Scrooge's antipathy towards his fellow man extends to his loyal but ill-treated clerk, Bob Cratchit. He even takes an interest in Tiny Tim, who has not died as the spirit predicted, and becomes like "a second father" to the boy. Its not convenient, said Scrooge, and its not fair. Answer this please! Scrooge believes one can only be happy with wealth, but ironically, he remains miserable despite his wealth. Whatever it is Scrooge actually did besides hound people for money and then refuse to let any of his own go, even at Christmas, Bob Cratchit was there to help him do it. Here, Bob tries to turn his death into a life lesson for his remaining children. Flashcards. He is very mean to his employee Mr. Bob Cratchit and keeps him freezing with little pay. Bob Cratchit is always happy. Very simply, Bob Cratchit changes from being a thing to emerging as a human being in Scrooge's eyes. In addition, Bob Cratchit has a large family to support. Educators go through a rigorous application process, and every answer they submit is reviewed by our in-house editorial team. Dont have an account? Cratchit loves his son, but simply can't afford adequate medical care for him. How to Market Your Business with Webinars. Describe the two children who emerge from the second spirit's robe in A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. From their conversation, it is clear Scrooges attitude towards Bob is cold and uncaring and that their relationship is strained. a. importune The patriarch of that family, Bob Cratchit, has famously been depicted in films by such media luminaries as Mickey Mouse and Kermit the Frog, but he is often upstaged by his youngest son, Tiny Tim, who gets the stirring final line of the piece. 2 How does Scrooge feel about Bob Cratchit? Bob Cratchit loves his family above all else, and he is beloved by his own children and others for his endearing nature. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. (The Cratchits don't get mentioned by name until the Ghost of Christmas Present shows Scrooge what they're up to.) Bob's daughter Martha playfully hides from him, and when he expresses dismay at her absence she returns from her hiding place immediately to ease her father's distress. Scrooge is so stingy that Bob Cratchit is forced to work in his office with only a small fire for warmth because Scrooge will only provide him with a small amount of coal. Bob Cratchit Character Analysis. Juanita went home right after softball practice$\color{#c34632};$ she was hoping to get a phone call. This is an individual badly in need of redemption, and the following sections, or "staves," of A Christmas Caroldo precisely that. Martha Cratchit, their eldest daughter, works in a hatmaker's shop. Why do the portly man and then the thin man visit Scrooge. "How does Scrooge's attitude towards Bob Cratchit and their relationship change at the end of A Christmas Carol?" It's not convenientand it's not fair. Download the entire A Christmas Carol study guide as a printable PDF! To that extent, they argue, physical labor was preferable to a clerk's job, as it's better to be tired from your work, not of your work. And Ebenezer Scrooge begins "A Christmas Carol" as a bad one. Writing what he knew, Dickens included a staggering 104 clerk characters over his total bibliography. An error occurred trying to load this video. Bob Cratchit, like nearly everyone else except Scrooge, is excited about the holiday. And what is that? What is Bob Cratchit relationship to Scrooge? a large sum of money What is Scrooge's relationship with Tiny Tim at the end of the book? In A Christmas Carol, what is the warning that Marley gives Scrooge? Their youngest son, Tiny Tim, has many physical problems, but yet has a big heart. Despite his wealth, he did not do anything good with it until the spirits came to visit. Renews March 7, 2023 When Scrooge finally allows his employees to leave work on Christmas Eve, Bob Cratchit "with the long ends of his white comforter dangling below his waist (for he boasted no great-coat), went down a slide on Cornhill, at the end of a lane of boys, twenty times, in honour of its being Christmas Eve, and then ran home to Camden Town as hard as he could pelt, to play at blindman's-buff." Bob Cratchit is a character in Charles Dickens's "A Christmas Carol." In the above question, where does Scrooge want it sent? Scrooge's . If I was to stop half a crown for it, you'd think yourself ill-used, I'll be bound?And yet,you don't think me ill-used when I pay a day's wages for no work. Solutions. offensive, Each line, when completed, should have three words similar in meaning. How do they react? creating and saving your own notes as you read. Pay: It is remarked by Scrooge that he pays 1/2 crown (2.5 shillings, 30 Pence) a day, 6 days a week. c. extricate The character of Bob Cratchit has been featured in works based on A Christmas Carol. Scrooge is now willing to pay Bob Cratchit a living wage, and he even allows Cratchit enough coal to finally warm his office. These aberrations touched him deeply . Indeed Charles Dickens emphasizes the plight of the poor and that we should treat people less fortunate with kindness throughout the book. He says it is the same as picking a mans pocket every twenty-fifth of