STUDY GUIDE
ASF.NET 334.271.5353
A CHRISTMAS
CAROL
Directed by Rick Dildine
Based on the work of Charles Dickens
[ELA21.W.6.1] Write arguments to support claims with clear
reasons and relevant evidence.
[ELA22.W.6.2] Write informative or explanatory texts to examine
a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through
the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.
[ELA15.RI.6.5] Analyze how a particular sentence, paragraph,
chapter, or section ts into the overall structure of a text and
contributes to the development of the ideas.
[ELA16.RI.6.6] Determine an author’s point of view or purpose
in a text and explain how it is conveyed in the text.
[ELA12.RI.9-10.3] Analyze how the author unfolds an analysis
or series of ideas or events, including the order in which the
points are made, how they are introduced and developed, and
the connections that are drawn between them.
[ELA4.RL.11-12.4] Determine the meaning of words and
phrases as they are used in the text, including gurative and
connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specic word
choices on meaning and tone, including words with multiple
meanings or language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or
beautiful. (Include Shakespeare as well as other authors.)
[ELA5.RL.11-12.5] Analyze how an author’s choices concerning
how to structure specic parts of a text (e.g., the choice of where
to begin or end a story, the choice to provide a comedic or tragic
resolution) contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well
as its aesthetic impact.
[ELA7.RL.11-12.7] Analyze multiple interpretations of a story,
drama, or poem (e.g., recorded or live production of a play or
recorded novel or poetry), evaluating how each version interprets
the source text. (Include at least one play by Shakespeare and
one play by an American dramatist.)
TH.Re7.1 Perceive and analyze artistic work.
TH.Re8.1 Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.
TH.Re9.1 Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work.
TH.Cn10.1 Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal
experiences to make art.
TH.Cn11.1 Relate artistic ideas and works with societal,
cultural and historical context to deepen understanding.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS STANDARDS cont.
ALABAMA COURSE OF STUDY:
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS STANDARDS
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NATIONAL CORE ARTS ANCHOR STANDARDS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Study Guide by Cameron Williams
Artistic Coordinator
DEAR EDUCATORS:
Welcome to Season 52 at Alabama Shakespeare Festival! The amount of effort it takes to coordinate a trip from the classroom
to the theater is not lost on us. Thank you for recognizing the value of live theatre for your students! We at ASF believe in the
transformative power of the arts and its ability to educate, entertain, and inspire.
ASF is committed to supporting educators in the classroom. By engaging with this play and all others in our regular season,
teachers will be able to address several standards in the state and national curriculum. It is our hope that all study materials
and lesson activities are useful for classroom educators, though not exhaustive.
Viewing a performance at Alabama Shakespeare Festival and participating in the post-performance discussion can serve as a
powerful springboard for positive classroom discourse, detailed and specic writing, and rich individual student exploration.
Below you will nd just a few of the possibilities for aligning your study of our productions to National Core Arts and Alabama
Course of Study literacy standards.
See you at the theater!
Brandy Blackburn, Graphic Designer
Copy Editing by Leigh Owen, Marketing Manager
Plot, Characters, and Setting pg 3 - 4
The Impact Of The Industrial Revolution pg 5
Themes In The Play pg 6
References To Know pg 7
About The Author / Meet The Adapter pg 8
Origins Of Christmas pg 9
December Holiday Traditions Around The World pg 10
Classroom Resources pg 11
Additional Activities and Resources pg 12
PLOT, CHARACTERS, AND SETTING
PLOT
Think about it: Scrooge’s personality changes signicantly from the beginning
to the end of the play. Can you think of a few character traits that describe him at
the beginning of the play and a few that describe him by the end? Discuss.
“Bah! Humbug!”
This classic tale chronicles one fateful night in the life of a bitter old miser named Ebeneezer Scrooge, a tight-sted
penny-pincher who owned a counting house. The play begins with a chorus of storytellers joyfully singing and sharing
good cheer. That is, until a funeral procession makes way with only one mourner following. The mourner opens the casket
one nal time, and with a slam, everything goes black. Time jumps forward to one Christmas Eve, with Londoners bustling
with last-minute errands to prepare for a warm holiday. Scrooge and Bob Cratchit close up shop for the evening.
The juxtaposition of Cratchit’s joyful journey home and Scrooge’s sad journey is stark.
Scrooge scorns a group of charity men. He scares away a children’s chorus of carolers singing outside. “Bah! Humbug.”
