# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
2025 Ultimate Guide to AQA English Literature Paper 1 Section B

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
2026 Ultimate Guide to AQA English Literature Paper 1 Section A (with 'Macbeth' Example)

# data[].attributes.body
Be wary of those 'predicting' the questions, but the advice is good regardless.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
I am very confident about this prediction, because, whatever the wording in exam paper, the question is always the same.

Write about Scrooge's redemption.

Redemption is the whole point of the novel. All Dickens' ideas can be explained by why and how Scrooge redeems himself.

You get to write about Dickens' opposition to The Poor Laws, his criticism that Malthusian economics is used to demonise the poor, his warnings about Ignorance and Want, his support of the Christian message of redemption, his aim to encourage his readers to redeem themselves by giving to charity and raising the wages of their serving staff and employees, and his exploitation of the tradition of the Christmas ghost story to teach a moral and political message.

That's an essay plan right there. And it will fit any question. What is the importance of family? Why it is to help Dickens transform the attitude of Victorians to the poor, as demonstrated by Scrooge's redemption.

How is Scrooge's fear presented? Well, it is all to give us a perspective on Scrooge's redemption - you decide how far it is caused by fear for himself, or fear for others.

How are the ghosts presented? As agents of Scrooge's redemption. They are co-opted by Marley, who also wants to be saved - but the difference with Scrooge is that the Ghosts want to help him make a difference to society while he is alive. Yes, his redemption will save his soul from Marley's purgatory, but the nobler purpose is to save society from killing the poor.

See?

Whatever the question, the question is actually about redemption.

In the essay, I have only used the quotes which are in my revision pack. This is because I've chosen only the quotes which fit every possible essay. I've done this for a range of texts - you can get them individually, or for a steal:
Paid subscribers get the grade 9, full mark essay on Scrooge's redemption. Then they get a shorter version - for those who write slowly, or who will be delighted with a grade 7.
Dickens constructs A Christmas Carol not just as a ghost story, but as a political intervention designed to transform the social conscience of his readership. Through Scrooge's redemption, Dickens argues that society must abandon the Malthusian view that the poor are a "surplus" burden, and instead recognise that poverty is a result of low wages rather than idleness. Furthermore, he wants Scrooge's redemption to be psychologically plausible, so he confronts him with his past to break the cycle of abandonment. His cure becomes both personal and political, causing him to embrace both family and paternal responsibility toward the vulnerable. This prevents his redemption appearing unconvincing, and links it to Dickens' message that society needs to take a paternal responsibility toward the poor.
Share Mr Salles Teaches English Here are the dates of the other prediction essays for paid subscribers
Check the dates to see if it is worth subscribing. One month will cost you £6, which works out at next to nothing per essay. (Don't forget to cancel after your exams).

✅ A Christmas Carol - Monday 13th April

✅ Lord of the Flies Character - Wednesday 15th April

✅ An Inspector Calls Character - Sunday 19th April

✅ Lord of the Flies Theme - Wednesday 22nd April

✅ An Inspector Calls Theme - Sunday 26th April

✅ Power and Conflict - Monday 27th April

✅ Romeo and Juliet - Wednesday 29th April

✅ Animal Farm Theme - Saturday 2nd May

✅ Macbeth - Sunday - 3rd May

✅ Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde - Monday 4th May

✅ Animal Farm Character - Sunday 10th May
✅ Paid subscribers get a grade 9 answer with my comments every week except the summer holidays, and access to the over 300+ already published. 🎓 ✅ Substack thinks this is so good, that you can sample them free for a week. 👏
Dickens begins by criticising Scrooge as a mouthpiece for the harsh Malthusian economic theories of the time. When the charity collectors seek aid, Scrooge's response is cold and detached: "If they would rather die," said Scrooge, "they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population". This reveals Scrooge's belief in Malthusian theory, viewing the poor not as human beings but as a supply and demand problem to be solved by death. He reinforces this by supporting the punitive state institutions, asking, "And the Union workhouses?" demanded Scrooge. "Are they still in operation?". By having Scrooge support these social solutions provided by the Poor Laws, Dickens exposes the cruelty of a society that treats poverty as a crime rather than a misfortune. The use of the word "operation" suggests a mechanical, unfeeling system, highlighting the lack of human empathy in the treatment of the poor.

