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A Christmas Carol > CONTEXT > Flashcards

Flashcards in CONTEXT Deck (16)
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1
Q

Who was Charles Dickens?

A

Charles Dickens was a social reformer who wanted to improve the treatment of the poor in 1840s England

2
Q

What was he concerned with?

A

He was deeply concerned with the harsh plight of the lower and working class, especially child labour

3
Q

What events led to the publication of ‘A Christmas Carol’?

A

When Charles had been removed from school and sent to work in Warren’s blacking factory after his father went into debt

4
Q

What impact did the experience of working in a blacking factory have on Charles?

A

The experience was life altering and became a major influence for much of his work. It gave him an insight into the horrors of poverty

5
Q

What are Ragged Schools?

What were they based upon?

A

Ragged Schools were charitable institutions that were created to provide a basic education for poor children. They also provided food, clothing and lodging for their students, but they only based upon charitable donations so the schools were usually found in slum-like conditions in disreputable sections of town?

6
Q

Who was Thomas Malthus?

How do his ideas relate to this novella?

A

A person who had the idea that population will always grow faster than food & should be controlled by war, deaths, diseases, starvation.

Relates to ‘decrease the surplus population’ - Scrooge has similar ideas on this

7
Q

What was the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act?

A

A law that stated that poor people should work in workhouses in order to survive

8
Q

What are workhouses?

A

Deliberately harsh environment to live and work in
Families were separate and food was basic

A sort of prison system - providing refuge for the poor.

9
Q

What was the class inequality like at the time?

A

The upper class were the ruling class & were afforded luxuries & everything you need to succeed in life, namely a good education & access to health care.

10
Q

What did the Industrial Revolution do to London?

How was the housing?

A

Made its population go up from 1 million in 1800 to 6 million in 1900
Housing available was dreadful

11
Q

What belief do Ignorance and Want show?

A

Dickens’ belief that education was a route out of poverty

12
Q

How much did the book cost and what does this show?

A

5 shillings - fairly costly

So clearly intended for the middle and upper classes whose conscience he wants to touch.

13
Q

Who did workhouses encourage?

A

It encouraged able bodied people to go there but discouraged ‘lazy poor’

14
Q

What did Dickens do in Manchester and what did this influence?

A

He gave a speech at the Manchester Athenaeum in 1843
He saw the terrible conditions manufacturing workers lived in
These were the ‘seeds’ for the story - he wanted to make a change in society

15
Q

Why was writing this book his method of making a change?

A

It was the most likely way he could touch the conscience of the upper and middle classes so they could learn to help the poor.

16
Q

What did Christians at the time believed they had to do to be a good Christian?

What did Dickens feel a Christian should do as well?

A

Go to Church - follow services

Act in a moral way e.g. helping the poor