As Ebenezer arrives home, fog descends upon the town, making it very difcult to see. He places his key in the door
when Marley’s face suddenly appears in the door knocker. The doorknob with the key inserted shockingly becomes a
hand that reaches out to grab him by the collar. Scrooge screams and retreats. As quickly as these anomalies appeared,
they vanished. Startled but still skeptical, Ebenezer heads for the bedroom and falls asleep.
Marley’s Ghost
Scrooge is surprisingly awakened by clanging bells, which are succeeded by a clunking noise deep down below, as if
some person were dragging a heavy chain over the casks in the wine merchant’s cellar. The cellar door ies open with a
booming sound, and then the ghost of his old business partner, Marley, comes straight toward Ebenezer’s door. He warns
Ebenezer of his transgressions and explains that three spirits will visit him.
The Three Spirits
Failing to take Marley’s warning seriously, Scrooge drifts off to sleep but is quickly stirred awake by more terrifying
ghostly visits. Scrooge begins to realize the error of his ways: “Are these the shadows of the things that will be, or are
they shadows of the things that may be only?” After a cleansing snowstorm, Scrooge suddenly awakens and nds out it’s
Christmas Day! He has completely transformed. He hires a young girl to bring the Cratchits a prize turkey. He pledges
money to the charity men.
The End of It
Scrooge goes to church, walks about the streets, watches the people hurrying around him, pats children on the head, and
questions beggars. He then looks down into the kitchens of houses and up to the windows and nds that everything could
yield him pleasure. He had never dreamed that any walk—that anything—could give him so much happiness.
The next morning, he pledges to raise Bob Cratchit’s salary and help with his family. Scrooge was better than his word. He
became as good a friend, as good a boss, and as good a man as the good old city knew, or any other good old city, town,
or borough in the good old world. The storytellers speak of this cosmic transformation before vanishing into the night.
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John Leech’s illustration of Marley’s ghost, from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol
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PLOT, CHARACTERS, AND SETTING
CHARACTERS
The Scrooges
Ebenezer Scrooge – A wealthy businessman
Fred – Ebenezer’s nephew
Jane – Fred’s wife
Fan – Younger sister to Ebenezer, Fred’s mother.
Boy Ebenezer – Mr. Scrooge as a child, sullen and lonely
The Cratchits
Bob Cratchit – Counting house clerk. Lives in a
four-room house with his wife and children.
Mrs. Cratchit – Bob Cratchit’s loving wife
Martha – The eldest daughter to Bob and Mrs. Cratchit
Peter – The eldest son to Bob and Mrs. Cratchit
Belinda – A Cratchit kid
Charlotte – A Cratchit kid
Thomas – A Cratchit kid
Tiny Tim – The youngest Cratchit son.
Tiny Tim is crippled and very ill.
Londoners
Mr. Fezziwig – Scrooge’s rst employer
Mrs. Fezziwig – His adoring wife
Dick Wilkins – A former friend of Scrooge and fellow
apprentice of Mr. Fezziwig
Isabelle – Ebenezer’s beloved
SETTING
Christmas. London, England. Victorian era. 1843.
cont.
Other characters: The charity men, Topper, party guests,
street children, merchants, townspeople, carolers
Londoners cont.
Old Joe – A dealer of stolen goods
Mrs. Dilber – A charwoman
Turkey Girl – A young child who meets Scrooge in the
street
Storytellers – A chorus of actors who represent the
collective voice of Charles Dickens
Spirits
Jacob Marley – Ghost of Scrooge’s old business partner
Ghost of Christmas Past – Visits Scrooge to show him
memories of the past
Ghost of Christmas Present– Visits Scrooge to show
him moments in the present
Ghost of Christmas Future – Visits Scrooge to show him
what is to come
Ignorance – A child spirit who torments Scrooge
Want – A child spirit who torments Scrooge
Costume sketches for A Christmas Carol 2023 by Kathleen Geldard
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THE IMPACT OF THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
The Industrial Revolution in London brought
about many changes: a booming economy,
advances in medicine, science, and
engineering, and rapid growth in population.
During this time, England moved from being an
agricultural economy to becoming the world’s
rst industrial giant. The lightning pace of these
developments also brought along innumerable
challenges. The labor force, including children
as young as nine years old (some were orphans
with little choice but to work for food), was
severely overworked and underappreciated.
Those who owed debts and could not pay were
often thrown into prison. This is the backdrop
Dickens paints for us in his novel. He brilliantly
weaves in the levels of greed and poverty in
Victorian England’s society.
