Christmas and family

How Dickens explores Christmas, family and goodwill across the text, and why it matters to the text's meaning.
Where it appears, the key quotations that show it, and different ways it can be interpreted.
Evidence from the beginning, middle and end of the text.
How to use the lesson's key quotations in an essay, with a short worked paragraph.
Key quotations: 'a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time', 'The happiness he gives, is quite as great as if it cost a fortune', 'God bless us every one!', 'the Founder of the Feast', 'Will you let me in, Fred?', 'knew how to keep Christmas well'.
Context: the Victorian Christmas, and Dickens's part in shaping it.

What you need to know