Grade 9 Analysis A Christmas Carol (Structure) Mr Salles

Summary

This video script offers an insightful exploration of Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol,' highlighting its five-act structure reminiscent of Shakespearean tragedies. It delves into the narrative's supernatural elements, the transformative journey of Ebenezer Scrooge, and the novel's social commentary. The script also provides a guide on how to apply this understanding to exam questions, emphasizing the importance of structure in analyzing character development, themes of redemption, and the author's call for social justice.

Takeaways

• 📚 Charles Dickens structured 'A Christmas Carol' in a five-act format, reminiscent of a Shakespearean tragedy, with each act referred to as 'staves', akin to parts of a song.
• 🎭 The novel's supernatural elements, including multiple ghostly appearances, serve to underscore the theme of transformation and rebirth, key to the story's uplifting message.
• 👻 Dickens uses the metaphor of ghosts not only for the literal apparitions but also to describe the spiritual state of Ebenezer Scrooge, suggesting he is 'dead' to the world's suffering.
• 🎭 The narrative style of the book was influenced by its intended performance during family gatherings, with Dickens himself often performing it to large audiences.
• 🎨 The story's structure is designed to evoke a range of emotions, from horror and melodrama to humor and a cathartic release, aligning with the seasonal spirit of Christmas.
• 📖 The inevitability of Scrooge's transformation is a central theme, with the narrative structure reinforcing the idea that his change is not just personal but a reflection of societal potential for redemption.
• 🤔 Critics have questioned the psychological plausibility of Scrooge's change, but Dickens anticipated this with the inclusion of a ghostly narrator who provides supernatural insight and validation of the ending.
• 👶 The character of Tiny Tim is pivotal, symbolizing the potential for change and the impact of Scrooge's transformation on a personal and societal level.
• 🔄 The transformation of Scrooge is paralleled with the idea of rebirth, drawing on Christian themes of renewal associated with the birth of Jesus during Christmas.
• 🏡 The setting of the story, with its shift from cold and foggy to warm and inviting, mirrors Scrooge's own emotional transformation and the broader message of social justice.
• 💡 'A Christmas Carol' is not just a festive tale but a call to action, urging readers to consider the plight of the poor and to act compassionately in their own lives.

Q & A

What is the significance of the five-act structure in 'A Christmas Carol'?

The five-act structure in 'A Christmas Carol' is significant as it mirrors the structure of a Shakespearean tragedy, with each 'stave' representing a chapter in the transformation of Ebenezer Scrooge. This structure is also reflective of the inevitability of the story's progression and the moral lesson that Scrooge learns through his encounters with the ghosts.

Why did Charles Dickens choose to call the chapters 'staves'?

Charles Dickens chose to call the chapters 'staves' to evoke the image of a musical score, suggesting that the story is a song to be sung at church, which aligns with the uplifting and celebratory nature of the story during the Christmas season.

How does the supernatural element in the story contribute to the overall theme?

The supernatural element, introduced with the ghost of Marley and the three spirits, serves to highlight the transformation of Scrooge from a spiritually dead man to a reborn, compassionate individual. It also sets the stage for the inevitable changes that Scrooge must undergo.

What is the role of Tiny Tim in the story's structure and message?

Tiny Tim is the pivotal character around whom the story's transformation pivots. His potential death and subsequent survival serve as the catalyst for Scrooge's change, emphasizing the themes of compassion, redemption, and the impact of individual actions on the lives of others.

How does Dickens use the character of Scrooge to comment on social issues of his time?

Dickens uses Scrooge's initial indifference to the plight of the poor and his eventual transformation to advocate for social justice and compassion towards the less fortunate. Scrooge's change is a call to action for the wealthy middle class to take responsibility for alleviating the suffering of the poor.

What is the significance of the opening line 'Marley was dead to begin with'?

The opening line 'Marley was dead to begin with' immediately establishes the supernatural genre of the story and foreshadows the ghostly encounters that Scrooge will experience, setting the tone for the eerie and transformative journey that Scrooge is about to undertake.