Industrial Revolution Printing Press
William Darton’s cotton spinning mill, Holborn Hill, London, 1820
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THEMES IN THE PLAY
Charles Dickens grew up a product of sudden poverty in Victorian-era
London and was adamant about illustrating the harsh realities of greed
versus poverty and the plight of poor children in his writing. A Christmas
Carol beautifully depicts the author’s social commentary on this inequity
in society in the 19th century—a gap that still largely exists today.
Scrooge’s pursuit of wealth shapes him into such a miser that he refuses
to even allow his clerk to have enough coal to keep him warm. His greed
keeps those employed or indebted to him—especially Bob Cratchit and
his family—poor and nearly desolate. Scrooge chooses his business
over family, love, and charity. He believed the poor deserved their fate
and that workhouses and prisons were sufcient for their care. Tiny Tim
provides a layer of humanity as a helpless victim of his circumstances.
Think about it: Does any of Charles Dickens’ social commentary on
19th century London ring true in the present day? Explain.
GREED & POVERTY
Rodney Clark, left, as Scrooge and
Brik Berkes, right, as Marley’s Ghost
in ASF’s 2017 production of
A Christmas Carol
Charles Dickens uses the concept of the ghosts or “spirits” to show
Scrooge the effect of his unpleasant behavior on those around him,
illuminate the origin of his dreadful disposition, and reveal his ultimate
fate if he does not change. This creates dramatic tension for the
audience (even though it’s a well-known tale) in anticipation that
Scrooge will recognize the error of his ways and seek redemption.
Feeling ashamed and broken, Scrooge longs to take back his words. A
deus ex machina — or sudden change of events — lands Scrooge back
in his bedroom the morning after this supernatural experience, with just
enough time to correct all his wrongdoing. He is given a second chance
and transformed from a “squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping,
clutching, covetous old sinner” who once called Christmas a “humbug”
to a benevolent and generous friend to all.
Greta Lambert in ASF’s 2020 streaming
production of A Christmas Carol.
Photo by Frank C. Williams
TRANSFORMATION & REDEMPTION
REFERENCES TO KNOW
Clergyman – A male religious leader or priest
Undertaker – A person who prepares the deceased for burial
Tight-sted – Being unwilling to spend or share any wealth
Humbug – Someone or something that is deceptive; a fraud
Counting House – A building or ofce where nancial books
of a business are kept
Apprentice – A person who works for another in exchange
for instruction
“Dead as a Doornail” – An idiom referring to something
assuredly dead; nished
Waggish – playful or mischievous humor
Spectre – a ghost or vision
Executor – the person in charge another person’s estate upon their death
Apparition – a ghost or other human-like spirit
Celestial – part of the heavens
Christmas Pudding – a traditional British holiday dessert containing
dried fruit; usually served warm
Blind Man’s Buff – a children’s game involving a blindfolded player
who tries to catch others, similar to Marco Polo or tag.
Chamber – a private room in a person’s home, usually a bedroom
Charwoman – cleaning woman
Workhouse – Victorian institution for the poor and homeless
Poulterer – a person that specializes in breeding or selling poultry
or game meats
Farthings, shillings, sovereign, pounds — British money
Coal Scuttle – a metal pan used to carry coal
Marley’s Ghost by Arthur Rackham. 1915
A lion’s head door knocker rmly afxed — as if
keeping watch—to 10 Downing Street, home of the
UK Prime Minister. Door knockers like this are still
very popular in England.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR / MEET THE ADAPTER
CHARLES DICKENS - AUTHOR
Charles Dickens was a prolic novelist who penned beloved classics such as
The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Great Expectations, and A Christmas Carol. Dickens is
widely regarded as one of the most inuential writers of the 19th century. He was a social
activist, who often depicted the harsh realities of the social class system in Victorian-era
England.
Charles Dickens was born Charles John Huffam Dickens on February 7, 1812 in
Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. His early literary alias was “Boz.” His father was a
clerk in the navy pay ofce, but his ineptitude often brought the family nancial
embarrassment. He would later wind up in prison for unpaid debt. At age 12, Dickens
was taken out of school and sent to work in a factory to support his family. He got his
start as a writer working as a clerk in a solicitor’s ofce, then a shorthand reporter in the
legal system, and eventually as a parliamentary and newspaper reporter.
