Planning your responses

1. Planning your responses A Christmas Carol– text response

2. Scrooge is a bitter and lonely man because he chooses to be. Discuss. • It is important to find/build a word bank of vocabulary to use in response to the topic • You must focus on exploring these key terms, but you don’t want to use the same words over and over, so you need to find like terms/synonyms • The key words/ideas in this topic are: • Bitter and lonely – misanthropic, alienated, alone, hostile, resentful, cynical… • Chooses – choice, deliberate, prefers/preference, decide/decision, desire, wish, in his control/power… It is also good to consider the opposite meaning of these terms to show consideration of both sides of the topic • Bitter and lonely – kind, generous, social, benevolent… • Chooses – outside of his power/control, no influence over, externally influenced/shaped • You are marked on a varied and sophisticated vocabulary, so working on this as you go (and adding to your vocab book!) means that you should have these words in your mind by the time it comes to assessment

3. Scrooge is a bitter and lonely man because he chooses to be. Discuss. • It is ALWAYS a good idea to consider multiple interpretations of the topic • You are aiming for complex, insightful ideas – not simplistic ones • Solely supporting or disagreeing with the topic is simplistic – it means that you are ignoring other possibilities • Showing consideration of other interpretations of the topic shows depth of thought • You also obviously need to justify these ideas with evidence: • Quotes • Specific examples • Literary devices • And, try to link to the author’s views and values when appropriate

4. Scrooge is a bitter and lonely man because he chooses to be. Discuss. • Points that agree with this topic (Scrooge DID make choices/decisions that led to him becoming bitter and lonely): • Belle accuses Scrooge of choosing the “Golden idol” over her – “may you be happy in the life you have chosen” • He chooses to not go to Fred’s for Christmas dinner – “Bah humbug!” (dismissive of anything festive) • He prefers darkness because “it was cheap” – he deliberately makes decisions to make his life darker and colder • He “liked it” to walk along the “margins of life” • He deliberately pushes people away (e.g. the caroller) despite knowing what it is life from his childhood to be neglected • Points that disagree with this topic (Scrooge becoming bitter and lonely was outside of his control): • Scrooge’s lonely childhood could have influenced him to believe that this is the norm (unkind father etc.) • He believes that “nothing is as hard” as poverty and therefore has no choice but to focus on gaining and preserving his wealth • Remember to try to include at least one or two literary devices in your discussion • Scrooge’s lonely and bitter life is foreshadowed by Dickens when he talks about “where the shadow will fall” • The antitheses between Scrooge and others (e.g. Fred, Fan, Cratchit, Fezziwig) serves to emphasise his deterioration into the man he became later in life • Others??

5. Scrooge is a bitter and lonely man because he chooses to be. Discuss. • Topic sentence – this outlines your contention/argument for this paragraph based on the topic that you have been asked to discuss • It should reflect a complex interpretation of the topic • Examples: • Although Scrooge deliberately alienates himself later in life, he learned to choose a bitter and lonely life based on influences from his childhood that were outside of his control. • Scrooge’s misanthropy is clearly his preference in Stave One, but in Stave Two we learn that he became this way due to external influences which shaped his character. • Scrooge’s neglected childhood shapes him to believe that being alone is the norm, and thus as an adult he reinforces this idea through the choices he makes.

6. Scrooge is a bitter and lonely man because he chooses to be. Discuss. • Explanation and evidence – this is where you need to elaborate on your topic sentence and justify it with evidence • You need to link your facts (evidence) with your interpretations (explaining how the evidence justifies your topic sentence) • Use words like: Reinforce, Show, Emphasise, Highlight, Demonstrate, Depict, Illustrate, Reveal, Suggest, Imply, Indicate, Represent and so on to explain how the facts relate to the interpretations you have made in relation to the topic • Fact (evidence) + linking word + interpretation = how you write the bulk of your body paragraphs • Examples: • Scrooge endured a childhood of neglect where his only company were characters from stories such as “Ali Baba” and “Robin Crusoe” (fact). These experiences demonstrate that Scrooge came to see loneliness as the norm – a belief he carried with him later in life (interpretation). • Scrooge clearly chooses to be alone at Christmas (interpretation) as shown when he repeatedly dismisses Fred’s invitations to dinner with an abrupt “Bah humbug” (fact) • Belle’s conversation with Scrooge reveals the shifting of his values from wanting a loving relationship to preferring a “golden” idol (interpretation), which is highlighted in her regretful wish for Scrooge to “be happy in the life [he has] chosen” (fact)

7. Scrooge is a bitter and lonely man because he chooses to be. Discuss. • High level analysis will also look at: • The way the text is constructed to create meaning (i.e. how literary devices are used for effect in relation to the topic) • Example: Dickens deliberately juxtaposes the characters of Scrooge and Fred to emphasise the way Scrooge chooses to be alone at Christmas time, as shown when…(evidence) • The author’s views and values (beliefs/message in relation to the topic) • Example: Through witnessing Scrooge’s memories, we come to understand that although he endures hardships as a child, he allows these harsh life lessons to impact on him later in life when he does have control over his happiness. Dickens teaches us that it is important to learn from our past experiences and role models in order to make choices that enable us to become the person we want to be, rather than the person we allow ourselves to become when we remain bitter and hostile.

8. Scrooge is a bitter and lonely man because he chooses to be. Discuss. • Finally, the linking sentence • This is a summary statement that links your discussion back to the topic to reinforce your contention (1 or 2 sentences) • It usually begins with a word like Thus, Therefore, Hence, Clearly, Consequently, As a result, Accordingly… (but not always) • It should support your topic sentence and use key terms (or synonyms) from the topic • Example: Clearly, Scrooge’s childhood shaped his values and understanding of the way people treat each other in life and he comes to see neglect and loneliness as the norm. However, he allows these views to skew his ideas even as an adult, where he has the ability to make choices to improve his happiness but instead makes decisions that emphasise his bitterness and misanthropy.