A Christmas Carol - The Ghost of Christmas Past - teaching resource

A Christmas Carol – The Ghost of Christmas Past

(15-slide editable PowerPoint with 4 worksheets)

This GCSE English Literature lesson focuses on Dickens’ presentation of the Ghost of Christmas Past in Stave Two of A Christmas Carol. Designed for KS4 learners, the 15-slide fully editable PowerPoint and four accompanying worksheets guide students through close reading, character analysis, and thematic interpretation, developing a deeper understanding of this mysterious figure and its symbolic role.

The Ghost of Christmas Past represents a fascinating blend of contradictory qualities — innocence and wisdom, gentleness and power — and this resource helps learners explore Dickens’ intentions in shaping its unusual appearance and purpose.

The lesson begins with a differentiated Do Now starter activity, encouraging learners to revise key characters, quotations, and ideas from Stave One.

Learners then read from “When Scrooge awoke, it was so dark…” down to “…to wear it low upon my brow”, focusing on:

• How Dickens presents the Ghost’s appearance and behaviour

• Why Scrooge wants the Spirit to put on its extinguisher cap

• How this moment develops themes of memory, regret, and transformation

Following the reading, learners interpret the Ghost’s description using a visual clues activity, supporting inference and symbolic understanding.

The lesson concludes with a differentiated review, where learners examine three images and explain how they relate to Scrooge’s character and emotional journey.

Perfect for classroom teaching, intervention, revision, or exam preparation, this resource helps students analyse Dickens’ characterisation, symbolism, and narrative techniques, supporting success in the GCSE English Literature exam.

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