Dickens had dreams of becoming an actor before being a poet and novelist, but his
ability to capture audiences with his writing prowess soon gathered great intensity —
beginning with his massively successful rst novel, Pickwick Papers. It took him only
six weeks to write A Christmas Carol, a piece of literature that forever impacted the
popularity of the Christmas holiday. This bolstered his popularity from that of a well-liked
writer to a renowned public gure. He would travel the world toward the end of his life to
give readings of his works. Charles Dickens died on June 9, 1870 (at 58 years old).
Think about it: Charles Dickens began working at the young age of
twelve. Do some research to learn more about child labor in Victorian-era
England. What types of jobs did you nd? Discuss.
RICK DILDINE - ADAPTER
Rick Dildine (Director, Adapter) is the fourth Artistic Director of Alabama Shakespeare
Festival. ASF directing credits include Every Brilliant Thing, The Sound of Music,
Romeo & Juliet, Steel Magnolias, Alabama Story, Macbeth, A Christmas Carol, Little
Shop of Horrors, The Tempest, Cabaret, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and this
original adaptation of A Christmas Carol. Previously, Dildine served as Artistic Director
of Shakespeare Festival St. Louis where, during his tenure, the organization received
numerous awards including the Arts Organization of the Year from the Missouri Arts
Council, Exemplary Community Achievement Award from the Missouri Humanities
Council, and the prestigious Excellence in the Arts Award from the Arts & Education
Council of Greater St. Louis. Dildine has held leadership positions at Shakespeare &
Company, About Face Theatre, Stephen Foster Theatre, and Brown University/Trinity
Rep New Plays Festival under the direction of Pulitzer Prize winner Paula Vogel. Dildine
has traveled on TCG delegations to Cuba and China and served on numerous grant
panels including the National Endowment for the Arts. He is a graduate of Ouachita
Baptist University and Brown University/Trinity Rep with an MFA in Acting and is a proud
member of Actors’ Equity Association and the Society of Directors and Choreographers.
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ORIGINS OF CHRISTMAS
The origins of Christmas date back to the fourth century and are thought to have derived from Roman and other
European festivals that marked the end of the winter solstice. This day is often correlated with the birth of Jesus Christ,
as many scholars believe his birth took place sometime during the winter solstice; the exact date is still widely debated.
In the Christian faith, Christmas is the solemn and historical celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Still today, it is
recognized around the world both as a religious and cultural celebration.
Around the fourth century, the legend of St. Nicholas, a Christian bishop who dedicated his life to service, quickly spread
across Europe and around the world. Although much of his history is unconrmed — as are many of the miracles
attributed to him—several countries have coined him their patron saint. By the 12th century, the Feast of St. Nicholas (or
St. Nicholas Day) was observed on December 6th in most European countries. And, because St. Nicholas Day and
Christmas Day were so close together, their traditions were often combined.
St. Nicholas rst entered American popular culture with Dutch settlers, who brought along their tradition of honoring the
anniversary of the death of “Sint Nikolaas” (Dutch for St. Nicholas) or “Sinter Klaas” for short, which would eventually
evolve into the name “Santa Claus.” Americans wouldn’t fully embrace Christmas until the 19th century. Around this
time, Charles Dickens had begun traveling the world doing recitations of his classic holiday tale, A Christmas Carol.
The story’s central message about charity and spreading goodwill toward mankind began to have a great impact on the
culture of kindness toward humanity during this time of year. This day also provided families with an opportunity to reward
their children with lavish gifts without appearing to “spoil” them. Many of these early traditions have endured for centuries.
Think about it: Spread a little holiday cheer! Identify charities in your
community that offer assistance to people during the holidays. Are you involved
with any? Ask around to see how you could volunteer or get involved!
The name “Santa Claus” began in the United States and was rst depicted as an
elf until Coca-Cola ads began portraying him as human-sized in 1931.
In the Middle Ages, Christmas was celebrated a lot more like today’s Mardi Gras
festivals, with raucous celebrations and parties.
“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” rst appeared in 1939 when Montgomery Ward
department store asked one of its copywriters, Robert L. May, to create a Christmas
story the store could give away to shoppers as a promotional gimmick.
Christmas Day, December 25, was declared a federal holiday in the United States
on Sunday, June 26, 1870.
Per the National Christmas Tree Association, approximately 25-30 million real
Christmas trees are sold in the United States alone. Christmas trees are grown in
all 50 states and Canada.
