Authors often use themes in a novel to raise awareness of key issues at the time of writing.  They may also use themes to raise awareness of causes that are close to their hearts.  A theme is a recurring link through a novel that draws attention. 

In this activity, you will learn how to identify key themes in 'A Christmas Carol'.  Before we start, can you think of any themes that Dickens used in 'A Christmas Carol'?   If you know some of his other works, you may have spotted that there are recurring themes through many of Dickens' most famous works.

You should always refer to your own text when working through these examples.  These quotations are for reference only.