How does the structure of 'A Christmas Carol' contribute to the development of its characters?

The structure of 'A Christmas Carol' allows for the gradual revelation of characters' true natures and their transformations. Each 'stave' peels back another layer of Scrooge's character, leading to his ultimate redemption and the resolution of the story.

What is the role of humor in the narrative, and how does it relate to the story's structure?

Humor is used by Dickens to lighten the mood and provide a cathartic release amidst the melodrama and horror elements. It is woven into the structure of the story, particularly through the interactions between Scrooge and the ghosts, making the narrative entertaining while still conveying a serious message.

How does the setting of 'A Christmas Carol' reflect the transformation of Scrooge and the themes of the story?

The setting, characterized by fog and ice at the beginning, metaphorically represents Scrooge's cold heart. As the story progresses and Scrooge changes, the setting also 'warms up,' symbolizing the emotional transformation he undergoes and the new warmth he brings into his life and the lives of others.

What is the significance of the ghost narrator in establishing the credibility of Scrooge's transformation?

The ghost narrator, with its supernatural insight into the future, serves to validate Scrooge's transformation to the reader. By having an omniscient spirit confirm Scrooge's change, Dickens reinforces the reality of Scrooge's redemption and the moral of the story.

How does Dickens use the idea of resurrection and rebirth in the story?

Resurrection and rebirth are central to the story's Christian allegory. Scrooge's transformation is likened to a rebirth, symbolized by his comparison to a baby in the final stave. This theme is also reflected in Tiny Tim's survival, which is contingent upon Scrooge's change, emphasizing the idea of renewal and the power of redemption.

Outlines

00:00

🎭 Introduction to 'A Christmas Carol' Structure

This paragraph introduces the video's focus on understanding the structure of 'A Christmas Carol' and applying this knowledge to exam questions. It reveals that Charles Dickens intentionally used a five-act structure, akin to a Shakespearean tragedy, to tell Scrooge's story. The video will explore how this structure is applied, with the acts referred to as 'staves', echoing the musical theme and the transformative power of Christmas. The paragraph sets the stage for an analysis of the novel's supernatural elements, the role of ghosts, and the metaphorical implications of Scrooge's initial 'death', hinting at the story's deeper themes of humanity, family, redemption, and rebirth.

05:03

🎩 Scrooge's Transformation and the Role of the Supernatural

The second paragraph delves into the criticism surrounding Scrooge's transformation, arguing against the notion that it is psychologically unconvincing. It discusses the presence of a ghostly narrator who provides supernatural insight and lends credibility to Scrooge's change. The paragraph also touches on the themes of resurrection and rebirth, drawing parallels with Christian allegory and the character of Tiny Tim, who symbolizes hope and the impact of Scrooge's redemption. The summary emphasizes the importance of social justice and the responsibility of the wealthy towards the poor, as advocated by Dickens through his storytelling.

10:04

📚 Analyzing 'A Christmas Carol' Through Structural Elements

This paragraph outlines nine potential exam questions related to 'A Christmas Carol' and demonstrates how understanding the novel's structure can aid in crafting responses. It covers topics such as Bob Cratchit's sympathetic character development, the frightening atmosphere created by the supernatural elements, Scrooge's convincing transformation, the themes of redemption and compassion, and the significance of wealth and poverty. The paragraph also discusses the role of family and Christmas, the importance of setting, and the pivotal role of Tiny Tim in driving the narrative and its message.

15:06

🎨 The Emotional and Symbolic Transformation in 'A Christmas Carol'

The final paragraph emphasizes the importance of the emotional and symbolic transformation that occurs in the last stave of 'A Christmas Carol'. It suggests that the change in Scrooge's emotional landscape is as significant as the physical changes in the setting. The paragraph concludes by reinforcing the idea that Tiny Tim is central to the story's pivot, and that Scrooge's concern for him is the catalyst for his transformation. It also connects the novel's themes to Dickens' broader social campaign, encouraging viewers to reflect on their own capacity to make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate.

