English Literature: Paper 1
‘A Christmas Carol’ and ‘An Inspector Calls’
How to write a critical essay
Introduction
• the introduction is a good way to start you essay strong showing you have a strong thesis/big idea and gives you
an opportunity to mention context from the start of the essay
• the 6 components needed in the introduction are
o Genre
Keep your essay interesting by using
o Big idea
different words than shows:
o Author’s viewpoint
Demonstrates, illustrates, emphasises,
o Structure
accentuates, conveys, elucidates, indicates,
o Context
portrays, highlights, presents, proves,
o Author’s intentions
reinforces, exposes, illuminates
• These can be used in any order
• Example: How does Dickens present feelings of remorse?
o In Dickens’ didactic novella ‘A Christmas Carol’, the feeling of remorse is presented as an essential component
of improvement through reflection. Dickens utilises Scrooge and the Ghosts to explore the journey of
redemption beginning with regret and leading to transformation - all fuelled by remorse. Dickens felt that the
rich upper class in Victorian society needed to change in order to help the poorer in society as they were
innocent and undeserving of their horrific situations. This was due to his childhood working in a shoe polish
factory due to his father going to debtors’ prison when he was 12: Dickens was able to witness the plight of
the poor and its unjust causes. Dickens intended to present remorse as a vessel for improvement from avarice
to altruism, as a call to action the upper class of Victorian society.
4 main paragraphs
• I would suggest including 4 main body paragraphs so you can discuss in detail 4 main ideas
o for A Christmas Carol I would centre each around a different character or a different stave in each paragraph
o for An Inspector Calls I would centre each around a different character/group of characters (if a theme
question) or theme that links to the character (if a character question)
• Each paragraph needs: point, embedded quote, technique, analysis of entire quote and/or single words,
alternative idea, context, author’s intention, link to big idea – I would suggest analysing at least 2 quotes per para.
• Example: How does Dickens present feelings of remorse?
o Paragraph 1: stave 1 - Ghost of Marley’s warning (his pain caused by his life on Earth)
o Paragraph 2: stave 2 – Scrooge’s remorse from seeing his childhood
o Paragraph 3: staves 3 and 4 – Ignorance and Want and Scrooge’s commitment to change
o Paragraph 4: stave 5 – cyclic structure of play with parallel events from stave 1 vs. stave 5 to highlight
Scrooge’s transformation caused by his remorse
Conclusion
• The conclusion should just be a short summary of your argument/big idea with a focus on your big idea and the
author’s intentions
• Example: How does Dickens present feelings of remorse?
o In summation, Dickens presents the feeling of remorse as a catalyst for improvement demonstrated by
Scrooge’s transformation from the archetypal upper-class businessman into an altruistic character who
endeavours to assist those in need. Dickens hoped that the use of Scrooge as a paradigm of the upper class
would allow the upper-class reader to realise the importance of reflection and accept the unpleasant remorse
that follows - as the consequence is beneficial for themselves and those around them. Dickens felt that a
more altruistic upper class would be the solution to the flaws in Victorian society and endeavoured to cause
that shift.
Copyright © Harry Davis 2021
, Key terms to include in both essays
• miserly greedy or money hoarder
• cupidity a love for Scrooge’s cupidity for money
• avarice greed
• misanthropic antisocial
• apathetic unenthusiastic/indifference Scrooge’s apathetic treatment of Bob
• benevolence love and kindness
• altruism giving and selfless
• archetypal typical Scrooge is the archetypal Victorian businessman
• paradigm typical
• lamentable unfortunate
• pernicious destructive/harmful
• affable sociable
• myopic short-sighted Upper class’ myopic viewpoint
• egregious infamous Egregious nature of poverty
• admonition warning
• stark clear
• stratified layered
• callous heartless/cold
• myriad lots of
• omniscient all-knowing
• allegorical has a deeper meaning
• didactic intends to teach a lesson
• political diatribe criticism of society
• semantic field phrases about the same topic Semantic field of destruction in ‘fire’, ‘blood’, ‘anguish’
• biblical allusion reference to the bible
A Christmas Carol
Context
• written in 1843, during Industrial revolution (economic shift to industry causing a huge amount of urbanisation
leading to overcrowding – for example in London the population increased by 500% 1800-1900)
• novella is gothic horror (includes supernatural) as ghost stories often told round the fire at Christmas (so would
reach the most people)
• Dicken’s father went to debtor’s prison when he was 12 so Dickens had to work in a shoe polish factory for 3 years
(allowed him to witness the plight of the poor first hand and how quickly people can become poor)
• Dickens worked as a court reporter so saw the corrupt judicial system, then he toured the UK and saw the stark
levels of inequality in the UK
• the 1834 Poor Law introduced prisons and workhouses for any able-bodied unemployed (usually the poor) –
intentionally poor conditions to encourage finding employment (rich saw this as too generous)
• Malthus (an economic) believed that poverty was an inevitable consequence of overpopulation (population
growth faster than food production increases – didn’t consider improvements in farming technology)
o supported the Poor Law as he saw the unemployed as lazy and they didn’t support the economy so they
shouldn’t benefit from it
o strongly opposed by Dickens who felt if the rich upper class were more generous to the poor inequality
wouldn’t be a big issue (inequality stems from the selfish nature of the rich so a shift to altruism would solve
the problem)
Summary of plot
• Stave 1
o Scrooge introduced (interacts with Bob, Fred, Charitable gentlemen) and a warning from Marley’s Ghost
• Stave 2
o Ghost of Christmas Past (Scrooge’s school, Fan, Fezziwig, Belle, Belle’s family) - Scrooge begs to leave
Copyright © Harry Davis 2021
‘A Christmas Carol’ and ‘An Inspector Calls’
How to write a critical essay
Introduction
• the introduction is a good way to start you essay strong showing you have a strong thesis/big idea and gives you
an opportunity to mention context from the start of the essay
• the 6 components needed in the introduction are
o Genre
Keep your essay interesting by using
o Big idea
different words than shows:
o Author’s viewpoint
Demonstrates, illustrates, emphasises,
o Structure
accentuates, conveys, elucidates, indicates,
o Context
portrays, highlights, presents, proves,
o Author’s intentions
reinforces, exposes, illuminates
• These can be used in any order
• Example: How does Dickens present feelings of remorse?
