If you want to give yourself a head start in your G.C.S.E English literature classes (or mixed English classes) I have a very useful tip for you: Understand your author!

Let’s take the G.C.S.E. Text “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens. What do you know about this dude? He was an oldy worldy author. That is all most people know. But if I tell you a few facts about Mr Dickens, you might understand the themes in the Christmas Carol a bit more.

1.       Charles was brought up in a poor area. He campaigned and advocated for the rights of the lower classes his whole life and was passionate about giving people an equal chance in life.

2.       He worked in a court as an adult. He witnessed hundreds of trials. He saw the corruption of the very rich, and the desperation of the very poor. Justice is an extremely common theme in all of his books. He also looks at power, poverty, and cruelty a lot.

3.       Charles was in love with a woman other than his wife. He loved a young woman who was small, with long dark hair and big brown eyes. Almost every book Charles ever wrote includes a character like this which Charles gives special attention to. Little Dorit is a perfect example.

4.       His father was imprisoned for a bad debt. Many characters in Charles Dickens’ novels work in the poor house or are imprisoned for debt.

If you go in to your next G.C.S.E. knowing just a little about the author, imagine how baller your English essays will be!