Keywords

💡Five-act structure

The five-act structure refers to a dramatic framework that divides a narrative into five parts: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. In the video, it is mentioned that Charles Dickens deliberately chose this structure for 'A Christmas Carol,' drawing a parallel to Shakespearean tragedy. This structure is essential to the video's theme as it underpins the narrative and the transformation of the protagonist, Scrooge, from a miserly character to a redeemed one.

💡Staves

In the context of the video, 'staves' are the chapters of 'A Christmas Carol,' a term borrowed from music to denote sections of a song or carol. Dickens uses this term to evoke the festive and uplifting nature of the story, aligning with the video's theme of redemption and the power of change during the Christmas season.

💡Supernatural genre

The supernatural genre involves elements beyond the scope of scientific explanation, often including ghosts, spirits, or otherworldly occurrences. The video discusses how Dickens begins 'A Christmas Carol' with a ghost story, setting the stage for the supernatural elements that drive the plot and contribute to the story's moral lessons.

💡Metaphorical

Metaphorical language is used to describe something by implying that it has the properties of something else. In the video, the term is used to describe Scrooge's initial state as being 'spiritually dead,' likening him to a ghost or corpse, which is a key concept in understanding his transformation throughout the narrative.

💡Rebirth

Rebirth in the video refers to the transformation or re-creation of a character, symbolizing a new beginning or a change in moral outlook. It is a central theme in 'A Christmas Carol,' as Scrooge's rebirth is portrayed through his interactions with the ghosts and his ultimate change of heart, exemplified by his becoming a 'second father' to Tiny Tim.

💡Christian allegory

A Christian allegory is a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to have a second meaning, representing Christian beliefs or concepts. The video mentions that 'A Christmas Carol' contains elements of Christian allegory, particularly in the rebirth and transformation of Scrooge, which parallels the Christian themes of redemption and salvation.

💡Social justice

Social justice is the concept of creating a society based on the principles of equality and solidarity, which uphold the human rights of every person. The video highlights Dickens's use of 'A Christmas Carol' as a campaign for social justice, urging wealthy readers to consider the plight of the poor and to take action to improve their conditions.

💡Tiny Tim

Tiny Tim is a character in 'A Christmas Carol' who is symbolic of the vulnerable and in need of care. In the video, Tim's role is discussed as pivotal to Scrooge's transformation, serving as the catalyst for Scrooge's change of heart and embodying the video's theme of compassion and social responsibility.

💡Ghosts

In the video, the term 'ghosts' is used both literally, referring to the supernatural visitors that guide Scrooge through his past, present, and future, and metaphorically, to describe the many characters who appear as specters in Scrooge's life. The presence of ghosts is integral to the video's exploration of Scrooge's moral journey and the consequences of his actions.

💡Transformation

Transformation in the video refers to the profound change that Scrooge undergoes as a result of his experiences with the ghosts. It is a key concept that illustrates the video's message about the power of redemption and the potential for individuals to change their lives and the lives of others for the better.

💡Sentimental

Sentimental refers to an emotional response that is evoked by something that is perceived as touching or affecting the feelings. The video discusses how Dickens uses sentimentality in 'A Christmas Carol' to appeal to the reader's emotions and to convey the importance of empathy and compassion, particularly during the Christmas season.

Highlights

Dickens uses a five-act structure for 'A Christmas Carol', similar to a Shakespearean tragedy.

The novel's chapters are called 'staves', reflecting the structure of a musical composition.

The story is an uplifting celebration of Christmas, highlighting themes of humanity, family, and redemption.

The supernatural genre is introduced with the famous first line, setting the tone for the ghost story.

The book is rich with ghosts, including the three spirits of Christmas and the metaphorical ghost of Scrooge's past.

