th
1

Looking carefully at the opening to Stave One of ‘A Christmas Carol’, discuss how Dickens has presented a convincing picture of a 19 th century miser. You should focus in particular on the following:
 The language used to describe Scrooge;
 What is revealed about Scrooge through his actions towards other characters
 How descriptions of settings enhance the idea of Scrooge as a miser;
 What we learn of 19 th Century working life and how this further illustrates Scrooge’s meanness.
Definition of a miser:
A miser is
This piece of coursework is assessing your READING RESPONSES to the novel you have studied.
You will be assessed on your ability to discuss the following criteria:

What the text is about and why it was written

The style, structure and characterisation

The way the writer uses language which is appropriate for its purpose

The effects achieved by the writer’s choice of language and form

The social and historical setting
2

Your response could be at different grades of attainment. For example:
F grade: You can make a personal response to the text, showing awareness of key ides, themes, events and characters. You can refer to specific parts of the text and use simple inference and deduction. You make references to the historical, literacy and cultural traditions in which the text was written.
D grade: You show understanding of different layers of meaning and you can comment on the effects achieved by writers. You can make textual by relevant comments. You can express your own views and talk about structure, language and themes. You show understanding of the importance of social, historical settings and cultural and literacy traditions.
C grade: You show insight into how different meanings can be conveyed through language, structure and form. You can make connections and use detailed textual reference supported by relevant personal comments. You can explore different aspects of the social and historical settings of texts, and the cultural and literacy contexts.
My personal targets for this assignment are:


3

FOCUS 1
The language used to describe Scrooge
Key language terms: simile, metaphor, adjective, powerful, verbs
Choose a key quotation illustrating the writer’s use of:
Simile:________________________________________________________
Metaphor:______________________________________________________
Adjectives:_____________________________________________________
Powerful verbs:_________________________________________________
Underline and think about the quotes.
Oh! But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner! Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster.
The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shrivelled his cheek, stiffened his gait; made his eyes red, his thin lips blue; and spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice. A frosty rime was on his head, and on his eyebrows, and his wiry chin. He carried his own low temperature always about with him; he iced his office in the dogdays; and didn't thaw it one degree at Christmas.
Key ideas:
 coldness of character – cold outside/cold inside
 cold weather mirrors his character
 lack of warmth in the office
 coldness and meanness go together

Scrooge rejects any human contact
4

MAKE A POINT - USE A QUOTE – EXPLAIN IT!!!!
QUOTE
Hard and sharp as flint
EXPLANATION
Solitary as an oyster.
This shows that Scrooge spends lots of time on his own.
A frosty rime was on his head
He carried his own low temperature
Like an oyster he is locked in his shell away from everyone.
Sum up your thoughts on this focus:
Your own opening sentence for this section of your essay:
5

FOCUS 2
What is revealed about Scrooge through his actions towards other characters?
Key terms:

Structure

Contrast

Dialogue
Dickens allows the reader to gain more understanding of
Scrooge’s character through his reactions to a number of different characters:

His nephew

His employee the clerk Bob Cratchit

The charitable gentleman

The carol singer
Structure
Contrast: Dickens contrasts Scrooge’s reactions and attributes with those of the other characters. How?
Nephew Scrooge
“thin lips blue”
“grating voice”
“his wiry chin”
“pointed nose, shrivelled his cheek”
“eyes red”
``A merry Christmas, uncle! God save you!'' cried a cheerful voice. It was the voice of
Scrooge's nephew, who came upon him so quickly that this was the first intimation he had of his approach.
``Bah!'' said Scrooge, ``Humbug!''
He had so heated himself with rapid walking in the fog and frost, this nephew of
Scrooge's, that he was all in a glow; his face was ruddy and handsome; his eyes sparkled, and his breath smoked again.
``Christmas a humbug, uncle!'' said Scrooge's nephew. ``You don't mean that, I am sure.''
``I do,'' said Scrooge. ``Merry Christmas! What right have you to be merry? what reason have you to be merry? You're poor enough.''
``Come, then,'' returned the nephew gaily. ``What right have you to be dismal? what reason have you to be morose? You're rich enough.''

Think about the other characters and how they are described.
The charitable gentlemen
The carol singers
Bob cratchit.
Children as young as ten were put to work in the mines.
They worked from
6am until 8pm six days a week.
Sum up your thoughts for this section:
7

FOCUS 3
How descriptions of settings enhance the idea of Scrooge as a miser.
Key ideas :

Christmas time
 Scrooge’s surroundings
Christmas time
Key Questions
What is the contrast between the setting of Christmas and Scrooges’s attitude?
Christmas is a time of________________________________
However, Scrooge is_______________________________________
Quotations
Scrooge’s Surroundings
Find three details showing the poverty and meanness of Scrooge’s office, even though Scrooge is rich
1)
2)
3)
Sum up your thoughts on this focus:
8

Focus 4
What we learn of 19th century working life and how this further illustrates Scrooge’s meanness:
Key ideas :

Poverty/attitudes to the poor e.g Bob Cratchitt/carol singer/destitute people

Low wages/working conditions

Prisons
 Work houses Scrooge’s attitude to these

Charity – how Scrooge reacts to the idea of helping others
Use your research booklet to make notes on each of the above:
Attitudes to the poor in 19th Century Poverty in 19th Century
Scrooge’s attitude:
Low wages in 19th century
Scrooge’s attitude:
Workhouses in the 19th century
Scrooge’s attitude:
Scrooge’s attitude:
Prisons in the 19th century
Scrooge’s attitude:
Charity in the 19th century
Scrooge’s attitude:
Sum up your thoughts at this focus:

Introduction

Very brief author details – Dickens’ aim in writing the novel
 Scrooge – great character in literature / great appeal of his story

Dickens uses a variety of techniques to create a powerful picture of a miser

Teaches us about conditions for the poor in 19th century
Focus 1
The language used to describe Scrooge
 one or more paragraphs

3/4 quotations
 impact/effect of language on creating pictures in the reader’s mind
Key words simile, metaphor, adjectives, verbs, effect, impact
Focus 2
What is revealed about Scrooge through his actions towards other characters
Focus 3
How description of settings enhance the idea of Scrooge as a miser
Focus 4
What we learn of
19th century life and how this further illustrates
Scrooge’s meanness
 one or more paragraphs

3/4 quotations
 the parade of minor characters is a structure Dickens uses to contrast their attitudes with Scrooge’s miserliness
 one paragraph
 the importance of Christmas time/contrast Scrooge’s attitude
 the poverty of Scrooge’s office
 one or more paragraphs
 hardship of the life of the poor –
Scrooge feels they deserve it, let them suffer
 how the reader reacts to the picture of the 19th century life – how we feel about Scrooge’s attitude to helping others
Key words structure contrast dialogue
Key words settings
Key words poverty, hardship, working conditions, institutions – prison, workhouse, charity
Conclusion

How convincing is Scrooge as a miser? – your opinions
 What do we learn of 19th century life?

Sum up the most powerful techniques used by Dickens.
10