o In Dickens’ didactic novella ‘A Christmas Carol’, the feeling of remorse is presented as an essential component
of improvement through reflection. Dickens utilises Scrooge and the Ghosts to explore the journey of
redemption beginning with regret and leading to transformation - all fuelled by remorse. Dickens felt that the
rich upper class in Victorian society needed to change in order to help the poorer in society as they were
innocent and undeserving of their horrific situations. This was due to his childhood working in a shoe polish
factory due to his father going to debtors’ prison when he was 12: Dickens was able to witness the plight of
the poor and its unjust causes. Dickens intended to present remorse as a vessel for improvement from avarice
to altruism, as a call to action the upper class of Victorian society.
4 main paragraphs
• I would suggest including 4 main body paragraphs so you can discuss in detail 4 main ideas
o for A Christmas Carol I would centre each around a different character or a different stave in each paragraph
o for An Inspector Calls I would centre each around a different character/group of characters (if a theme
question) or theme that links to the character (if a character question)
• Each paragraph needs: point, embedded quote, technique, analysis of entire quote and/or single words,
alternative idea, context, author’s intention, link to big idea – I would suggest analysing at least 2 quotes per para.
• Example: How does Dickens present feelings of remorse?
o Paragraph 1: stave 1 - Ghost of Marley’s warning (his pain caused by his life on Earth)
o Paragraph 2: stave 2 – Scrooge’s remorse from seeing his childhood
o Paragraph 3: staves 3 and 4 – Ignorance and Want and Scrooge’s commitment to change
o Paragraph 4: stave 5 – cyclic structure of play with parallel events from stave 1 vs. stave 5 to highlight
Scrooge’s transformation caused by his remorse
Conclusion
• The conclusion should just be a short summary of your argument/big idea with a focus on your big idea and the
author’s intentions
• Example: How does Dickens present feelings of remorse?
o In summation, Dickens presents the feeling of remorse as a catalyst for improvement demonstrated by
Scrooge’s transformation from the archetypal upper-class businessman into an altruistic character who
endeavours to assist those in need. Dickens hoped that the use of Scrooge as a paradigm of the upper class
would allow the upper-class reader to realise the importance of reflection and accept the unpleasant remorse
that follows - as the consequence is beneficial for themselves and those around them. Dickens felt that a
more altruistic upper class would be the solution to the flaws in Victorian society and endeavoured to cause
that shift.
Copyright © Harry Davis 2021
, Key terms to include in both essays
• miserly greedy or money hoarder
• cupidity a love for Scrooge’s cupidity for money
• avarice greed
• misanthropic antisocial
• apathetic unenthusiastic/indifference Scrooge’s apathetic treatment of Bob
• benevolence love and kindness
• altruism giving and selfless
• archetypal typical Scrooge is the archetypal Victorian businessman
• paradigm typical
• lamentable unfortunate
• pernicious destructive/harmful
• affable sociable
• myopic short-sighted Upper class’ myopic viewpoint
• egregious infamous Egregious nature of poverty
• admonition warning
• stark clear
• stratified layered
• callous heartless/cold
• myriad lots of
• omniscient all-knowing
• allegorical has a deeper meaning
• didactic intends to teach a lesson
• political diatribe criticism of society
• semantic field phrases about the same topic Semantic field of destruction in ‘fire’, ‘blood’, ‘anguish’
• biblical allusion reference to the bible
A Christmas Carol
Context
• written in 1843, during Industrial revolution (economic shift to industry causing a huge amount of urbanisation
leading to overcrowding – for example in London the population increased by 500% 1800-1900)
• novella is gothic horror (includes supernatural) as ghost stories often told round the fire at Christmas (so would
reach the most people)
• Dicken’s father went to debtor’s prison when he was 12 so Dickens had to work in a shoe polish factory for 3 years
(allowed him to witness the plight of the poor first hand and how quickly people can become poor)
• Dickens worked as a court reporter so saw the corrupt judicial system, then he toured the UK and saw the stark
levels of inequality in the UK
• the 1834 Poor Law introduced prisons and workhouses for any able-bodied unemployed (usually the poor) –
intentionally poor conditions to encourage finding employment (rich saw this as too generous)
• Malthus (an economic) believed that poverty was an inevitable consequence of overpopulation (population
growth faster than food production increases – didn’t consider improvements in farming technology)
o supported the Poor Law as he saw the unemployed as lazy and they didn’t support the economy so they
shouldn’t benefit from it
o strongly opposed by Dickens who felt if the rich upper class were more generous to the poor inequality
wouldn’t be a big issue (inequality stems from the selfish nature of the rich so a shift to altruism would solve
the problem)
Summary of plot
• Stave 1
o Scrooge introduced (interacts with Bob, Fred, Charitable gentlemen) and a warning from Marley’s Ghost
• Stave 2
o Ghost of Christmas Past (Scrooge’s school, Fan, Fezziwig, Belle, Belle’s family) - Scrooge begs to leave
Copyright © Harry Davis 2021