Scrooge and Marley are referred to as 'kindred spirits', a pun on their shared ghostly nature.

The novella was written for performance and was often read aloud in families during winter evenings.

The structure of 'A Christmas Carol' is designed to provide horror and melodrama in an entertaining fashion.

Scrooge's transformation is inevitable due to the five-stage structure, reflecting the moral of the story.

Critics have questioned the psychological plausibility of Scrooge's change, but Dickens anticipated this with a ghostly narrator.

The novel plays with the idea of resurrection and rebirth, aligning with Christian themes of renewal.

Tiny Tim's character is central to the story, symbolizing the potential for change and the impact of Scrooge's transformation.

The novel is a call to action for social justice, urging readers to improve the lives of the poor and vulnerable.

The structure of the novel helps to convey the importance of family and the spirit of Christmas.

The setting of the novel is metaphorical, representing the eternal Christmas atmosphere.

Tiny Tim's role is pivotal; his survival is the catalyst for Scrooge's change and a symbol of hope.

Transcripts

hello and welcome to another video which

will get you

top grades you're probably wondering

what is it

i need to know about the structure of a

christmas carol

and once i know that how would i apply

that

in exam questions so these are the two

things you're going to find out today

firstly we want to know that dickens has

deliberately chosen

a five-act structure for his novel

this is actually typical of a

shakespearean

tragedy a play he makes his narrator

refer to the ghost of shakespeare's most

famous tragedy

hamlet right at the start of this novel

just to make sure that we know what he

is up to

he's playing with the idea of tragedy

however because this is an inspirational

story for christmas

dickens has the wonderful idea to call

these

acts these chapters staves

now these are the five parts of a

christmas carol that you might sing at

church just as his audience would

the intention of course is to be

uplifting

he hints that although scrooge's story

could have been a shakespearean tragedy

scrooge's transformation is an uplifting

celebration

of christmas celebrating the power of

humanity

and family and redemption and

rebirth dickens is also playful in the

way that he begins

with a ghost story not

what we would expect of a christmas

story

the famous first line is marley

was dead to begin with

and this lets us know we're in the

supernatural

genre if i ask you to number how many

ghosts appear in the story you might

guess

three the ghosts of christmas past

present and future those spirits of

christmas

and you might add jacob marley however

you'd still be far short of the true

total

this book is steeped in ghosts we've got

hamlet's father we also have the

narrator

and also the dozens of businessmen

who appear as ghosts shown to scrooge by

marley and stave one

the narrator also calls scrooge and

marley

two kindred spirits

a brilliant pun on the idea that they

are both ghosts

not just marley obviously with scrooge

he's suggesting this metaphorically that

scrooge is

so spiritually dead that he might

already be

a corpse it's also worth remembering

how the book would have been read in

dickens time

it would have been performed perhaps by

the father or the mother

or a highly literate child to the rest

of the family

during the long winter evenings families

then were trapped indoors

without electricity radio phones

internet and wi-fi television you get

the idea

in dickens time you made your own

entertainment

and you learn to be pretty good at it

this novella was written for performance

dickens himself adapted and performed it

dozens of times to huge audiences of

thousands

who were amazed at his ability to take

on the different personalities of his

characters

the book is therefore structured to

provide

horror and red melodrama

but in an entertaining fashion dickens

wanted to deliver a chill in common with

the winter

rather than the gory shock fest we might

be used to in the modern cinema

now just as a five act tragedy

is propelled by an inevitable fate of

the hero

so the five-stage structure of a

carol that we sing demands to be

completed

no one stops singing a carol a couple of

verses in

dickens structure echoes this idea

of inevitability when marley tells

scrooge

you will be haunted by three spirits

scrooge doesn't have any choice

in what will happen to him but he does

have a choice

in how he reacts to them that

is the moral of the story the

inevitability

of the happy ending demanded by this

structure

has upset many critics it's become

fashionable to argue

that scrooge's conversion isn't really

psychologically convincing

obviously because this is a mr sally's

top grades made easy video

