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How to Get a Grade 9 on Any A Christmas Carol Essay
Yes, Scrooge is grumpy. Yes, the ghosts are spooky. But what’s Dickens really trying to say?
Jen - Primrose Kitten
September 21, 2025
Getting a Grade 9 in your English Literature essay might feel like chasing Scrooge’s ghost of top grades—but I promise, it’s totally doable! Whether you’re writing about redemption, the supernatural, poverty, or that infamous turkey at the end, there is a method to the madness. Here’s how to absolutely sleigh (yes, pun intended!) your A Christmas Carol essay.
Table of Contents
🎯 Know the Message, Not Just the Plot
Yes, Scrooge is grumpy. Yes, the ghosts are spooky. But what’s Dickens really trying to say?
Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol as a social critique. He wanted to highlight the huge gap between rich and poor in Victorian England and call out the lack of compassion from the upper classes. So whatever the question, keep coming back to this big idea: Dickens is using characters and events to promote change—social, moral, and personal.
👉 Top Tip: Whenever you make a point, ask yourself, “Why did Dickens do this?” That’s the kind of analytical thinking examiners love.
📚 Don’t Forget: We’ve Got Free Notes!
To help you get to grips with every key event and character, we’ve created free downloadable notes for every stave. Each set breaks down:
Important plot points
Key quotes
Character development
And how it all links back to the big themes
Perfect for quick revision, essay planning, or just making sense of what on earth Marley’s ghost is going on about.
[📎 You can download them from the Primrose Kitten website – just search “A Christmas Carol” in the free resources section.]
🧠 Learn Killer Quotes (But Not Too Many)
You don’t need to memorise half the book (please don’t), but have a solid bank of versatile quotes. For example:
“Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?” – Great for themes of poverty, social injustice, and Scrooge’s attitude.
“I wear the chain I forged in life.” – Perfect for guilt, regret, and consequences.
“God bless us, every one!” – Ideal for themes of family, innocence, and hope.
👉 Top Tip: Pick multi-purpose quotes that you can twist to fit different questions.
🔍 Go Beyond PEE – Think PETAL or PETER
A simple PEE (Point, Evidence, Explain) is a start, but for a Grade 9, you need more depth.
Try PETAL:
Point
Evidence
Technique (what device is Dickens using?)
Analysis (zoom into words, explore connotations)
Link (back to the question/theme/message)
👉 Example:
Dickens presents Scrooge as emotionally detached through the metaphor “solitary as an oyster.” The simile suggests he’s closed off from the world, potentially hiding something soft or redeemable inside. Dickens might be implying that society shouldn’t give up on people like Scrooge—change is possible.
💭 Compare and Contrast Characters
Grade 9 answers don’t just talk about one character in isolation. Compare Scrooge with:
Fred (his cheerful nephew)
The Ghosts (his guides to change)
Bob Cratchit (his hardworking but underpaid employee)
👉 Top Tip: Contrasts highlight Dickens’s message. Scrooge’s coldness vs. Fred’s warmth shows how love and generosity bring joy—not money.
🧝♀️ Show Off With Context – But Keep It Relevant
You don’t need to dump a history lesson in your essay. Just sprinkle in context when it helps your point.
Example:
Dickens wrote during a time of extreme poverty and was influenced by his own childhood hardships. His father was sent to debtor’s prison, and Dickens worked in a factory at 12. This personal experience explains why he was so passionate about child poverty and injustice.
🧘♀️ Practise With Real Questions
Don’t just revise—write! Practice different types of essay questions and time yourself. Focus on:
Character questions (e.g. “How is Scrooge presented?”)
Theme questions (e.g. “How does Dickens present the theme of redemption?”)
Extract-based questions (e.g. close analysis of a short passage)
👉 Top Tip: Always refer to the extract and the wider text.
💬 Use Sophisticated Vocabulary (But Naturally)
Words like redemption, altruism, didactic, juxtaposition, and patriarchy (yes, even in Victorian times) show you’re thinking deeply. Just don’t use fancy words for the sake of it. If it doesn’t sound like you, leave it out.
Now go write like Tiny Tim’s watching. 💪
🔥 Top 5 Scrooge Quotes (with Analysis Tips)
1. “Bah! Humbug!”
When? Early in Stave 1.
Why it’s great: It captures Scrooge’s total rejection of joy, generosity, and anything vaguely festive.
Use for: Scrooge's cynicism, character at the start, rejection of Christmas spirit.
Analysis tip: This dismissive exclamation shows his cold, dismissive attitude—and can symbolise his rejection of human connection.
2. “If they would rather die, they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.”
