A Christmas Carol 2007 Study Guide - Goodman Theatre

ctivity
OurNeighborhoods
Most of Dickens’ novels take place in London, the city in which he lived. He would often walk the streets, sometimes as many
as 10 or 20 miles at a time! Due to this, his descriptions of 19th Century London allow readers to experience the sights,
sounds, and smells of the city. Using the map below, find a neighborhood you know well, and write a description
of it. Try to include both tangible and intangible qualities such as the sights, sounds, and smells, but also feelings you get
while there and the atmosphere it has.
Chicago vs. Dickens’ London
The following questions ask you to think about Chicago in
relation to Dickens’ London. Use the information you
know about London and the experience you have in
Chicago to answer the questions.
• What similarities do you see between Dickens’
London and your Chicago? Does London have
any advantages over Chicago?
• If Scrooge were to move to Chicago, what
neighborhood do you think he would live in?
Why? Where would the Cratchits live?
• If you could change something about the way
Chicago is structured, what would it be?
• Do you think Chicago is divided? If so, along
what lines do these divisions exist? For
example, cultural, political, financial, etc.
• Color in on the map how you think Chicago is
divided. What effect does this division have on
the culture of Chicago?
• Do you think the CTA/public transportation
could play a role in bridging this divide? If so,
how?
• Look up pictures of Chicago in the late 1800s
on the internet. How has Chicago changed
over the years?
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Pictures from www.acweb.colum.edu and www.ucl.ac.uk