections

      the importance of love and human connections

      Correct Answer:The Ghost of Christmas Present,the importance of joy and charity

      the importance of joy and charity

      Correct Answer:Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come,the value of human life

      the value of human life

      Assessment exit quiz

      Download exit quiz questions (PDF)

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      In the beginning of 'A Christmas Carol', how did Scrooge view time?

      as useless
      Correct answer: as a resource
      as a burden

      Q2.
      Select the quotation that best shows us that Scrooge views time as a resource for making money in the beginning of 'A Christmas Carol'.

      Correct answer: "A poor excuse for picking a man’s pocket every twenty-fifth of December!"
      "tight-fisted hand at the grindstone"
      "You're poor enough!"
      "Because you fell in love', growled Scrooge"
      "warning all human sympathy to keep its distance"

      Q3.
      In 'A Christmas Carol', why does Dickens call the last spirit the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come and not The Ghost of Christmas Future?

      Correct answer: The 'future' implies that our fate is sealed and unalterable.
      The Victorians didn't use the word 'future'.
      Dickens felt that 'future' was too positive a word for Scrooge's fate.

      Q4.
      Match the vocabulary up to its definition.

      Correct Answer:agent,someone who acts on its behalf of, or represents something

      someone who acts on its behalf of, or represents something

      Correct Answer:fluid,does not have a fixed shape or pattern - flows freely

      does not have a fixed shape or pattern - flows freely

      Correct Answer:phenomenon,an extraordinary, unusual or abnormal occurrence

      an extraordinary, unusual or abnormal occurrence

      Correct Answer:privilege,a blessing or an advantage that someone has

      a blessing or an advantage that someone has

      Q5.
      Why is the opening line of the novella 'A Christmas Carol' significant: 'Marley was dead; to begin with.'

      It creates a dark and moody atmosphere.
      It introduces the idea that time cannot be altered.
      Correct answer: It sets us up to understand that time is fluid in the novella.
      Correct answer: It challenges our perceptions of time and how it moves.
      It foreshadows Scrooge's impressive transformation.

      Q6.
      What is Dickens' message about time in 'A Christmas Carol'?

      that it is a resource with which to make money
      Correct answer: that it is a gift that should be used productively
      that it is fixed and cannot change or be altered
      that it is guaranteed to all of us so should be used appropriately
      Correct answer: that lots of positive change can be achieved in relatively little time

      To help you plan your 11 English lesson on: 'A Christmas Carol': Dickens' ghosts as agents of time, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...