i'm going to be arguing the opposite to

the conventional view

one of the most famous critics was

edmund wilson

and he said this shall we ask

what scrooge would actually be like if

we were to follow him beyond the frame

of the story

unquestionably he would relapse when the

merriment was over

if not while it was still going on into

moroseness vindictiveness

suspicion he would that is to say

reveal himself as the victim of a manic

depressive

cycle and a very uncomfortable person

to which i say humbug this type of

objection to scrooge's transformation

was anticipated by dickens and it's why

he introduced a ghostly narrator

so we're sort of forced to believe in

the ending

although the narrator helps establish

the novel as a proper

ghost story and he helps set a humorous

tone

because he is a very funny ghost the

ghost

also has supernatural insight

into the future and consequently at the

end of stage 5

it's not just scrooge telling us that

he's a changed man

or even dickens himself instead

we're invited to believe it is an

omniscient spirit

who as we've seen in the novel lives

outside of

time and is therefore able to see the

character's fates

this invites us to believe that

scrooge's conversion is real

it isn't just a sentimental ending to

please his

sentimental readers at the most

sentimental time of the year dickens

also

plays with the idea of resurrection and

rebirth because this is partly a

christian allegory as you'll see in

later videos

the christian element of the story is

downplayed

dickens is much more interested in what

we can do

for our fellow man now rather than

waiting for salvation in heaven

later however he needs to

tap into his reader's christian faith

and consequently scrooge

is introduced to us through descriptions

that suggests

he is already frozen emotionally he

appears

little different from a corpse

external heat and cold had little

influence on scrooge

no warmth could warm no wintry weather

chill him now the purpose of this

description

isn't just to reveal his complete lack

of feeling for his fellow man

it's mainly to suggest that he's like

a corpse with no interest in heat or

cold

this allows dickens to prepare for the

transformation of rebirth that will

happen in the final stave

in state five the language changes

he repeatedly compares scrooge to a baby

i'm quite a baby never mind i don't care

i'd

rather be a baby so scrooge all

christian readers would recognize the

deliberate parallel

with the baby jesus whose birth they're

celebrating on christmas day

the rebirth in the final stave is also

the story of tiny tim who's

almost literally brought back from the

dead a death

that could only be prevented by

scrooge's own

transformation and rebirth

the narrator tells us and to tiny tim

who did not die he was a second

father now we can see that tiny tim

is the fulcrum around whom the whole

story pivots

this is why dickens gives him the final

words of the novel

god bless us everyone

this reminds all readers that the

transformation is not just

a feel-good christmas tale but a

campaign by dickens for

social justice dickens demands

that we make the lives of the poor and

poor children in particular

the center of our thoughts these wealthy

readers

can transform the lives of so many poor

victorians

suffering under the unfair poor laws

and the indifference of the middle

classes

now it's worth noting that the video so

far is actually

as good as an essay that's a grade 9

essay

you've had right there should you ever

get a question on the structure of a

novel

okay i can only really think of nine

possible varieties of question that

you'll get on this text

and let's see how we would apply what

you've learned about structure to each

one

well if you're writing about bob

cratchit as a sympathetic character

the structural elements will be the

change from stave one

to stay five obviously what we've got

about tiny tim will fit in there

but you want to link to the author's

purpose

in showing this change i've shown you

that it's not just about

entertainment it is a political

and social statement where dickens wants

to get his readers

to behave differently and to believe in

the change that scrooge undergoes

so that they can mirror it in their own

behavior

next we might look at a frightening

atmosphere

and here you will consider why he has so

many ghosts in the novel

and the importance of the supernatural

this

ability to see into the future is

crucial to the structure of the novel

because it is a future that's going to

happen

to all the poor people in london or in

england

unless the readers learn the same moral

lessons as scrooge

and you can also talk about why dickens

doesn't want

just a frightening atmosphere but he

also wants

humor melodrama and this kind of

cathartic release at the end

well if you get a question on the ghost

or the supernatural