To make Scrooge's transformation plausible, Dickens uses the Ghost of Christmas Past to reveal the psychological roots of his misanthropy. We see that his coldness is a defense mechanism caused by his childhood neglect: "The school is not quite deserted," said the Ghost. "A solitary child, neglected by his friends, is left there still". This moment establishes that Scrooge's adult isolation is a repetition of his childhood abandonment. The memory of his sister Fan, who tells him "Father is so much kinder than he used to be, that home's like Heaven!", contrasts her loving warmth with the coldness of his father. This suggests that Scrooge's "tight-fisted" nature is a learned behaviour, a protective shell against the pain of rejection, which he must acknowledge before he can rejoin society. This pattern of abandonment continues when Fan dies as a young mother.

Dickens expands his criticism from the individual to society with the revelation of the allegorical children, Ignorance and Want. The Ghost warns: "This boy is Ignorance. This girl is Want. Beware them both... but most of all beware this boy, for on his brow I see that written which is Doom". The personification of society's problems as "wolfish" children suggests that neglecting the education and welfare of the poor will lead to the destruction of society itself - symbolised by "Doom," which implies revolution, or crime and social collapse. When Scrooge asks if they have help, the Spirit mocks him with his own words: "Are there no prisons?", reinforcing the idea that punitive measures are no cure for the social neglect of the poor.

In conclusion, Dickens presents Scrooge's redemption as a model for the wealthy reader. Scrooge does not just become kind; he takes on a social role in supporting the poor. He raises Bob Cratchit's wages - "I'll raise your salary, and endeavour to assist your struggling family, addressing the economic roots of poverty. Most significantly, "to Tiny Tim, who did not die, he was a second father". By assuming the role of a "father," Scrooge heals his own childhood trauma and shows the paternal role to the poor Dickens wants his readers to adopt. Dickens concludes that true redemption lies in active benevolence, proving that the "surplus" are human beings who must be saved, and that society is redeemed when we treat the poor not as a burden, but as family.

In A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens presents Scrooge's redemption not just as a personal change of heart, but as a vital political intervention. Writing for a Victorian audience, Dickens used Scrooge to challenge the Malthusian economic theories of the time, which viewed the poor as an inevitable "surplus" that drained society's resources. By making Scrooge's transformation psychologically plausible, Dickens argues that the wealthy have a paternal responsibility to treat the vulnerable as family rather than as a financial burden.

To ensure Scrooge's redemption feels plausible, Dickens explores the roots of his isolation. Through the Ghost of Christmas Past, we see a "solitary child, neglected by his friends," left alone in a cold schoolroom. This reveals that Scrooge's "tight-fisted" nature is a defense mechanism developed after a childhood of abandonment by his father. His sister Fan's claim that "Father is so much kinder than he used to be" highlights the trauma Scrooge carried into adulthood. This neglect eventually causes him to choose financial security over love, leading his fiancée Belle to remark that "Another idol has displaced me... A golden one." This RELIGIOUS IMAGERY suggests that greed became a "false religion" for Scrooge, a shield against the pain of rejection.

The pivotal shift occurs when Scrooge's Malthusian views of the poor as undeserving are confronted by Tiny Tim's vulnerability. When Scrooge asks with genuine concern, "Spirit... tell me if Tiny Tim will live," the Ghost throws his own words back at him: "If he be like to die, he had better do it, and decrease the surplus population." This IRONY shatters Scrooge's worldview, forcing him to see that the "surplus" is made of real, vulnerable individuals. This lesson is reinforced by the allegorical children, Ignorance and Want. The Ghost warns, "most of all beware this boy [Ignorance], for on his brow I see that written which is Doom." Here, Dickens uses PERSONIFICATION to warn that if society continues to ignore the welfare and education of the poor, it will lead to crime, violence and social collapse.

Ultimately, Scrooge's redemption is solidified by his move toward active benevolence. After seeing the horror of his own "neglected grave," he pleads for an "altered life!" proving that change requires action, not just guilt. He addresses the economic causes of poverty by telling Bob Cratchit, "I'll raise your salary, and endeavour to assist your struggling family." This is a lesson to his readers that they must pay their domestic staff a higher wage. Most significantly, Dickens notes that "to Tiny Tim, who did not die, he was a second father." By assuming this paternal role, Scrooge heals his own childhood trauma and demonstrates the social responsibility Dickens wanted his readers to adopt. He wants society to have a paternalistic attitude to the poor, instead of punishing them for their poverty. Redemption, Dickens concludes, is the act of recognising that we are all "fellow-passengers to the grave" and treating the poor as family.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
I am very confident about this prediction, because, whatever the wording in exam paper, the question is always the same.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE PAPER 1 ACC KNOWLEDGE ORGANISER

