Exploring Themes in 'A Christmas Carol' and GCSE Literature Paper 1: Insights and Analysis
Delve into the themes of poverty, generosity, and redemption through iconic quotes from "A Christmas Carol". Understand the key indicators for GCSE Literature Paper 1, focusing on allegory and writer's purpose. Learn how to achieve top grades through textual analysis and strategic revision.
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Starter: Write down the below quotes and label character (chapter? Start, middle, end) Then the poor should die and decrease the surplus population I ll raise your salary Bob and endeavour to assist your struggling family I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try keep it the whole year round The boy is ignorance, the girl is want. Beware them both Tell me Tiny Tim will live... He was a tight-fisted fist at the grindstone
Starter: Write down the below quotes and label character (chapter? Start, middle, end) Then the poor should die and decrease the surplus population Scrooge, stave 1 I ll raise your salary Bob and endeavour to assist your struggling family Scrooge, stave 5 I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try keep it the whole year round Scrooge, stave 4 The boy is ignorance, the girl is want. Beware them both Ghost of Christmas Present, stave 3 Tell me Tiny Tim will live... Scrooge, stave 3 He was a tight-fisted fist at the grindstone Dickens, stave 1
GCSE Literature Paper 1 19th Century: ACC Date: Title: Title: Key Indicator Key Indicator Learning Objectives: - Understand the requirements for Lit Paper 1 essays - Develop planning and resilience skills for Lit Paper 1 Key Dates Teaching W/c 8 March: ACC w/c 15 March: ACC KI w/c 22 March: Macbeth Key words: poverty lacking the means to satisfy basic human needs (food/water, shelter, sanitation/health) allegory - a story in which a character, place, or event is used to deliver a broader message about real-world issues Writer's purpose the key message that a writer is trying to communicate through their writing Skills: - Textual analysis - Planning / knowledge recall - Independent writing
Key Indicators What are they all about? What is a key indicator? An AQA exam question completed in exam conditions within the classroom Why are they so important? They give us an indication of where your understanding is of that text. This allows your English teacher and Mrs Faulkner to discuss your current attainment and potential predictions What happens to all the marks? The marks are entered onto a spreadsheet stored by Astrea Academy Trust. This data allows Mrs Faulkner and SLT to track what you are achieving now and then predicts where you may end up. This data is crucial in the process of predicting grades for the end of Y11. What can I do to get the highest possible grade? You need to work hard in the lessons, practicing the key skills and then revise the topics at home. Key indicators will always be based on topics recently covered in class. Literature is all about KNOWLEDGE of the text steady revision = top grades
English Literature Exam Formats Paper 1 - A Christmas Carol = Extract 1 question - An Inspector Calls or Lord of the Flies = NO EXTRACT but a choice of two questions Paper 2 - Macbeth = Extract 1 question - Unseen poetry = 2 printed poems, 2 questions Whichever text you are studying, KNOWLEDGE IS KEY! Revise, revise, revise
"If they would rather die," said Scrooge, "they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population . How does Dickens present Victorian attitudes towards the poor? Write about: how Dickens presents Victorian attitudes towards the poor in this extract; how Dickens presents Victorian attitudes towards the poor in the whole novel. [30 marks] 3 key steps to prepare for the PERFECT Literature essay 1. Find the focus of the question what is it asking you to do? KEY WORDS?? Read the extract and PLAN the essay: Highlight 3 quotes to use from the extract; write down 3 parts from the rest of novel that LINK to the question Write your CLAIM in your INTRODUCTION, clearly answering the question AND making a link to the context 2. 3.