we've already covered that when we

looked at the frightening aspect

if we want to talk about scrooge as a

convincing character

then we have to look at this

transformation built into the structure

and you can now do that is he believable

well that's the same as being convincing

and how is he an outsider

again you're going to look at that

contrast between

save one and stay five now what's the

point of portraying scrooge as an

outsider

well it's to show that the reader who

doesn't behave as scrooge does at the

end

is also themselves an outsider to

society

in other words they're ignoring the

majority of society who are not

as well off as they are number five

the idea of redemption responsibility

and compassion

well that's easy to show in again that

stave five structure

the emphasis on tiny tim all the

clues i gave you about the christian

idea of

rebirth which is mirrored not just in

the language of scrooge like a baby

but also the language of scrooge being

spiritually dead at the beginning

and obviously the transformation in the

fortunes of tiny tim

almost literally brought back from the

dead now

when we talk about wealth and poverty

we're also going to refer to that

structure

and if you like the fate of tiny tim so

the role of wealth becomes to alleviate

the pains of poverty we might say that

the ghosts themselves are deliberately

not made to feel real because

this isn't a real story of punishments

that you will receive on earth it might

also be that

dickens is suggesting you're not going

to receive these punishments

in hell either marley's version of hell

doesn't seem too plausible and perhaps

in that way

dickens is suggesting that the whole

idea that we're going to be saved

and lead a better life in heaven is also

a fiction

we can't afford to allow people to

suffer in the present

because we know that their souls will go

to heaven in the future

no dickens is arguing that we need to

look after people

here and now while they're alive that he

suggests is

our christian duty and our moral duty

how does the structure help us look at

the idea of family and christmas

well we covered a lot with stave five

that looks at

the role of tiny tim to whom scrooge

becomes a second father

and obviously when we're talking about

christmas we're talking about this idea

of rebirth and redemption

in stay five how does dickens make the

sense of place important

this is a brilliant question because it

really stumped me

i haven't concentrated on the sense of

place

in my structure however if we go back to

it

we can see that it's centered in the fog

and ice at the beginning but at the end

we have this idea

of warmth so we have a transformation

a metaphorical transformation of course

because still cold and snowy outside

and we can also see the place of the

setting itself

as also metaphorical just as the

ghosts aren't real the setting isn't

rooted in their particular place

because dickens wants his readers to see

that place

as eternal it's always the kind of

christmas

that is apparent in a christmas carol

full of snow full of families getting

together and enjoying

each other's company so we would argue

then that the most

important place in the novel is the

transformation at the end of stay

five it is the emotional place this new

world

that scrooge has woken up to at the end

now obviously you'd still write about

all the physical places

in the rest of your essay but what i'm

telling you is how you would bring in

that change of structure in stage five

and to make your structural point

link to the idea of place and then

finally

what's the role of tiny tim well as

you've seen

he is the fulcrum around which the whole

story pivots

if we took tiny tim out of the story

would scrooge actually change

i think we can argue quite strongly

through scrooge's questions about has

tiny tim survived

in stay five that it's his relationship

with tiny tim

that triggers his transformation so all

these

journeys into the past where he saw his

own childhood

where he saw belle who he used to love

where he saw what a great time he used

to have with

fezzy wig his first employer none of

those

things alone are enough to transform him

nor is it enough when he finds out that

he dies

unmourned in fact people seem grateful

for his death

no the key thing is that tiny tim

dies unless scrooge changes

and of course that links to the

campaigning purpose of the novel

we too implies dickens can save lives

if we'll do a little bit of a change a

little

fraction of scrooge's magnificent

donations to charity

so you've followed a grade 9 essay about

the structure and now you've seen how

you could apply the structure

to all nine possible questions that

you'll get in the exam

you should really start clicking on a

video appearing here

to get more top grades made easy with mr

sales

see you soon on my channel