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 offer a great way of getting 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 who share a life experience with us or who are honest so that we can see their true personality.

In 'A 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 has Dickens made you have these reactions towards a fictional character?

In this activity, you will be asked 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.