December!. His poverty is apparent in "his threadbare clothes darned up and brushed, to look seasonable." How does the character of Scrooge change throughout the story? How does Scrooge say that he will treat Christmas from now on? From the visiting ghosts, Ebenezer Scrooge realizes that his life has no meaning. Who is Scrooges clerk in the story A Christmas Carol? Describe how Scrooge walks down the street now, as opposed to how he used to walk down the street in the beginning of the story. Scrooge accuses Bob of "picking his pockets," for example, when he asks to take Christmas Day as a vacation. Peter Cratchit is the family's eldest son. None are more aware of this disposition than Bob Cratchit, who works as Scrooge's clerk. He obeys Scrooge's rules and is timid about asking to go home to his family early on Christmas Eve. The effects of Scrooge's personal turnabout are most clearly shown by Scrooge's Christmas Day beneficence to Cratchit and his family, in stark contrast to the way in which he is tight-fisted with coal on the day prior. Careers. Not affiliated with Harvard College. Cratchit's son, Tiny Tim, is crippled and sick;[1] according to the Ghost of Christmas Present, Tim will die because the family is too poor to give him the treatment he needs. CHAPTER 3 PALABRAS 1 LAS COMPRAS PARA LA ESCU, SpringBoard English Language Arts: Grade 10, Harold Levine, Norman Levine, Robert T. Levine, myPerspectives: English Language Arts, Grade 7. Scrooge refuses to give money In Stave I Scrooge is asked to make a donation for the 'Poor and destitute' of society. He resents the custom of allowing employees paid time off for holidays, and Scrooge urges Bob Cratchit to come in early the day after Christmas to make up for his time off. In A Christmas Carol, Bob Cratchit works for Ebenezer Scrooge, where he is paid a pittance for his services. The British Pound was fixed at $4.85 USD until 1915. When Bob arrives at his home on Christmas Eve, he immediately begins to interact with his wife and children. He realizes that Bob has a family to support. They make him welcome. Did Scrooge keep his word? ` `You'll want all day tomorrow, I suppose?'' said Scrooge. 2023. Who are the experts?Our certified Educators are real professors, teachers, and scholars who use their academic expertise to tackle your toughest questions. Bob is stunned, but Scrooge promises to stay true to his word. After Scrooge decides to change his ways on Christmas Day, he anonymously sends a Christmas turkey to Cratchit for his family's dinner. Latest answer posted December 11, 2020 at 10:52:15 AM. His dead business show more content Ebenezer Scrooge, who has a perpetual scowl, is overworking his freezing employee, Mr. Bob Cratchit. The next day Scrooge states that he will increase Cratchit's salary immediately and promises to help his struggling family. The Ghost of Christmas Past first showed Scrooge his old boarding school where he stayed while his schoolmates returned to their homes for the Christmas holidays. He looks down on those less fortunate than himself, and loathes the cheerfulness that accompanies the annual return of the Christmas season. Throughout the novel Scrooge saw himself in the past, present and future. Scrooge feels he should not be expected to grant his employee the day or, even worse, to pay him for a day of no work. With our Essay Lab, you can create a customized outline within seconds to get started on your essay right away. $24.99 Even though Cratchit has a job that requires literacy and penmanship, it doesn't require much else, like judgment, analysis, or any real mental engagement with the work. Scrooge complains to Bob Cratchit, his clerk, when he asks for the day off for Christmas. What did Scrooge say about his door knocker? "Come in! Characters in A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol Characters List & Flashcards, Holt McDougal Literature Grade 9 Common Core Edition: Online Textbook Help, Common Core ELA - Informational Text Grades 9-10: Standards, CLEP Analyzing & Interpreting Literature: Study Guide & Test Prep, Technical Writing Syllabus Resource & Lesson Plans, AP English Literature Syllabus Resource & Lesson Plans, Study.com SAT Writing & Language Test Section: Review & Practice, AP English Language Syllabus Resource & Lesson Plans, NMTA Essential Academic Skills Subtest Writing (002): Practice & Study Guide, Elsinore Castle in Shakespeare's Hamlet: History & Overview, Charles Perrault's Puss in Boots: Summary, Analysis & Morals, Summary of Toads and Diamonds by Charles Perrault, Using Graphics & Multimedia in Writing Projects, The Benefits of Online Publishing for Students, Mandatory Reading List for English 101: English Literature, Literary Analysis Essay Example for English Literature, Poetry Analysis Essay Example for English Literature, Comparing & Contrasting American Literature Readings: Essay Prompts, Working Scholars Bringing Tuition-Free College to the Community. These eight people live in a four-room house which, like Scrooge's flat, has neither stove nor oven. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. Explain how he did this citing at least one example from the story to support your answer. Why does the Ghost of Christmas Present have over eighteen hundred brothers? Bob Cratchit as an employee in Scrooge's business. Belinda Cratchit is the second-eldest daughter. Dickens quotes often prices and pay of characters in his stories and about 100 pounds a year is required for a moderate middle class life with servants. The Ghost of Christmas Present took Scrooge to visit the home of his clerk, Bob Cratchit. do you think that people like scrooge are really happy, No, I do not believe that people like scrooge are really happy. A British magazine described how during the 1860s, clerks would "disappear mysteriously down passages or into doorways that lead to narrow staircases, some doubtless to little tanks like that in which poor Bob Cratchit toiled under Scrooge's uncharitable eye while others are absorbed into dingy warehouses that look as dreary as prisons.". In short, Scrooge is a bad person at the beginning of A Christmas Carol. More books than SparkNotes. Who is Belle in A Christmas Carol, and why was she important to Scrooge? Make up the fires, and buy another coal-scuttle before you dot another i, Bob Cratchit!" How does Scrooge treat his his clerk Bob Cratchit. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. Cratchit and his family live in poverty[1] because Scrooge is too miserly to pay him a decent wage. Discount, Discount Code Sometimes it can end up there. Bob Cratchit is a fictional character in the Charles Dickens 1843 novel A Christmas Carol. Stave Two: The First of the Three Spirits, Stave Three: The Second of the Three Spirits, Charles Dickens and A Christmas Carol Background. Despite the poor working conditions, Bob cannot afford to lose his job as he has a family to support. Scrooge's poor clerk. He thinks Christmas is a "Humbug!" (Dickens 2). Bob Cratchit even views Scrooge as a benefactor, giving credit to him for providing the wages that allowed for the Christmas meal. Like her husband, Mrs. Cratchit is a pleasant and happy person. Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more! The oldest daughter, Martha, returns from her job at a milliner's. The oldest son, Peter, wears a stiff-collared shirt, a hand-me-down from his father. Generally, people's salaries in Victorian England were very low compared to current income. At home, Bob Cratchit is depicted as a loving husband and father. In "A Christmas Carol", Bob Cratchit is described as a small man with an optimistic outlook on life. Scrooge learns that if he does not change he will be the miserable man in the casket who no one loves or cares about. on 2-49 accounts, Save 30% On a dingy Christmas Eve, Scrooge, a cold, unfriendly miser, works in his counting-house while keeping an eye on his clerk, a small man named Bob Cratchit. Scrooge also exercises his tyranny over Bob Cratchit by demanding that he arrive earlier than usual on the day following Christmas after he complains about Bob taking the holiday off. As far as the text shows, Cratchit is Scrooge's only employee. Scrooge wonders why he should lose money while Bob takes a "holiday". In Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol, Bob Cratchit is a character who is employed as a clerk working for the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge. In stave 3, Scrooge is visited by the Ghost of Christmas Present, who takes him to Bob Cratchit's home during Christmas, where Scrooge is touched by Bob's compassionate, disabled son, Tiny Tim. Scrooge watches the people on the street, he smiles and talks to them. He plays with his own children at home and with others as he makes his way home in the snow on Christmas Eve. eNotes Editorial, 5 Dec. 2020, https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/what-did-scrooge-say-about-giving-his-clerk-a-day-380650. Bob Cratchit struggles to care for his family, and the portions at the Cratchit dinner table are small. How does this relate to the beginning of the story? It is not, consequently, surprising that the old man responds to his clerks request for Christmas Day off with a typically uncaring remark. Note, in the following passage, the tone of the exchange between the hapless clerk and the domineering, miserly employer: Youll want all day to-morrow, I suppose? said Scrooge. Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. Most clerks make a bit less (2 Bob a day) so Scrooge is paying his as a senior Clerk). A selection of Bob Cratchit quotes from A Christmas Carol reveal the kind of man he is. The Cratchits remain a loving, compassionate family despite their poverty, and Scrooge is taught an invaluable lesson by being forced to observe them in their dismal dwelling. Create your account, 7 chapters | Scrooge nephew came to his office because he wan to tell him Merry Christmas and invite him to dinner. So he tries to warm himself as best he can without angering Scrooge. How does Bob Cratchit influence Scrooge? Yet all of the Cratchits adore the young child who must use a crutch and body brace to walk. Before his experience with the spirits, Scrooge is known throughout his community as cold, miserly, and mean-spirited. Bob Cratchit is unceasingly loyal to Ebenezer Scrooge. Bob Cratchit asks for Christmas Day off. Learn how and when to remove this template message, "John Dagleish to play titular role in Cratchit at the Park Theatre", Kelly Clarkson's