Advice from your exam board, AQA: The KEY WORDS within a question are crucial because they provide you with a FOCUS to your essay e.g. attitudes and Victorian London are to be repeated throughout your essay, especially within the first and last sentences of each paragraph. However, a sign of a more developed response is when the candidate explores the different connotations of the key terms e.g. attitudes of the rich revealed through ACTIONS and WORDS. It is also worth examining different characters, as Scrooge is not the only wealthy Londoner that we meet in the novella
Final Assessment: A Christmas Carol Final Assessment: A Christmas Carol Exam conditions Exam conditions
"If they would rather die," said Scrooge, "they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population . How does Dickens present Victorian attitudes towards the poor? Write about: how Dickens presents Victorian attitudes towards the poor in this extract; how Dickens presents Victorian attitudes towards the poor in the whole novel. [30 marks] This lunatic, in letting Scrooge's nephew out, had let two other people in. They were portly gentlemen, pleasant to behold, and now stood, with their hats off, in Scrooge's office. "At this festive season of the year, Mr. Scrooge," said the gentleman, taking up a pen, "it is more than usually desirable that we should make some slight provision for the Poor and Destitute, who suffer greatly at the present time. Many thousands are in want of common necessaries; hundreds of thousands are in want of common comforts, sir." "Are there no prisons?" asked Scrooge. "Plenty of prisons," said the gentleman, laying down the pen again. "And the Union workhouses?" demanded Scrooge. "Are they still in operation?" "They are. Still," returned the gentleman, "I wish I could say they were not." "The Treadmill and the Poor Law are in full vigour, then?" said Scrooge. "Both very busy, sir." "Oh! I was afraid, from what you said at first, that something had occurred to stop them in their useful course," said Scrooge. "I'm very glad to hear it." "Under the impression that they scarcely furnish Christian cheer of mind or body to the multitude," returned the gentleman, "a few of us are endeavouring to raise a fund to buy the Poor some meat and drink and means of warmth. We choose this time, because it is a time, of all others, when Want is keenly felt, and Abundance rejoices. What shall I put you down for?" "Nothing!" Scrooge replied. "You wish to be anonymous?" "I wish to be left alone," said Scrooge. "Since you ask me what I wish, gentlemen, that is my answer. I don't make merry myself at Christmas and I can't afford to make idle people merry. I help to support the establishments I have mentioned -- they cost enough; and those who are badly off must go there." "Many can't go there; and many would rather die." "If they would rather die," said Scrooge, "they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population Step 1: Key words ? Step 2: PLAN: Analyse the extract opposite individually and annotate your own copy 3 best quotes? Now plan 3-4 other IMPORTANT parts from the novella: 1. X 2. X 3. X
Essay Structure: 1) Start with a focused introduction in response to the question asked make a clear claim stating your attitudes to the poor Write 4-5 detailed paragraphs: - 1 very detailed paragraph for the extract (3-4 quotes explored in depth) - 3 more paragraphs from the rest of the novel (beginning, middle, end) that show how attitudes develop through the novel AND WHY 2)
Essay: AO1, AO2, AO3 INTRODUCTION A clear claim, sum up your essay s argument Dickens presents attitudes towards poverty in Victorian London as Dickens uses the characters of Through the story we see how attitudes can... EXTRACT (3 quotes analysed in depth, methods explored) In the extract it is clear to see in Stave 1 how Scrooge felt The quote ________________ shows the poor were.. Dickens uses the words ____________ to suggest . Dickens shows the reader how the poor are ESSAY (3-4 parts of the rest of the story analysed) In Stave 1, Dickens presents Bob as .
Literature Component 1B: 19 Literature Component 1B: 19th th Century Prose Century Prose A.Show sustained focus on the task by using key word repeatedly B.Use a range of evidence from the extract (3+ quotes) C.Use the suggests formula to explore the meaning and effect of language D.Use subject terminology accurately once or twice in your response E.Show clear understanding of the wider plot by including detail (quotes or precise detail) from throughout the story F.Make links to the context in which the writer was writing e.g. Dickens uses the Cratchits to show how unfair Victorian London was organised G.Include personal opinion about the content and try to evaluate the character or theme e.g. I felt much sympathy for Scrooge as child because it shows why