Why it’s great: Shows the extent of his cruelty and social ignorance.
Use for: Attitudes to poverty, Victorian society, social responsibility, Scrooge’s transformation.
Analysis tip: Use this to contrast with his later regret—he quotes himself back to the Ghost of Christmas Present in horror, showing his guilt and change.
3. “I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.”
Why it’s great: The turning point in Scrooge’s redemption arc.
Use for: Transformation, redemption, Dickens’s message.
Analysis tip: The verb honour shows deep respect, and all the year shows lasting change—not just a seasonal fix.
4. “I am as light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I am as merry as a school-boy.”
Why it’s great: His joy is overflowing—he’s a new man.
Use for: Redemption, joy, celebration, transformation.
Analysis tip: The use of similes and childlike imagery shows his emotional rebirth and return to innocence.
5. “Scrooge was better than his word.”
When? Final lines of the novella.
Why it’s great: Dickens ends with clear proof that transformation is real and lasting.
Use for: Theme of change, morality, narrative structure.
Analysis tip: This ties up the novella’s message neatly: redemption isn’t just possible—it’s admirable and inspiring.
👻 What’s the Point of the Ghost of Christmas Past?
The Ghost of Christmas Past shows Scrooge scenes from his own earlier life—moments that shaped who he became. It’s not just about what happened, but how those memories help him reflect and begin to change.
💡 Key Purposes of the Ghost
1. To Make Scrooge Reflect on His Choices
Scrooge sees himself as a lonely child, and then later as a young man who chooses money over love (with Belle).
These moments force him to confront why he became so cold and bitter.
👉 Dickens is showing us that no one is born heartless—life and choices shape us.
2. To Spark Regret
The ghost doesn’t lecture him—it shows him.
Scrooge begins to feel guilt and sadness—essential steps for change.
When he sees Belle’s happy family, he realises what he’s lost.
3. To Build Empathy
By revisiting his younger self, Scrooge starts to feel empathy again—for himself, and later for others.
👉 This sets up his growing care for people like Tiny Tim and Bob Cratchit.
4. To Start the Process of Redemption
This is the first ghost, and the first crack in Scrooge’s icy exterior.
It prepares him emotionally for what the other ghosts will show—especially the harsh future to come.
✨ Symbolism of the Ghost
Candle-like appearance – represents illumination, memory, and the fragile nature of the past.
Changing face/age – shows that the past is made up of different stages of life.
👉 It’s not scary or threatening—this ghost is gentle but powerful.
In a Nutshell
The Ghost of Christmas Past helps Scrooge remember who he used to be—and what he lost along the way. It’s about reconnecting with his humanity, and it sets the emotional foundation for the rest of his transformation.
🎄 What’s the Point of the Ghost of Christmas Present?
The Ghost of Christmas Present shows Scrooge the world as it is right now—full of joy, family, kindness… and suffering he chooses to ignore. It’s all about waking Scrooge up to the realities of life beyond his counting-house.
💡 Key Purposes of the Ghost
1. To Show the Joy of Generosity
The ghost takes Scrooge to ordinary homes, like the Cratchits’ and his nephew Fred’s.
These people don’t have much, but they have love, laughter, and warmth.
👉 Dickens contrasts material wealth with emotional richness—happiness isn’t about money.
2. To Expose Injustice and Poverty
The Cratchits are poor but loving—especially with Tiny Tim, who’s disabled and unwell.
This confronts Scrooge with the real impact of his stinginess and low wages.
👉 When the ghost throws Scrooge’s own words (“surplus population”) back at him, it forces him to face his cruelty.
3. To Challenge Scrooge’s View of the World
The ghost shows that Christmas is about kindness and connection, not profit.
Even miners and sailors—people with nothing—celebrate with joy and unity.
👉 Dickens is asking: Why can’t wealthy people like Scrooge show the same humanity?
4. To Warn Him
At the end of this visit, the ghost reveals two creepy children: Ignorance and Want.
They symbolise society’s greatest dangers—poverty and lack of education.
👉 Dickens’s message is clear: ignoring the poor and vulnerable will destroy society.
✨ Symbolism of the Ghost
Dressed in green, surrounded by food – represents abundance, generosity, and the spirit of giving.
Lives only one day – symbolises the fleeting nature of the present, and the urgency to act now.
In a Nutshell
The Ghost of Christmas Present shows Scrooge what he’s missing and who he’s harming. It opens his eyes to the joy of connection, and the injustice of inequality. This ghost brings the reality check—and it hits hard.
🕯️ What’s the Point of the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come?
