Study Guide For 6th to 9th grade students
The Life and Times of Charles Dickens Charles Dickens was born in 1812 as the second of eight children. His was a poor family, but a happy one very reminiscent of the Cratchits in A Christmas Carol. In 1822, the Dickens family moved to London. Unfortunately, his father, John Dickens, was shortly thrown in debtor s prison and the young Charles (then age 12) was forced to work in a factory to earn money for his family. Felt abandoned and betrayed by the adults who were supposed to take care of him, Charles would later remember this as the end of his youthful innocence, and his experience and emotions from this time of his life would directly affect his future writings. At the age of 15, Charles Dickens became an office boy to continue supporting his family, a job which would launch his career as a writer. In a few short years he was working as a court reporter and sketch artist for two major London papers. He married Catherine Hogarth in 1836 and they had ten children together. His first popular novel was Oliver Twist, which he released in serial in magazines to the British public from 1837 to 1839. A Christmas Carol was published in 1843 and sparked a renewed interest in many Christmas traditions like decorating trees, exchanging of gifts and cards, and family feasts. It is also strongly influenced by the social themes that Dickens was passionate about: the plight of poor children and families, and the redemption of a self-focused man into a compassionate one. This sparked a surge in charitable giving that even persists to this day. This novel is a classic of the Victorian era and has never been out of print since. In the 1850s Charles life took a darker turn with the death of his daughter and father, and the separation from his wife Catherine a darkness which was present in his writing. Examples of these gloomier works include David Copperfield (Dicken s personal favorite piece), Bleak House, and Hard Times. The end of that decade brought him out of his dark novel period and lead him to the creation of some of his most well-known works: A Tales of Two Cities (1859) and Great Expectations (1861). Charles Dickens dies in Kent, England, at the age of 58 in the year 1870, leaving behind an unfinished novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Dicken s contributions to the literature of his time are enormous and deeply influential to societal change. I write because I can t help it. Charles Dickens
TheaterWorks A Christmas Carol Setting Characters Synopsis Victorian London: Past, Present, and Future of the Life of Ebenezer Scrooge Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly old man who discovers the Christmas spirit Bob Cratchit, Scrooge s overworked and underpaid employee Jacob Marley, Scrooge s old business partner, returned from the dead with a message The Three Spirits who guide Scrooge through his journey: Ghost of Christmas Past Ghost of Christmas Present Ghost of Christmas Future Emma Cratchit, Bob s wife and mother of the Cratchit children: Belinda, Peter, Martha, and Tiny Tim (who is crippled by his illness) Fred Holywell, Scrooge s nephew Alice Holywell, Fred s wife Harland and Rose, their friends The Charwoman, the Laundress, the Undertaker, and Old Joe, London low-life s who scavenge and steal from the dead to make their living People from Scrooge s Past: Ebenezer, himself as a young man Dick, his best friend Fezziwig, Scrooge s former employer and mentor Mrs. Fezziwig, his wife Belle, Scrooge s lost love Party Guests Ebenezer Scrooge is the greediest man in London. He works is employee, Bob Cratchit to the bone and barely pays him. Scrooge s nephew Fred invites his uncle to Christmas dinner, but Scrooge makes it very clear that he thinks Christmas is the biggest waste of time and money. That night, Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his long dead business partner, Jacob Marley, who warns him that if continues his greed and unkindness, Scrooge will suffer in the afterlife as Marley has. Three more Spirits visit him that night: The Ghost of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. The Ghost of Christmas past shows him how he used to be, when he was a young man with a good boss and was engaged to a girl he loves. The Ghost of Christmas Present shows him the life he is missing out on, the joy and friendship that he is missing in his current life. The Ghost of Christmas Future shows Scrooge the consequences of his hard heartedness, the fact that his stinginess could lead to the death of Bob Cratchit s son, Tiny Tim, and that no one will care when Scrooge dies. When he wakes up on Christmas morning, Scrooge has a new and fresh outlook on life, and his change for the better enriches the lives of everyone around him.
