'A Christmas Carol': Marley's Ghost's regret
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can understand and explain how Marley’s Ghost represents the Christian idea of repentance.
Key learning points
- Marley's Ghost represents the Christian ideas of repentance and redemption.
- Marley expresses regret at his own immoral behaviour: ’and never raise [his eyes] to that blessed Star’.
- The line ’[...] Marley had no bowels’ links these being the seat of compassion, referred to in the New Testament.
- Dickens also uses Marley to allude to the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, showing us the consequences of greed.
- Dickens draws parallels between Marley and Cain to show that Marley’s eternal ‘wandering’ is punishment for his sins.
Keywords
Repentance - Expressing sincere remorse or regret for one's actions.
Penance - Penance is a set of actions or a deed done in repentance for sins committed.
Biblical allusion - A biblical allusion is when the writer draws parallels to, or references stories from the Bible.
To reconcile - The restoration of a good relationship between two opposing people or forces.
Parable - A story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson, told by Jesus Christ in the Gospels.
Common misconception
Students think that Marley's message is only about Christianity and not aimed at everyone.
Marley's Ghost's message is one of morality. When he alludes to biblical parables, he does it to draw attention to their moral lessons.
Teacher tip
Instead of reading the summary of the story of Lazarus and the rich man, you could watch a short video summary of the parable and pause it, questioning students as you go on how it links. You could then use LC1 Task A to consolidate knowledge.
Equipment
You will need a copy of Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol' for this lesson.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Who is Jacob Marley in 'A Christmas Carol?'
Q2.What do we learn about Jacob Marley in the very beginning of 'A Christmas Carol'?
Q3.In 'A Christmas Carol', which of the following is not a feature of the ghost of Jacob Marley's appearance?
Q4.What do the chains Marley's Ghost carries symbolise in 'A Christmas Carol'?
Q5.What makes Marley's Ghost different from the other spirits in 'A Christmas Carol'?
Q6.Starting with the first, put the following quotations from Marley's Ghost in chronological order of when they appear in 'A Christmas Carol'.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Why does Marley's Ghost visit Scrooge in 'A Christmas Carol'?
Q2.What is repentance according to the Bible?
Q3.Which biblical allusions does Dickens not make through the character of Marley's Ghost in 'A Christmas Carol'?
Q4.In 'A Christmas Carol', Dickens alludes to the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. Who could be the rich man in the novella?
Q5.Match the key vocabulary up from 'A Christmas Carol' to its definition.
expressing sincere regret or remorse for one’s actions
a set of actions or a deed done to repent for one's sins
when the writer references stories from the Bible
the restoration of a good relationship between two opposing
a story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson
Q6.Complete the following quotation from 'A Christmas Carol': "Why did I walk through crowds of fellow-beings with my eyes turned down, and never raise them to that blessed ..."
To help you plan your 11 English lesson on: 'A Christmas Carol': Marley's Ghost's regret, 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': Marley's Ghost's regret, 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 Christian parable unit, dive into the full secondary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.