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DECEMBER HOLIDAY TRADITIONS AROUND THE WORLD
Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of
Lights, is an eight-day Jewish celebration
that commemorates the rededication of the
Second Temple in Jerusalem following the
Maccabean Revolt. Celebrations revolve
around lighting the menorah and adding a
candle each of the eight nights after
sundown. The candles lit on Hanukkah
symbolize the miraculous oil found in the
temple, which burned for eight nights.
HANUKKAH
According to the National Museum of
African American History and Culture,
Kwanzaa (a holiday that began in 1966) is a
festival observed by some African Americans
as a celebration of unity, self-determination,
collective work and responsibility,
cooperative economics, purpose, creativity,
and faith. The ideas and concepts of
Kwanzaa are expressed in the Swahili
language. Celebrations include the daily
lighting of the Kinara, singing, dancing,
storytelling, and poetry; the holiday
concludes with a large feast on the nal day.
KWANZAA
Boxing Day, celebrated largely in parts of
Great Britain, is a holiday observed the
day after Christmas. The name originally
derives from a time when wealthy
people would box up gifts to share with
the poor. It was historically a day when
all servants and tradesmen were
presented with “Christmas Boxes” from
their employers—usually gifts of money
or other goods in return for loyal service
throughout the year—to take home to
their families.
BOXING DAY
Three Kings Day is celebrated at the
conclusion of the Twelve Days of Christmas
(actually celebrated on January 6), a day
known as the Epiphany, when the three wise
men traveled with gifts of gold, frankincense,
and myrrh for the baby Jesus. This day is
celebrated mostly in Eastern Europe, Spain,
and Latin America. In Spanish culture, many
children receive their Christmas presents on
this day. They may leave a box with hay
underneath their beds for the three kings to
leave good presents or bake a delicious “kings’
cake” or la galette des rois for a celebratory
feast — bakers would often hide a little prize
inside the cake, and whoever nds it is
granted good luck and pronounced “king”
for the day.
THREE KINGS DAY
Think about it: What are some holiday traditions your family celebrates?
Do you think any of those traditions are related to events and/or actions in A
Christmas Carol?
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CLASSROOM RESOURCES
1. Do you believe in the supernatural? If you were offered the opportunity to see what the future might hold for your
life, would you take it? Why or why not? Explain.
2. What do you already know about A Christmas Carol? When you get to the theater, observe what you see. Does the
set look like the world you imagine?
1. How does this adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic tale compare to what you expected before seeing the
production? Was there anything different about this retelling than what you remembered? Anything surprise you?
Explain.
2. Put yourself in Scrooge’s shoes. Imagine you are swept away to revisit your past and future. Can you pinpoint a
dening moment the ghosts would take you to see in your past? How would you feel about what you saw? If you
could, what would you want to know about your future, or would you rather wait for it to happen? Why? Explain.
3. What does Ebenezer Scrooge ultimately learn by the end of the play? How do we know he has truly changed?
Why is this story still relevant today? Cite specic evidence from the play.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
PRE-SHOW DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
POST-SHOW DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. On your feet: Moving timeline! Test your students’ knowledge of the order of events in A Christmas Carol. Divide
the class into two groups. Give each group a long sheet of butcher paper (if you have access), markers, pencils,
etc., and plenty of space to work. Print and cut a set of the Order of Events cards (attached below) for each group.
When you’re ready to begin, have the separate groups make their best attempt to organize the events
chronologically on the sheet of butcher paper. Use the answer key (attached) to check for accuracy. The groups
should glue or tape their timeline to the sheet of butcher paper and add an illustration or symbol to accompany each
event in their timeline (use the butcher paper for this). Set a timer. When everyone is nished, have each group hold
up their “moving” timelines and share.
Variation: After completing the timeline activity, have the groups devise three tableaus, illustrating
imagery of the beginning, middle, and end of the story. You could add improvised dialogue and/or use
original text! You could add props or costumes! Keep layering!
2. At your desk: Persuasive writing! Imagine Scrooge was never visited by the spirits. Think about the tactics Jacob
Marley uses to warn Scrooge of what is to come. Write a letter to Scrooge convincing him to change his ways.
Be persuasive. Use evidence from what you know about his circumstances before Marley’s ghost appears.
Variation: For high school students, have them write Scrooge’s epitaph, obituary, or eulogy. First, imagine
Scrooge had not changed his ways before he died. What would be said about him? Then, write an alternate
version knowing what you learned about Scrooge’s redemption at the end of the play. Share. Discuss.
Teachers: You will nd additional classroom activity sheets attached below!
