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Year 11 - English

'A Christmas Carol': a comparison of social class

'A Christmas Carol': a critique of Victorian values

Unit Summary

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.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to compare how Dickens presents the Christmas celebrations of characters from different social classes.

Key Notes

  • Christmas for wealthy Victorians was a time of extravagant parties, feasts and gift giving.
  • Poorer people often had to work at Christmas for little money so Christmas was a time of simple, modest celebrations.
  • Dickens depicts wealthy Victorians as materialistic and oblivious to the struggles of others.
  • Dickens suggests poor people are happier than the wealthy because they are able to appreciate simple pleasures.
  • He arguably does this to urge wealthy readers to focus less on wealth and show compassion to those in need.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • modest: humble or moderate in amount, size or quality; not extravagant or overly showy
  • social class: a division of society based on economic status, wealth, occupation and social standing
  • class divide: the gap between different social classes, often marked by inequality in wealth and opportunity
  • symbolise: to represent or stand for something, often through a symbol, action or object
  • excess: an amount beyond what is necessary or reasonable; overindulgence or surplus

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Dickens aims to shame his wealthy readers into showing compassion by demonstrating that poor people cannot enjoy Christmas because of the poverty they are forced to live in.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.

Christmas for wealthy Victorians was a time of extravagant parties, feasts and gift giving. Poorer people often had to work at Christmas for little money so Christmas was a time of simple, modest celebrations.

2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'modest'

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

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: Dickens aims to shame his wealthy readers into showing compassion by demonstrating that poor people cannot enjoy Christmas because of the poverty they are forced to live in. Correction: While Dickens does use the novella to encourage his readers to show compassion, his depictions of poor people do show them enjoying Christmas. In fact, we could argue poorer characters seem happier because they are able to enjoy simple pleasures.

More Lessons In This Unit

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