I'm not quite sure how I can talk about context in relation to A Christmas Carol.

It is imporant to analyse context as it is the third Assesment Objective for the exam. With 'A Christmas Carol' we can look at context in terms of Dickens' purpose in writing this story at the specific time he was writing it. How does he present his characters so as to give a message to readers in the Victorian time. In this, we can think about and do some research into Victorian values. It can be said, that at the time Dickens was writing this novel, ideas of charity and giving to the poor were becoming more and more present. Through the character of Scrooge, it could be said, that Dickens is making a social commentary or a social persuasion, encouraging people to give to the poor and share what they have. Scrooge, does not do this and therefore has to be taught a lesson by the three ghosts. You can bring these ideas in when you talk about the negative discriptions of Scrooge as stingy and mean at the beggining of the novel, and how we as the reader are made to see him as a 'bad character' and by the end of the book, this opinion changes as he redeems himself through his generosity and giving and is made 'good'.