1. A Christmas Carol
By Charles Dickens

2. 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

3. 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

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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

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