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Year 10
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'A Christmas Carol' Stave 3: Ignorance and Want

I can explain the significance of the characters Ignorance and Want and how Dickens uses them to convey his message of social responsibility.

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Year 10
Eduqas

'A Christmas Carol' Stave 3: Ignorance and Want

I can explain the significance of the characters Ignorance and Want and how Dickens uses them to convey his message of social responsibility.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Dickens believed that the key to a moral and upstanding society, was a carefree and innocent childhood
  2. The children in the novella either depend on themselves or are depended on by others and therefore are not carefree
  3. Ignorance and Want represent society - they have been shaped and moulded by the cruelty and injustice of inequality
  4. Dickens describes Ignorance and Want as animalistic and feral to reflect the neglect and cruelty they have faced
  5. Dickens uses these two characters to highlight our moral necessity to protect children from misery and ‘Want’

Keywords

  • Moral - Being a moral person means you understand the difference between right and wrong and do the right thing.

  • Dependent - If someone is dependent upon someone else, it means that they rely upon them.

  • To corrupt - If something has the power to corrupt someone, it has the ability to make them behave in a dishonest and immoral way.

  • To neglect - If someone is being neglected, their basic needs (like love, shelter and sustenance) are not being met.

  • Hypocrisy - Hypocrisy means claiming to have higher standard of behaviour or morals than you actually have.

Common misconception

Students tend to struggle to understand how Scrooge has metaphorically fathered Ignorance and Want.

By being ignorant, Scrooge has neglected his social responsibility and nurtured inequality and injustice - the two children represent this.

Ask students to consider what Victorian society could have done to better protect its children. Look at the Poor Law and the orphanages etc. Make links to Oliver Twist and what became of children like Oliver and the Artful Dodger.
Teacher tip

Equipment

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

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), 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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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which two statements about Charles Dickens are true?
Correct answer: Charles Dickens' father was sent to debtors' prison.
Dickens' mother walked away from his family when he was ten.
Dickens was an only child so spent a lot of his childhood alone.
Correct answer: Dickens had to get a job at 12 years old to support his family.
Dickens committed petty crimes when he was younger.
Q2.
What did the Ghost of Christmas Present have concealed within the folds of his robe in Stave 3 of 'A Christmas Carol'?
Gifts and treasures.
Correct answer: Two children.
Magical spell books.
Three doves.
Christmas flowers and plants.
Q3.
What was Scrooge's initial reaction when he saw the children shown to him by the Spirit in Stave 3 of 'A Christmas Carol'?
He praised them for their good behaviour.
Correct answer: He tried to say they were fine children.
He insulted them for their lack of hygeine.
He immediately denied their existence.
Correct answer: He was appalled by their appearance.
Q4.
What question did Scrooge ask the Ghost of Christmas Present in Stave 3 of 'A Christmas Carol' out of concern for the children's wellbeing?
"Where are their loving families?"
"Do they receive proper education?"
Correct answer: “Have they no refuge or resource?”
"Are they well-fed and clothed?"
"Have they no dignity?"
Q5.
How did Scrooge respond to Tiny Tim in Stave 3 of 'A Christmas Carol'?
With disgust - he found his attitude jarring.
Correct answer: With pity - he wanted to know if Tiny Tim would live.
With disdain - Scrooge despises other people because of his misanthropic views.
With fondness - he had met Tiny Tim before and recognised him.
With nostalgia - he remembered his own childhood in this moment.
Q6.
Match the quotation from Stave 3 of 'A Christmas Carol' up to the character who says it.
Correct Answer:Fred,"He's a comical old fellow."

"He's a comical old fellow."

Correct Answer:The Ghost of Christmas Present,"If he be like to die, he had better do it."

"If he be like to die, he had better do it."

Correct Answer:Tiny Tim,“God bless us every one!”

“God bless us every one!”

Correct Answer:Bob Cratchit,"My dear... the children! Christmas Day.”

"My dear... the children! Christmas Day.”

Correct Answer:Scrooge,“Have they no refuge or resource?”

“Have they no refuge or resource?”

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
In his description of Ignorance and Want in Stave 3 of 'A Christmas Carol', which words does Dickens use that are reminiscent of his description of Scrooge in Stave 1?
Correct answer: Pinched.
Squeezed.
Grasped.
Correct answer: Shrivelled.
Wrenched.
Q2.
In Stave 3 of 'A Christmas Carol', the Ghost of Christmas Present warns Scrooge: "Beware them both... but most of all beware this boy, for on his brow I see that written which is...'
Correct Answer: Doom, doom, Doom., doom.
Q3.
Which of the following is the correct definition for a hypocrite?
Somebody who is concerned about the welfare of others and does the right thing.
Somebody who is easily excitable and not very sensible.
Someone who doesn't have their basic and requirements (like love/shelter) met.
Correct answer: Someone who claims to have higher standards than they actually have.
Someone who behaves in an immoral and dishonest way.
Q4.
Why does Dickens refer to Ignorance and Want as "Mankind's children" in 'A Christmas Carol'?
Because they were born to a wealthy family.
Because they have not contributed to society.
Correct answer: Because they have been shaped by society's neglect.
Because they are a symbol for happiness and equality in society.
Because they represent every man and woman on Earth.
Q5.
What is the primary message that Dickens conveys through the characters Ignorance and Want in 'A Christmas Carol'?
They are symbols of affluence and prosperity.
They represent the idea that society is not influenced by injustice and neglect.
The characters represent society's unwavering compassion.
Correct answer: They illustrate the corruptive effects of injustice and neglect.
They represent the lack of Christmas spirit in Scrooge.
Q6.
Match Dickens' word choice to describe Ignorance and Want in Stave 3 of 'A Christmas Carol' with the correct analysis.
Correct Answer:"Yellow",Makes them appear ill (sick with mankind’s disease).

Makes them appear ill (sick with mankind’s disease).

Correct Answer:"Meagre",Reminiscent of Scrooge’s lifestyle and miserliness.

Reminiscent of Scrooge’s lifestyle and miserliness.

Correct Answer:"Ragged",Shows they are uncared for and neglected (by mankind).

Shows they are uncared for and neglected (by mankind).

Correct Answer:"Scowling",Angry, hateful & resentful (this is how they will grow up).

Angry, hateful & resentful (this is how they will grow up).

Correct Answer:"Wolfish",Described as animalistic to show lack of humanity.

Described as animalistic to show lack of humanity.