Coming soon!
One of my subscribers is David Morse, a retired maths teacher, who has been tutoring an ASD student.
He has looked closely at what A Christmas Carol and An Inspector Calls have in common.
In particular, he has looked at Dickens’ and Priestley’s ideas.
Now comes the interesting innovation. He has written a paragraph structure for both, with common vocabulary and ideas.
What do you think?
The Writers’ Ideas
Dickens constructs Ebenezer Scrooge’s character as a capitalist caricature, who, at first is completely oblivious to the suffering and needs of those less fortunate than himself. He isolates and insulates himself from the day to day pain and suffering of those around him, and glibly blames them for their own difficulties, whilst absolving himself of any responsibility, by simply not conceiving that his own actions are in any way to blame.
JB Priestley constructs the Birling characters as Conservative capitalist caricatures, who, at first are completely oblivious to the suffering and needs of those less fortunate than themselves. They isolate and insulate themselves from the day to day pain and suffering of those around them, and glibly blame them for their own difficulties, whilst absolving themselves of any responsibility, by simply not conceiving that their own actions are in any way to blame.
Scrooge’s worldview is progressively challenged and changed by Marley’s ghost, and the ghosts of: Christmas Past; Christmas Present, and Christmas yet to come, who expose the consequences of Scrooge’s actions and his culpability for his capitalist self-obsession.
The Birlings’ worldview is progressively challenged and changed by the spectre of Inspector Goole who elicits from them testimonies against themselves that expose the consequences of their actions and their culpability for their capitalist self-obsession.
The same Scrooge, who earlier had abused and angrily turned away collectors of charity, has his eyes and heart opened by the cathartic cleansing of the ghosts’ revelations.
The younger generation of Birlings, who earlier had thought themselves to be above reproach and pillars of society, have their eyes and hearts opened by the cathartic cleansing of the Inspector’s cross-examination
He embraces his new world-view of benevolent, socialist care for all, and becomes like a “second father” to Tiny Tim, which inspires the audience towards having a benevolent and generous spirit towards others, less fortunate.
They embrace their new world-view of benevolent socialist care for all, “members of one body”, “responsible for one another”, which inspires the audience towards having a benevolent and generous spirit towards others, less fortunate.
The almost unspoken warning, however, is the shadow of the destiny of Marley’s Ghost, which serves to emphasise to the audience, the imperative of not being like him!
The almost unspoken warning, however, is the shadow of the resistance to change of the older generation, which serves to emphasise to the audience, the imperative of not being like them!
Dickens cleverly weaves a range of messages through this novella: the selfishness of the rich; the strength of character of the poor; and the opportunities for change, and redemption for even the cruellest character.
Priestley cleverly weaves a range of messages through this play: the selfishness of the rich; the strength of character of the poor; and the opportunities for change, and redemption for even the cruellest characters.
Love this! Thank you Dominic and David!