'A Christmas Carol': the novella as a Gothic text
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can recognise Gothic conventions in 'A Christmas Carol' and explain how Dickens uses them.
Key learning points
- Dickens uses Gothic conventions as a way to greater explore immoral behaviour in society.
- Scrooge could be viewed as a typical Gothic protagonist: isolated and egotistical.
- Scrooge can be said to be in a liminal state of his metamorphosis for much of the novella.
- There are many examples of battles between good and evil (or moral and immoral) in the text.
- The gothic genre gives Dickens a great backdrop within which to frame his message of social responsibility.
Keywords
Egotistical - being self-centered and believing that the world revolves around you.
Liminality - at a boundary or transitional point between two contrasting elements.
Metamorphosis - the process of transformation from an immature form to a more responsible form in distinct stages.
Convention - the way in which something is done - the common features of something.
Transgressive - involving the violation of moral or social boundaries.
Common misconception
Students might think that Scrooge is evil.
Scrooge is not evil - he is immoral. A distinction between the two needs to be clarified.
Teacher tip
Ask students by the end of the lesson whether they think 'A Christmas Carol' is a quintessential gothic text, or whether it just contains gothic elements. Get them to debate using the conventions.
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
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of the four ghosts in 'A Christmas Carol' is Scrooge most afraid of?
Q2.Which colours do we tend to consider 'Gothic' colours?
Q3.How did the Victorians feel about Gothic literature?
Q4.What might the word 'transgression' mean?
Q5.Which of the following is not an example of something supernatural?
Q6.In which of these staves from 'A Christmas Carol', does Dickens use the corresponding spirit to create the most frightening atmosphere?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of the following is not a Gothic convention?
Q2.In what way can Scrooge be considered as an isolated and egotistical protagonist in 'A Christmas Carol'?
Q3.Throughout the middle section of 'A Christmas Carol,' Scrooge can be said to be in a state of transformation.
Q4.A caterpillar turning into a butterfly is an example of what process?
Q5.Complete the sentence: A common Gothic __________ is the battle between good and evil.
Q6.Which Gothic conventions does this quotation from 'A Christmas Carol' exemplify: "The ways were foul and narrow; the shops and houses wretched; the people half-naked, drunken, slipshod, ugly"?
To help you plan your 11 English lesson on: 'A Christmas Carol': the novella as a Gothic text, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 English lesson on: 'A Christmas Carol': the novella as a Gothic text, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 English lessons from the A Christmas Carol: a ghost story unit, dive into the full secondary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.