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Themes, Ideas and Messages GapFill

Target Level
4-5
Running Total
0
0%
Attempt
1 of 3

You must fill all the gaps before clicking ‘Check Answers!’ This quiz focuses on AO1 (Read, understand and respond to texts) and AO2 (Analyse language, form and structure).

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There are a number of themes in A Christmas Carol. The most obvious theme is Christmas. Charles Dickens' overall message is that we should  be kind to our employeesbe considerate of the poorgive more to charity at Christmashave Christmas spirit all year round, shown in  Stave OneStave Fourthe prefaceStave Five when Dickens says he has 'endeavoured ... to raise the Ghost of an Idea' and he hopes that it will 'haunt' his readers' 'houses pleasantly, and no one wish to lay it'.

In the text we see various people celebrating Christmas:

  • the Cratchits, who don't have much but are  grateful forhopeful forundeserving ofuninterested in what they do have 
  • Fred's family, who genuinely seem to enjoy one another's company 
  •  Fred'sthe CratchitBelle'sFan's family, who show us what Scrooge gave up when he decided to single-mindedly pursue wealth 
  • the Lord Mayor's house and Fezziwig's business, where we see employers treating their staff  generouslyharshlystrictlynormally
  • a place where  minersshopkeeperssailorsclerks live, who, despite the harshness of their environment, have generations of family around them and sing Christmas carols
  • two men working the lighthouse, who, despite the isolation they are in, still wish each other Merry Christmas
  • sailors who all show some form of Christmas spirit and 'had a kinder word for another on that day than on any day in the year' (Stave Three)
Through the  circumstancesvarietytypesnormality of these situations, Dickens shows that it is possible for everyone to have Christmas spirit and emphasises how unnatural Scrooge is for having the attitude that Christmas is 'a time for finding yourself a year older, but not an hour  happierbetter offricherhigher' (Stave One). This is contrasted with Fred's description of Christmas as 'a good time; a kind, forgiving,  funfamilycharitableexpensive, pleasant time' (Stave One). Dickens is clearly pointing out that this is what he means by Christmas spirit and is what he shows in his examples of Christmas throughout the text.


The other themes included in the text are all linked to Christmas:

  • poverty and the need for charity – 'Many  hundredsthousandschildrenhouseholds are in want of common necessaries' (Stave One)
  • the enormous gap between rich and poor – 'The Grocers'! oh, the Grocers'!' (Stave Three); 'iron, old rags, bottles, bones, and greasy offal' (Stave Four) 
  • social responsibility – 'Mankind was my  businessendeavourresponsibilityburden' (Stave One)
  • the responsibility employers have to their employees – 'He has the power to render us happy or unhappy' (Stave Two)
  • family – 'It is a mercy he didn't shake his arm off' (Stave Five)
  • childhood – '"God bless us every one!" said  Bob CratchitMarthaTiny TimScrooge' (Stave Three)
  • memories – 'a thousand thoughts, and hopes, and joys, and cares long, long forgotten!' (Stave Two)

This is your 1st attempt! You get 3 marks for each one you get right. Good luck!

Pass Mark
72%