A Christmas Carol: Methods

Allegory

A story in which characters and events represent wider moral or social ideas.

Allegory Example

Ignorance and Want represent society's failure to care for the poor.

Symbolism

When an object, character or event represents a deeper meaning.

Symbolism Example

Tiny Tim symbolises innocence, hope and the consequences of poverty.

Personification

Giving human qualities to non-human things.

Pathetic Fallacy

Using weather to reflect mood or atmosphere.

Simile

Comparison using 'like' or 'as'.

Metaphor

Direct comparison without using 'like' or 'as'.

Tricolon

A list of three words or phrases used for emphasis.

Rhetorical Question

A question asked to make readers think rather than receive an answer.

Semantic Field

A group of words linked by a common topic.

Juxtaposition

Placing contrasting ideas together to highlight differences.

Foreshadowing

Hints about future events.

Exclamatory Sentence

Creates excitement, emotion or urgency.

Dehumanising language

Language that removes a person's humanity.

Animal Imagery

Comparing humans to animals to reveal traits or behaviour.