Use them however you like. Please let us know if you nd these helpful or
have other ideas for additional resources.
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ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES AND RESOURCES
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES
ADDITIONAL ONLINE RESOURCES
Anticipation Activity
Order of Events Cards: A Christmas Carol
Responding to Live Theatre: A Christmas Carol Critical Response
Visit Charles Dickens’ Birthplace
www.charlesdickensbirthplace.co.uk/index.htm
Daily Life in the Victorian Era
https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/story-of-england/victorian/daily-life/
Why You Should Read Charles Dickens (TED-Ed video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5czA_L_eOp4
Book a LIVE Virtual Tour of the Charles Dickens Museum in London
https://dickensmuseum.com/blogs/overseas/virtual-explorer-tour
Read A Christmas Carol ONLINE
https://www.read.gov/books/pageturner/2003bit37729/#page/14/mode/2up
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ANTICIPATION ACTIVITY: AGREE or DISAGREE (MIDDLE SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL)
Before you see the show, respond to the following statements as honestly as possible by
circling your response. Then, explain your answer with an example.
SA – Strongly Agree, A – Agree, D – Disagree, SD – Strongly Disagree
Teachers: A variation of this activity: “Four Corners.” Make signs with the SA, A, SD, and D labels. Then, ask the students to stand in
the middle of the classroom. Repeat each question aloud (or create new ones) and allow them to move to the corner of the room that
best represents their opinion. Discuss.
STATEMENT #1: Reecting on the past can be both traumatic and therapeutic.
STATEMENT #2: People who wish to be left alone should be left alone.
STATEMENT #3: Your fate is sealed no matter the choices you make.
STATEMENT #4: It’s better to struggle in silence and share your success in public.
Explain your answer with an example:
Explain your answer with an example:
Explain your answer with an example:
Explain your answer with an example:
SA A D SD
SA A D SD
SA A D SD
SA A D SD
ORDER OF EVENTS CARDS (MIDDLE SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL)
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
TIMELINE ACTIVITY
Directions: Print and cut out these cards to use with the
On Your Feet activity on page 11.
Scrooge witnesses the death of an “unknown” man.
Scrooge is visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past.
Scrooge refuses to give to the charity men.
Scrooge is redeemed, becomes a second father to Tiny Tim, and celebrates
Christmas for the rest of his life.
Scrooge is visited by the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.
Scrooge scares off a chorus of children out caroling.
Scrooge revisits his childhood.
Scrooge realizes the error of his ways.
Scrooge is visited by the Ghost of Christmas Present.
Scrooge makes Bob Cratchit work in the cold on Christmas Eve.
Scrooge is haunted by Marley.
Scrooge is taken to see the Cratchit family on Christmas Day and observes their
tiny feast.
**see answer key on next page.
ORDER OF EVENTS CARDS (MIDDLE SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL)
A Christmas Carol Timeline Activity - ANSWER KEY
1. Scrooge makes Bob Cratchit work in the cold on Christmas Eve.
2. Scrooge refuses to give to the charity men.
3. Scrooge scares off a chorus of children out caroling.
4. Scrooge is haunted by Marley.
5. Scrooge is visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past.
6. Scrooge revisits his childhood.
7. Scrooge is visited by the Ghost of Christmas Present.
8. Scrooge is taken to see the Cratchit family on Christmas Day and observes their tiny feast.
9. Scrooge is visited by the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.
10. Scrooge witnesses the death of an “unknown” man.
11. Scrooge realizes the error of his ways.
12. Scrooge is redeemed, becomes a second father to Tiny Tim, and celebrates
Christmas for the rest of his life.
RESPONDING TO LIVE THEATRE (HIGH SCHOOL)
Directions: Imagine you are the ofcial theatre critic for this production at ASF! For each area of the
production, give thoughtful and honest feedback. Be specic and answer each prompt using complete
sentences. Use the back of the page if necessary.
I. Playwright/Story
Use the space below to discuss elements of the story. What worked well? Did anything strike you
negatively?
II. Performance/Acting
Use the space below to give constructive feedback about the actors’ performances in the production.
Was there a performer whom you particularly enjoyed? What could have been better?
III. Directing
Use the space below to discuss the overall direction and interpretation of this production. Remember,
nothing happens by accident. Did anything surprise you?
IV. Technical Elements
Use the space below to discuss the lighting, sound, scenery, and costumes for this production. Were
you transported to a different time/place? Did these elements effectively serve the story? Explain.
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
CRITICAL REVIEW