About a TheaterWorks Production Several weeks before a play can even start rehearsals, production meetings begin. These meetings include all the technical artists responsible for providing the effects and theatrical magic you see in the final production. Working with the director, they design the look and feel of the show. For a live theater performance, actors are chosen by audition. During an audition an actor showcases their talent and skill by performing songs and monologues. They also provide head shots and resumes that list their experience so the director will remember them. The director choses a cast and then rehearsals can begin. In rehearsal the director blocks the show and the actors learn their parts. Blocking is the process of planning where, when, and how actors will move about the stage during a performance so that they make the play interesting and dynamic for an audience. It s important that actors get off book as soon as possible, which means they are totally memorized and don t need to use their script anymore. As the show approaches the costumer will begin fitting costumes on actors, and the sets begin to be built. During the final week before opening, everything begins to come together. Sets are painted and put in place. Actors put the final touches on their characters. Full costumes are worn for the first time, and lights and sound are seen and heard. Finally, after several months of preparation and six to eight weeks of rehearsal, opening night arrives. The most important part of the play arrives at the theater for the first time, the audience! For live theater, the audience is the most essential part of the show! Backstage, the actors and technicians hurry to complete last-minute preparations. Actor wish each other will, Break a leg! an actor s superstition meaning, Good luck! Then it s time for the stage manager to yell, Places! telling everyone to find their spot for the opening of the show and the play begins!
Vocabulary and Glossary Surreptitious: acting in a stealthy way Hypocrite: a person who professes a belief but acts against the belief Goblet: a metal drinking cup or bowl Baggage: something that restricts someone s freedom Humbug : an expression meaning a lie Destitute: without a home, poor with no hope Sustenance: nourishment, food Bedlam : An insane asylum in London Redemption: atonement for guilt Apprentice: a person who works for another to learn a trade Fraternity: the quality of brotherhood Melancholy: gloomy state of mind; depression Millinery: a women s hat shop Miscreant: depraved, villainous, or base Menagerie: a collection of wild or unusual animals Specter: a ghost or spirit Old Scratch: another name for the devil Charwoman: a woman hired to general cleaning Inquiry: a question Misanthrope: a person who hates mankind
Activities Acting Demonstrate the use of observation from nature, society, or research a to enhance a performance Animal Walks Status Game Choose a character from the story and personify it as animal. What traits of the character are found in this animal? Why? Pass out different suits of playing cards to each player & stick them to their foreheads so the card is unknown to the student, but visible to the other players. Non-verbally interact with characters based on the suit of their card. Who has a high status? Who has a low status? Were you aware of what your status was based on during the interactions? Playwriting Retell a story including its theme, setting, storyline, plot, characters. Retell the story of A Christmas Carol using this out line: Once upon a time and everyday until one day and then and then and then until and ever since the end! Do the same with a different story, it can be a fairytale, a bit of history, or even something that happened to you! Directing Develop an understanding of how actor s qualities and skills are considered when casting various roles Have a discussion on the casting of the roles in A Christmas Carol. Why were certain actors chosen? Did their skills match the challenges of their roles? What roles would you have cast differently? Why or Why not?
Victorian Christmas Caroling Dicken s Book lead to a popularity of Carols, you can learn a classic Victorian Caroling Song. Share it with your neighbors!
Discussion Questions 1. What are the principle themes of this story? Why do you think the author chose them? Are these themes exclusive to the Christmas and holiday season? 2. Can you see how Charles Dickens childhood influenced the story? Why or why not? 3. How does Jacob Marley serve the story? Why is his visit so important? 4. What is the purpose of the Ghost of Christmas Past? What lessons did Scrooge learn? What can we take away from Christmas Past? 5. What causes Scrooge to become so mean and selfish? Consider how his past affected him. 6. What is the purpose of the Ghost of Christmas Present? What lessons did Scrooge learn? What can we take away from Christmas Past? 7. What does the Cratchit family represent and what lessons can be learned from them? Tiny Tim? 8. What is the significance of Want and Ignorance being portrayed as children clinging to Christmas Present? Is their warning still relevant? 9. What is the purpose of the Ghost of Christmas Future? What lessons did Scrooge learn? What can we take away from Christmas Past? 10. Why does Scrooge have a change of heart? Can we see the moment when he changes? 11. How does this classic relate to today? Theater Review Theater Reviews are very important for constructive criticism. Since A Christmas Carol is a TheaterWorks tradition, help us grow by giving us advice on what to make even better next year. Use the following steps: 1. Rate this play: Best Ever, Great, Average, Awful, Worst Ever a. Why did you feel that way? 2. Choose one person in the show and write about what you liked about their contribution to the play. This can include the one of the actors, the director, writer, set or light designer, makeup designer or costumer. 3. Overall, what was your favorite part? What could be improved? Be specific! Theater is a collaborative art, after all!