Analyse the Role of Key Characters and Their Development in 'A Christmas Carol'

Have you ever read a book and decided that you like or dislike the characters within it?  

What made you feel like this?  Is it the language they use, the way they behave or just a feeling?

Authors use characters in novels to engage with their readers, they provide a great way to get an emotional response from a reader.  

The most successful authors manage to create an understanding between the character and the reader so that you feel that you know the fictional character.  As a reader, we often relate to characters that share life experience with us or who are honest and we can see their true personality.

In 'Christmas Carol' the role of the characters is pivotal.  The differing characters and their circumstances mean there is something for all of us to relate to.  You may find that there were characters that you didn't warm to at the start but by the end, you were rooting for them?  Think about why you feel this way, how had Dickens made you have these reactions to a fictional character?

In this worksheet, you will be able to identify and analyse key characters in 'A Christmas Carol'.

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