This course will explore in depth Charles Dickens’ 1843 novella, “A Christmas Carol,” which has an important place in English language literature. It has given us enduring characters, such as Scrooge and Tiny Tim, and common sayings, like “Bah! Humbug!”. Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, you will find that this book offers important themes, including generosity, poverty, and social injustice.   Participants in this course will read, discuss, and write about the text and its influence. As in most book clubs, the focus will be on lively discussion. Course materials will include background information for understanding the text, as well as vocabulary and language support. Assessment will include quizzes and short writing assignments.   This is the first part of the BerkeleyX Book Club offerings.