The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come (also known as the Ghost of Christmas Future) is the final and most terrifying spirit. Its purpose is to show Scrooge what will happen if he doesn’t change. It's not about scaring him for fun—it’s about giving him a final chance to transform.
💡 Key Purposes of the Ghost
1. To Show the Consequences of Scrooge’s Choices
The ghost doesn’t speak—just points—which makes the visit feel more ominous and serious.
Scrooge sees people reacting to someone’s death with relief, greed, or indifference… and then realises that person is him.
👉 Dickens is saying: If you live selfishly, you’ll die alone and unloved.
2. To Create Fear that Leads to Change
Fear can be powerful. This ghost doesn’t gently guide—it confronts.
The images are stark: a neglected grave, stolen belongings, and no one mourning.
👉 Scrooge’s fear of this future is what finally pushes him to act.
3. To Reinforce the Message of Redemption
Unlike the past or present, the future isn’t fixed.
The ghost gives Scrooge hope: if he changes his ways now, he can avoid this lonely ending.
👉 Dickens is sending a clear moral message—it’s never too late to change.
✨ Symbolism of the Ghost
Silent and hooded, like the Grim Reaper – represents death, the unknown, and judgement.
Dark and shadowy – mirrors Scrooge’s uncertain fate and the consequences of ignoring the world around him.
👉 It symbolises both fear and opportunity—the power to choose a different path.
In a Nutshell
The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is a warning. It shows Scrooge what his life will lead to if he continues down a selfish, uncaring path. But it also offers hope—by confronting this future, Scrooge finds the strength to change for good.
⭐ Key Characters in A Christmas Carol (and Why They Matter)
1. Ebenezer Scrooge
Who? The cold-hearted, greedy businessman who learns to change.
Why important? He’s the central figure—his transformation is the entire point of the novella.
Use for: Redemption, social responsibility, isolation, capitalism.
Top quote: “Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?” → “I will honour Christmas in my heart.”
2. Bob Cratchit
Who? Scrooge’s poor, kind-hearted clerk.
Why important? He represents the working poor—hardworking, grateful, loving, yet struggling to survive.
Use for: Poverty, family, kindness, injustice.
Top quote: “I’ll give you Mr. Scrooge, the Founder of the Feast.”
3. Tiny Tim
Who? Bob Cratchit’s youngest son, who is sick and disabled.
Why important? He symbolises the innocent victims of poverty and the importance of compassion.
Use for: Vulnerability, social reform, family, Christian values.
Top quote: “God bless us, every one!”
4. Fred (Scrooge’s Nephew)
Who? Scrooge’s cheerful, generous nephew who always invites him to Christmas dinner.
Why important? He’s the opposite of Scrooge—warm, forgiving, and joyful.
Use for: Family, festive spirit, forgiveness, contrast with Scrooge.
Top quote: “His wealth is of no use to him. He doesn’t do any good with it.”
5. Jacob Marley
Who? Scrooge’s old business partner, now a ghost doomed to wander in chains.
Why important? He acts as a warning, showing Scrooge what could happen if he doesn’t change.
Use for: Consequences of greed, supernatural, moral message.
Top quote: “I wear the chain I forged in life.”
6. The Three Ghosts
Each ghost is a symbolic guide to help Scrooge see the truth about himself and the world.
Past – Memory, regret, origins of Scrooge’s personality.
Present – Generosity, joy, inequality in society.
Yet to Come – Fear, consequences, choice.
You can write about them individually or group them to show how they each represent different stages of Scrooge’s journey.
7. Belle
Why important? She represents what Scrooge lost by choosing greed over love.
Dickens uses Belle to show how money can destroy relationships and personal happiness.
Use for: Love, regret, emotional sacrifice, morality.
Top quote: “Another idol has displaced me… a golden one.”
8. Fezziwig
Who? Scrooge’s old employer when he was an apprentice.
Why important? Fezziwig shows that you can be wealthy and kind—he throws joyful parties and treats his employees well.
He’s a symbol of good leadership and a moral contrast to Scrooge.
Use for: Joy, generosity, role models, contrast.
Top quote: “He has the power to render us happy or unhappy.”
9. The Two Portly Gentlemen
Who? Charity workers collecting donations for the poor.
Why important? Their polite request and Scrooge’s rude refusal highlight his selfishness and lack of compassion.
They also reappear at the end, showing how much he’s changed when he donates generously.
Use for: Social injustice, class divide, redemption, Victorian attitudes.
Top quote: “We should make some slight provision for the Poor and destitute.”
10. Ignorance and Want
Who? Two ragged, starving children hidden beneath the robe of the Ghost of Christmas Present.
Why important? They are allegorical figures, representing the worst consequences of Victorian society’s failure to care for the poor.
