A Christmas Carol 2007 Study Guide - Goodman Theatre

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P rose Fit for a Ghost Exploring Dickens’ writing Below: Visions of Marley’s ghost on stage and film. It is required of every man…that the spirit within him should walk abroad “ among his fellowmen, and travel far and wide; and if that spirit goes not forth in life, it is condemned to do so after death. It is doomed to wander through the world...and witness what it cannot share, but might have shared on earth, and turned to happiness. […] I wear the chain I forged in life. I made it link by link, and yard by yard; I girded it on of my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it. Is its pattern strange to you? […] Or would you know the weight of the chain you bear yourself? It was full as heavy and as long as this, seven Christmas Eves ago. And you have laboured on it, since. ” - Ghost of Jacob Marley, A Christmas Carol What sort of mood does the text above evoke? Is it happy? Sad? Angry? What about the text makes you feel that way about it? Are there specific word choices or phrases that Dickens uses to build that mood? Dickens writes that “the spirit within [a man] should walk abroad his fellowmen.” What does this mean? Are there other parts of the text above that give you clues? Try reading the speech out loud. Does it read differently out loud than it does silently? Why do you think that is? What do you notice about the sounds of the words, rhythm and repetition? Why might a writer make specific choices for text and rhythm? Can you think of another author or song writer that uses word choices and/or rhythms that directly affect the story s/he is telling? How does s/he do this? 14 Pictures from www.viewimages.com, www.cedmagic.com, www.freerepublic.com and www.mbhs.edu
V ocabulary It does a conversation good Straight from the Play The following words can be found in the text of A Christmas Carol. How a word is used in the text—its context—can often help you figure out what the word means, even if you don’t know its exact definition. Hint: familiar words and phrases near the unknown word in a sentence can help! scuttle liberality solemnized destitute annum heresy keenly surplus shillings dismal homage melancholy busker gruel forbearance tuppence fathom apparition beguiled shun benevolence ponderous frivolity reclamation sobriety mince pie spectacle dowry bedlam vexed farthing sanctimoniously “ The only proper intoxication is conversation. Activity The Dictionary Game ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ”- Oscar Wilde Instructions Your teacher selects a word from the list to the left. You and your classmates use identical pieces of paper to write your own made-up definitions of the word, making them sound like “real” dictionary definitions. (Hint: try to sound as “professional” as you can.) Don’t let anyone else see! Turn your definitions into your teacher, who also has a copy of the actual definition. S/he reads all of the definitions aloud once so everyone can hear them, then on the second reading you and your classmates vote on which definition is actually from the dictionary. (This is why you want your definition to sound “real,” even if you don’t know what the word really means.) You score one point for every person who votes for your definition, and two points if you choose the actual dictionary definition. The student with the most points at the end of the game is the winner! Think About It: Word Imaging Read some of the vocabulary words aloud. Do their sounds influence what you think their definitions might be? Why? Choose one word and draw how it sounds on a piece of paper. What images do you think of when you hear the word? What emotions? Share your “word imaging” with your classmates, then look up the actual definition to see if your picture fits. 15 Pictures from www.fotosearch.com and www.theovergrownpath.blogspot.com
Page 1 and 2: Goodman Theatre Student Subscriptio
Page 3 and 4: Table of Contents Welcome to the St
Page 5 and 6: Exploring the Production 5
Page 7 and 8: W illiam Brown The director The Dir
Page 9 and 10: Before being elected president of S
Page 11 and 12: Exploring the Text 11
Page 13: ctivity Novel Match-Up Dickens publ
Page 17 and 18: G host Stories Who you gonna call?
Page 19 and 20: Exploring the Context 19
Page 21 and 22: D A divided city ickens’ London L
Page 23 and 24: ctivity OurNeighborhoods Most of Di
Page 25 and 26: W Humbug! Bah! Humbug! Bah Hum Bah!
Page 27 and 28: ctivity Scrooge’s Campaign for Ma
Page 29 and 30: Exploring the Social Issues 29
Page 31 and 32: There are still thousands of househ
Page 33 and 34: P overty in Chicago A city of homel
Page 35 and 36: ctivity Christmas Around the World
Page 37 and 38: T he Power of Art Can creativity ch
Page 39 and 40: Stocking Stuffers A little somethin
Page 41 and 42: cemetery where Tiny Tim is buried.
Page 43: W riting Your Response Letter After

A Christmas Carol 2007 Study Guide - Goodman Theatre

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