A Christmas Carol Structure

Page 1

Stave 1

An extensive prologue - prevents confusion about whether they are ghosts or not - 'Marley is dead'

Introduced to the protagonist and the 2 characters closest to his eart who still can frgive him (Bob and Fred)

'Surplus population' comes back to haunt him

It is supernatural

Page 2

Staves 2, 3 & 4

Each part of his life

Moves from pessimism to optimism through the changes that Scrooge makes to his character and attitudes

Sympathy for Scrooge gradually comes upon us

Cyclical - meets stave 1 characters in stave 5 and makes things right

Looks out the window twice, completely different outlook

Page 3

Stave 4

Final, powerful awakening

Climax of novella when he realises the dead man is him and makes the decision to change

Witnesses reactions to his death, reader has already guessed, further pity, he doesn't realise how bad he is

Page 4

Stave 5

The epilogue - comment or conclusion

Draws social commentary to an end - we all have it within us to change

Page 5

Is it real?

Marley is dead

Victorians loved ghost stories

was told 3 ghosts in 3 nights, but all in one night

Was is a dream? Was it supernatural?

Mentioned by Scrooge - is it real?

Is the transformation real?

Page 6

The Ghosts

Follows a pattern - falls into a deep sleep and wakes to a ghost

Forced to take a closer look at the way he has lived and continues to live his life, and the consequences

Done because he wants to encourage the bourgeois to self reflect

Human nature to have regrets, Scrooge does too

Looks at employer/employee, husband/wife and parent/child relationships to try and to relate to everybody

Page 7

'A Christmas Carol'

Sung in church - underlying theme of Christianity

Make money and spread joy

Spreads messages of a good Christian