Dickens describes them as “yellow, meagre, ragged, scowling, wolfish”, emphasising how neglect and poverty dehumanise children.
Ignorance (lack of education and understanding) and Want (desperate poverty) are Dickens’s way of warning society: if you ignore these problems, things will get much worse.
Use for: Social injustice, poverty, education, Dickens’s message to readers.
Top quote: “This boy is Ignorance. This girl is Want. Beware them both… but most of all beware this boy.”
📚 Context: Thomas Malthus and A Christmas Carol
Who was Thomas Malthus?
Thomas Malthus (1766–1834) was an English economist and demographer.
He famously argued that population growth would always outstrip food supply, leading to widespread poverty, starvation, and suffering.
What did he believe?
Malthus thought the poor would always exist, and helping them (e.g. through charity or welfare) would just encourage them to have more children.
He believed society shouldn’t interfere—poverty was inevitable and part of natural population control.
🤢 Why Does This Matter in the Novel?
Dickens strongly disagreed with Malthusian thinking.
He believed poverty wasn’t caused by too many people—it was caused by greed, injustice, and lack of compassion.
Through A Christmas Carol, Dickens directly challenges these ideas.
💡 Essay Tip: Link to Scrooge
When Scrooge says, “If they would rather die, they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population,” he’s echoing Malthus’s ideas.
This makes Scrooge look cold, heartless, and inhumane—exactly what Dickens wanted readers to reject.
✨ In a Nutshell
Dickens uses Scrooge to critique Malthusian attitudes, showing that ignoring or blaming the poor is not only cruel but dangerous. Through Scrooge’s transformation, Dickens promotes kindness, generosity, and social responsibility instead.
🏚️ Context: Victorian Poverty in A Christmas Carol
What was poverty like in Victorian England?
In the 1800s, poverty was widespread, especially in growing industrial cities like London.
There was no NHS, no proper welfare system, and no minimum wage. If you were sick, unemployed, or disabled—you were likely to end up in the workhouse.
Children were often forced to work in dangerous jobs just to help their families survive.
💡 Dickens's View
Charles Dickens grew up in a poor family. When his father was sent to debtor’s prison, young Charles was sent to work in a factory.
He never forgot the suffering he saw—and he believed society had a duty to care for its poorest members.
A Christmas Carol was Dickens’s way of saying: “Look! This is what poverty does to people—and we can’t keep ignoring it.”
✨ Link to the Novel
The Cratchit family represent the “deserving poor”—hardworking, kind, and loving, yet still struggling.
Tiny Tim’s illness shows the dangers of poverty when there’s no support.
Ignorance and Want, the two ghostly children, are Dickens’s warning: if society continues to ignore poverty, the future will be grim.
📝 In Your Essay, You Could Say:
“Dickens uses the context of Victorian poverty to highlight the suffering caused by inequality. Through characters like Bob Cratchit and Tiny Tim, he criticises the lack of support for the poor and encourages compassion and generosity.”
🏛️ Context: Victorian Life, Society and Beliefs in A Christmas Carol
🏙️ 1. Victorian Society: Rich vs Poor
Victorian Britain was hugely unequal—there was a huge gap between the wealthy and the poor.
The upper classes lived in comfort, while the working class often lived in overcrowded slums, with poor sanitation and little medical care.
Many wealthy people believed poverty was the poor’s own fault—they were lazy or immoral.
👉 Dickens challenges this idea—he shows that poor people (like the Cratchits) can be kind, moral, and hardworking.
Society was very class-based. You were either rich or poor, and social mobility (moving up) was very rare.
People like Scrooge were expected to look after themselves and their money, not give it away.
👉 Dickens wanted readers to rethink social responsibility—he believed the rich should help the poor.
⛪ 3. Christian Beliefs and Morality
Christianity was central to Victorian life, but Dickens focused on practical Christianity—doing good, not just going to church.
He promoted values like kindness, charity, forgiveness, and redemption.
The novella’s message ties closely to the Christian idea of transformation—Scrooge goes from sinner to saviour.
👉 This makes A Christmas Carol more than a ghost story—it’s a moral lesson.
🕯️ 4. Belief in the Supernatural
Victorians were fascinated by ghosts and the supernatural.
Dickens uses ghosts not to frighten, but to teach lessons about life, death, and morality.
👉 The ghosts help Scrooge see the truth—and give readers a dramatic way to explore social issues.
✨ In a Nutshell
Dickens uses the context of Victorian life—its inequality, religion, and obsession with ghosts—to make a powerful point: we all have a duty to care for others. Through Scrooge’s transformation, Dickens calls for a more compassionate and just society.