The message behind 'A Christmas Carol' by Charles Dickens

A sound understanding of the social and historical context of A Christmas Carol is essential to gaining higher grades at GCSE. The new specifications demand that students see the play as a 'construct' and thus need to understand the intended message of the text and the influences upon the author at the time. With this knowledge, students are then able to consider the authorial choices as they read the text. I would advise working through this presentation at the start of the unit and revisiting it after reading the entire text. The presentation can be spread over two lessons.