Here is some grade 9 analysis of the Ghost of Christmas Past I've used with tens of thousands of students to help them easily get the top grade in A Christmas Carol. A grade 9 keyword to use about the Ghost of Christmas Past is revelation. Now revelation just means revealing something that has been previously unknown.
So we can actually see that the Ghost of Christmas Past serves as a revelation for Scrooge. So revealing something unknown. Because the Ghost on Earth buried memories and...
hidden truths. So unearthed it like brings it to the surface. This therefore compels Scrooge to reflect on his past and reflect on these repressed emotions.
Repressed it means he's kind of like pushed it down he didn't want to acknowledge it. Now here is some grade nine analysis for a key quote for the Ghost of Christmas Past. Would you so soon put out with worldly hands the light I give?
So the first technique that we're gonna look at is this symbolism of light. So we can actually see that light is a symbol and it represents knowledge, memory, and then also self-awareness. So here, the light is used to think about physically and metaphorically to illuminate Scrooge's past and the lessons he's yet to learn from it, particularly wanting Scrooge to explore these repressed emotions that he has concealed from the years previously.
Also, the attempt to put out the light actually symbolizes Scrooge's want to resist confronting these painful memories. and these painful past experiences. He does not want to confront these repressed emotions and this actually reinforces how he is resistant to change and he's also resisting redemption. Redemption is being saved from sin and of course if we think about light is illuminating, he is then therefore rejecting the illumination of his past in order to be granted redemption. Just as a little bonus on this as well, you can also link it to like a motif of light.
So a motif is a recurring symbol or theme. So we can see this recurring symbol of light throughout this ghost and also the other ghost presentation. We've actually got a full breakdown on things like motif and really high level ideas simplified on the Light Up Hub if you want to get it.
I'll put a link in the bio to some free lessons below so you can claim them. And also in this quote, we can link the ghost to being the personification of memory. Now personification is if a person was to physically represent something.
So we can see that the ghost is a physical representation of memory. memory. So by speaking to Scrooge, the ghost actually personifies memory and embodies the experiences and the emotions that Scrooge has been neglecting.
This really helps propel Scrooge's change. Although he doesn't change with the Ghost of Christmas Past, we see in the Ghost of Christmas Present he's more receptive to the message because the Ghost of Christmas Past is slowly breaking down these walls and this kind of very cold exterior we see from Scrooge, which of course is very clearly depicted in stage one. So here are three other key quotes to show the ghost of Christmas past impact on Scrooge's transformation.
The school is not quite deserted, a solitary child neglected by his friends is still left there. So this of course linking to the repressed memories of Scrooge and his childhood. Remember repressed, he like puts it down, he doesn't want to face it. And we also get that similar repetition of solitary.
And think about what we hear solitary, we also hear Scrooge is called as solitary as an oyster to as a reader. the ghost of christmas past allows us to examine scrooge's past and how it affects his present a small matter to make these folks so full of gratitude so again the ghost christmas past is bringing up these repressed memories linking it to gratitude and showing the like jovial and positive atmosphere back in scrooge's old hometown again to try and remind scrooge of the emotions the positive emotions that are associated with community that scrooge has now ostracized himself from ostracized means like he's isolated another idol has displaced me a golden one now this is really significant because the ghost of christmas past actually shows scrooge's past failed marriage with his ex-wife bell bell is basically saying here that another idol has displaced her i.e scrooge is more focused on money than he is loving her and of course the fact that the ghost of christmas past brings up this very painful memory he's trying to bring up these repressed emotions to catalyze it's almost like kickstart scrooge's transformation you and for him to be granted access of redemption. Remember redemption? Being safe from sin.
So here are three grade nine Dickens's intentions that you can use in your next paragraph about the Ghost of Christmas Past. So Dickens uses the Ghost of Christmas Past to explore isolation, because of course we see Scrooge's isolation as a child, as a solitary child neglected by his friends, and of course that can draw parallels to how Scrooge is presented at current. So this actually illustrates the long lasting impact of negligence, and isolation.
So therefore, Dickens is suggesting that human connection is essential to the development of an individual, and particularly in developing compassion. individuals who favour social reform within society. Social reform is like positive change within society and of course we see in stage one and stage two Scrooge is anti-social reform because he just isolates himself from society which we can see as a consequence of his isolated childhood. The second intention is that the ghost serves as a function to encourage reflection. So through the ghost prompting Scrooge to have this self-reflection and reflect on these repressed desires, Dickens...
too is prompting his readership to have a little bit of self-reflection. He is illustrating that confronting one's past is a necessary step to moving forward. And just like the ghost is making Scrooge reflect on his past and his past experiences and how it's contributed to his present, Dickens was actually his reader to contribute and reflect on their contribution to social ills or social reform.
Of course this is a social commentary so Dickens is actually utilising the novella, novella is just a short story. to try and comment on society and try and encourage his readership to actually be favouring and participating in social reform. So that kind of reflection with Scrooge prompts that reflection in his readership.
And the third way that Dickens could use the ghost is exposing materialism. So of course the ghost of Christmas past shows Scrooge his past failed relationship as a consequence of Scrooge idolising materialism, so money and wealth, over relationships. So of course we could see this in the larger context of the novella about how dickens is trying to illustrate the detrimental so negative consequences of prioritizing materialism over individuals and helping others almost think of like this mini story within the whole context of a christmas carol about scrooge replacing his love for his love of money is really instrumental in us understanding that materialism can corrupt an individual if they are not compassionate benevolent, loving and then magnimonious which means like generous.
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