Weekly Knowledge Test 1 - A Christmas Carol & Context

Flashcards covering key vocabulary, historical context, and literary concepts assessed in Weekly Knowledge Test 1.

Malthusianism

The belief or theory that population growth outstrips resources unless kept in check, leading to the view that poverty and suffering are natural checks on overpopulation.

Debtors' prison

An institution where individuals who were unable to pay their debts were incarcerated, such as Marshalsea Debtors' Prison where Charles Dickens' father was held.

Philanthropy

The practice of donating money, time, or resources to promote the welfare of others and relieve poverty.

Parsimonious

Extremely frugal, stingy, or unwilling to spend money, characteristic of Ebenezer Scrooge at the opening of Stave One.

Warren's Blacking Factory

The factory where Charles Dickens was sent to work during his childhood while his father was imprisoned for debt.

Marshalsea Debtors' Prison

The prison in London where Charles Dickens' father was incarcerated due to debt during Dickens' childhood.

Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834

Victorian legislation passed in 1834 that established the workhouse system to reduce the financial burden of assisting the poor by making relief conditions harsh.

Allegory

A story or literary work in which characters, events, and settings represent broader moral, social, or political concepts.

Gothic

A literary style characterized by eerie, gloomy, or uncanny atmospheres and themes, used by Dickens in conjunction with supernatural elements.

Supernatural

Entities or occurrences that transcend the laws of nature and science, such as ghosts, utilized by Dickens in his allegorical story.