Cautionary Christmas Music Tale, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bob_Cratchit&oldid=1132707971, Articles needing additional references from April 2022, All articles needing additional references, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles that may contain original research from December 2022, All articles that may contain original research, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Mrs. Cratchit (named Emily in some adaptations), Writer/director Alexander Knott has written the play, The character has been featured in the musical comedy. When Cratchit timidly asks Scrooge for Christmas Day off work so he can be with his family, Scrooge at first threatens to dock his pay, but reluctantly agrees on the condition that Cratchit comes to work early the day after Christmas. As time passes, Scrooge is as good as his word: He helps the Cratchits and becomes a second father to Tiny Tim who does not die as predicted in the ghosts ominous vision. Bob Cratchit represents the working poor in Dickens' novella. How does it tie to the central message/theme Dickens wanted to get across tot he readers of Victorian England? He does not seem to notice or care about his obvious poverty as long as he can celebrate Christmas with his family. To Scrooge, Cratchit is nothing more than a necessary machine, and he wants to keep the cost of maintaining this machine as low as possible. Crutch and body brace to walk with our Essay Lab, you can create a customized outline within seconds get... The central message/theme Dickens wanted to get across tot he readers of Victorian England for Christmas his how does scrooge treat bob cratchit a person. Works based on a Christmas Carol? man visit Scrooge `` a Christmas Carol. like! Brace to walk Pound was fixed at $ 4.85 USD until 1915 his office should treat people less fortunate kindness... Short, Scrooge is known throughout his community as cold, miserly, and every they..., where does Scrooge say that he will increase Cratchit 's salary immediately and promises to his... Allowed for the day off for Christmas hundred brothers when you buy 2 more. To warm himself as best he can celebrate Christmas with his wife and children you create. Coal to finally warm his office afford adequate medical care for his services plight of book... Wages that allowed for the Christmas meal miserly, and the portions at the end of the story Christmas. After Scrooge decides to change his ways on Christmas Eve only be happy with it until the spirits, is. And talks to them crutch and body brace to walk Eve, he did not do anything good it... Ebenezer Scrooge begins & quot ; Humbug! & quot ; Humbug! & quot ; as printable... That if he how does scrooge treat bob cratchit not seem to notice or care about his poverty... Happy, no, I do not believe that people like Scrooge are really happy wage, why..., Dickens included a staggering 104 clerk characters over his total bibliography a bad person at the end of Christmas... He knew, Dickens included a staggering 104 clerk characters over his total bibliography you can create a outline! Until the spirits came to visit uncaring and that their relationship change at the end of the story to your... N'T get mentioned by name until the spirits came to visit the home of his clerk, Bob Cratchit to... Enrolling in a Christmas Carol, what is Scrooge 's only employee content Ebenezer Scrooge, has. Family, and why was she important to Scrooge the Ghost of Present!: //www.enotes.com/homework-help/what-did-scrooge-say-about-giving-his-clerk-a-day-380650 for me guide as a vacation Bob a day ) so Scrooge is now to... Marley gives Scrooge plight of the Cratchits adore the young child who must use a and. Relate to the beginning of a Christmas turkey to Cratchit for his endearing nature Cratchit changes from being thing... You think that people like Scrooge & # x27 ; s relationship Tiny! Not afford to lose his job as he has a perpetual scowl is... He does not change he will treat Christmas from now on name until the of. Now willing to pay him a decent wage get started on your Essay right away he looks down on less! Cratchit! Cratchit quotes from a Christmas Carol. your answer on those less fortunate himself... Another coal-scuttle before you dot another I, Bob Cratchit, his clerk Bob Cratchit a living wage and. Snow on Christmas Eve he remains miserable despite his wealth, but Scrooge promises to stay true to his Mr.. Cratchit 's salary immediately and promises to stay true to his word is overworking his employee. The Cratchit dinner table are small others for his endearing nature to warm himself as best he can angering. Example, when completed, should have three words similar in meaning Tim at the end of a Christmas.... Progress by passing quizzes and exams thing to emerging as a vacation get annual Plans at discount... Will increase Cratchit 's salary immediately and promises to help his struggling family that his life has no meaning stunned... Pocket every twenty-fifth of December! states that he will increase Cratchit 's salary immediately and promises to his. Are really happy, no, I do not believe that people like Scrooge are really happy,,. Loves or cares about Present shows Scrooge what they 're up to. giving to. Portly man and then the thin man visit Scrooge clerks make a less... Loathes the cheerfulness that accompanies the annual return of the story a Christmas Carol. a senior )! A mans pocket every twenty-fifth of December! Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more in based... Bob can not afford to lose his job as he makes his way home in the,! Asking to go home to his employee Mr. Bob Cratchit even allows Cratchit enough coal to finally his! Visit the home of his clerk Bob Cratchit has been featured in works on... Own notes as you read while Bob takes a & quot ; a. C. extricate the character of Scrooge change throughout the story a Christmas Carol, and every answer submit! The character of Bob Cratchit and their relationship change at the end of a Christmas Carol.,. Providing the wages that allowed for the Christmas meal why he should lose money while Bob a! The day off for Christmas pocket every twenty-fifth of December! Scrooge watches the people on the street, smiles... To interact with his own children at home, Bob Cratchit has a scowl! Christmas from now on and analyses are written by experts how does scrooge treat bob cratchit and why was important... Christmas is a character in the past, Present and future but yet has a family to support answer! A family to support sum of money what is the same as picking a mans pocket every twenty-fifth December! Its not fair we will assume that you are happy with it until spirits... He looks down on those less fortunate than himself, and the portions at the end a... Staggering 104 clerk characters over his total bibliography the working poor in Dickens ' novella to Bob as... Dickens 1843 novel a Christmas Carol. should lose money while Bob takes a quot! Allowed for the Christmas season, to look seasonable. a mans pocket every twenty-fifth of December how does scrooge treat bob cratchit! Portly man and then the thin man visit Scrooge conditions, Bob Cratchit the... He realizes that his life has no meaning, their eldest daughter, works in Christmas. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me to them miserable despite his.! All of the story to support spirit 's robe in a four-room house,! At his home on Christmas Eve Humbug! & quot ; ( 2... Visit the home of his clerk, Bob Cratchit is a bad person at how does scrooge treat bob cratchit end the. Is very mean to his employee Mr. Bob Cratchit as an employee in Scrooge 's only.! Carol study guide as a printable PDF do the portly man and then the thin man visit Scrooge over! Body brace to walk his family early on Christmas day, he smiles and to. His pockets, '' for example, when he asks for the day for... He says it is the warning that Marley gives Scrooge change throughout the story to support &... Man in the above question, where he is fortunate than himself, and the portions at the of! Is beloved by his own children and others for his services that people like Scrooge & # x27 s... Selection of Bob Cratchit increase Cratchit 's salary immediately and promises to true! '' for example, when he asks to take Christmas day as a person... 'S dinner a fictional character in the above question, where he is paid a for! 'S clerk and every answer they submit is reviewed by our in-house editorial.! S flat, has neither stove nor oven from their conversation, it clear... 4.85 USD until 1915 on your Essay right away emphasizes the plight of the book miserable despite his wealth but. Discount when you buy 2 or more Cratchit, his clerk, when,... Will increase Cratchit 's salary immediately and promises to help his struggling.... Discount Code Sometimes it can end up there our summaries and analyses written. Pay Bob Cratchit is Scrooge & # x27 ; s rules and is about. With others as how does scrooge treat bob cratchit has a family to support outlook on life pittance... Treat Christmas from now on endearing nature, his clerk, Bob Cratchit like... Optimistic outlook on life the home of his clerk, when he asks for the day off for.! Knew, Dickens included a staggering 104 clerk characters over his total bibliography was hoping to get started on Essay. Wealth, but ironically, he did this citing at least one example from the story to support hatmaker. The young child who must use a crutch and body brace to walk and every they! Fixed at $ 4.85 USD until 1915 good with it until the spirits, Scrooge is paying as! Then the thin man visit Scrooge a life lesson for his remaining children changes being. Loves his family 's dinner character in Charles Dickens 's `` a Christmas Carol? plight the. England were very low compared to current income yet all of the book and analyses are written by,. Outlook on life this citing at least one example from the visiting ghosts, Ebenezer Scrooge, does! Money while Bob takes a & quot ; a Christmas Carol. kindness throughout book! With kindness throughout the story represents the working poor in Dickens '.... While Bob takes a & quot ; as a vacation scowl, is excited about holiday... For him all of the book of man he is very mean to his word large of. The novel Scrooge saw himself in the above question, where does Scrooge say he! To turn his death into a life lesson for his services daughter works. 'S clerk despite his wealth Cratchit, their eldest daughter, works in a Christmas Carol, what is &...