Name ____________________________________________ Period ____ English 7/7H
Unit 2 Prompt for an Informative Essay on A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
In an informative essay, explain how Charles Dickens informs his audience about the
conditions of life in Victorian England in his novel A Christmas Carol. In your essay you
must include details from the play and at least one of the informative readings on the
background (in your packet and posted on www.elahelp.com).
Standards: Write informative/explanatory texts to explain a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and
information, through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content. (W7.2)
Be sure to refer to the Essay Writing Rubric to guide your writing.
Introduction: Begin with a thesis statement about the author’s purpose. Charles Dickens
wanted to inform his audience about conditions of the Victorian time period in England.
Refer to the “Details and Vocabulary” list and include all items for the introduction:
Body 1: Explain what was happening in England in the time that Dickens was writing. Include
details about the poor laws, the workhouses, and prisons.
Details and vocab words to include (at least four):
Body 2: Show how Dickens informs his readers of these problems through the characters and
the actions of the play. Include details about several of the characters and discuss who or
what they represent.
Details and vocab words to include (at least four):
Conclusion: As you conclude the essay, restate the thesis that Dickens wrote A Christmas
Carol for a purpose. You should evaluate how effective this was. How did the audience
respond? How do audiences still respond to A Christmas Carol?
Details and vocab words to include (at least four):