A Christmas Carol By Charles Dickens

The Author: Charles Dickenson Charles became a reporter and focused on politics as a writer Commissioned to write stories such as Oliver Twist, Great Expectations & A Christmas Carol Born in the 1800’s in England, one of seven children Father was hard worker who could not pay debts, was sent to debtor's prison until inherited money from a deceased relative and sent Charles to private school

Signs of the Times (History) Published A Christmas Carol in 1843, 1/3 of the people in London, England were living in poverty People who needed work came to London to work in factories, low wages, over crowded, and dirty The Poor Law of 1834 forced homeless to work in workhouses-prison-like conditions

Faces of the People workhouses & over crowed factories row houses & apartments homeless rounded up to work

Entertain the reader with vivid imagery through the genre of drama The Author’s Purpose Expose the suffering of the poor Convince readers that conditions had to change in London Entertain the reader with vivid imagery through the genre of drama

Vocabulary stage directions- notes in the script of the play which tell the characters where to stand or how to act abundance-wealth, a lot of something destitute- people lacking life’s necessities( no food, no money, no home) endeavor-to try incoherent- confused, jumbled macabre-suggesting the horror of death mortal- of the earth; not a spirit

Vocabulary 8. odious- causing or deserving strong dislike 9. provision- supplied needs 10. surplus-extra goods; more than needed 11. welfare-well-being 12. in homage- in honor of 13. liberality-generous 14. gruel- thin watery food made of milk/water & grain

Main Characters Ebenezer Scrooge cold hearted Bob Cratchit greedy tight-fisted Bob Cratchit poor and under paid loyal has frail, crippled son Marley Scrooge’s equally greedy partner/nephew Marley died seven years prior appears to Scrooge as a ghost Fred Scrooge’s nephew eager loves Christmas

Symbolism and Theme “ Just as children grow, the problem of hunger and ignorance only get greater.” What does this mean?