# data[].attributes.body
Be wary of 'predictions' but the revision in this blog/video is still useful.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE PAPER 1 MACBETH KNOWLEDGE ORGANISER-2

# data[].attributes.body
NEW AND UPDATED FOR 2025! ULTIMATE VIDEO GUIDE TO LIT PAPER 1

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
2025 Ultimate Guide to AQA English Literature Paper 1 Section A (with 'Macbeth' Example)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
CHRISTMAS CAROL: 2025 GCSE Exams Predictions & How To Answer ANY Exam ft @MrSallesTeachesEnglish

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A Christmas Carol: The TRICK to Writing GRADE 9 Answers

# data[].attributes.headline
OAK ACADEMY LESSON ON MARLEY, REGRET AND PENITENCE

# data[].attributes.subject
OAK ACADEMY LESSON ON MARLEY, REGRET AND PENITENCE

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Lesson: ‘A Christmas Carol’: Marley’s Ghost’s regret | AQA | KS4 English | Oak National Academy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
View lesson content and choose resources to download or share

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Macbeth Prediction 2025 (Full Grade 9 Essay Plan + Quotes)

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Final Tips for AQA English Literature Paper 1: May 13th 2024

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Final Tips for AQA English Literature Paper 1: May 13th 2024

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Supernatural in Macbeth | Theme Analysis

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
AQA English Literature Paper 1 Section A: 2024 Update (with 'Macbeth' Example)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Christmas Carol: THE 12 Quotes for EVERY Essay

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The ONLY MACBETH REVISION you will EVER NEED for TOP GRADES

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Revise A Christmas Carol in 15 minutes teachsmith revisionrap

# data[].attributes.body
Click on the playlist for more ACC revision raps!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Revise A Christmas Carol in 15 minutes teachsmith revisionrap

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A #revisionrap for all five staves of A #Christmas #Carol by #Charles #Dickens #teachsmith

# data[].attributes.body
An animated PPT that explores the key moments that lead to the inevitable downfall of Macbeth.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Macbeth and Kingship- A lecture for GCSE HA students

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Macbeth and Kingship- A lecture for GCSE HA students

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
To what extent did Shakespeare write Macbeth in order to portray the importance/ sacred nature of Kingship? Divine Right of Kings Religious thinkers in the Middle Ages had upheld the idea of 'The Great Chain of Being'. This was the belief that God had designed an ordered system for both nature and humankind within which...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Macbeth Mini Summary, Quotations and Context

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A Christmas Carol Revision- Possible Questions.pptx

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Charles Dickens's timeless tale, A Christmas Carol, was written in 1843, and tells the story of the redemption of Ebenezer Scrooge, a selfish and callous miser who says "humbug!" to the Christmas season and all those who delight in it. Since its publication, the famous story has been endlessly adapted for film, theatre, television, opera, and even graphic novels. The overwhelming popularity of Dickens's tale partially stems from its unique medley as part chilling ghost story and part joyous and uplifting allegory. Though set in Victorian London, A Christmas Carol critically engages with social and political themes that are still pertinent today: that we must strive to treat others with benevolence and compassion, even if that means sacrificing something ourselves. Scrooge's transformation teaches us that generosity and Christmas spirit need not disappear after the presents have been opened and the feasts have ended.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Charles Dickens's timeless tale, A Christmas Carol, was written in 1843, and tells the story of the redemption of Ebenezer Scrooge, a selfish and callous miser who says "humbug!" to the Christmas season and all those who delight in it. Since its publication, the famous story has been endlessly adapted for film, theatre, television, opera, and even graphic novels.

# data[].attributes.headline
How does Shakespeare present Lady Macbeth as a powerful woman? Model Answer

# data[].attributes.subject
How does Shakespeare present Lady Macbeth as a powerful woman? Model Answer

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Revise All the Themes of Macbeth to Improve Your Grade Mr Salles

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
World's First Accelerated Learning Platform

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Weird Sisters (1 of 8) | Macbeth | BBC Teach

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
MACBETH MOCK - SUPERNATURAL REVISION MAT (1)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
World's First Accelerated Learning Platform

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A CHRISTMAS CAROL MOCK - CHRISTMAS REVISION MAT (1)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
'Christmas' in A Christmas Carol: Key Quotes & Analysis

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A Christmas Carol: Scrooge Key Quotes and Analysis