Scrooge treats his clerk poorly and harshly. Throughout the novel Scrooge saw himself in the past, present and future. "Come in! The spirit recognizes that Cratchit needs and deserves a blessing, yet Scrooge will have to see more before he understands that Bob Cratchit is a good man who truly is worthy of a blessing. He definitely resents having to pay Bob for Christmas, Cratchit's one paid holiday of the year. By comparison, a Victorian post office clerk made 90 pounds a year. Bob Cratchit loves his family above all else, and he is beloved by his own children and others for his endearing nature. Similarly, you may ask, how does Dickens present and develop the character of Bob Cratchit? In Stave One of Charles Dickens'sA Christmas Carol, the character of Ebenezer Scrooge is quickly and thoroughly developed as a wealthy but bitter old man, friendless and contemptuous of those around him. 5 Who is Bob Cratchit in the ghost of Christmas present? This page was last edited on 10 January 2023, at 04:49. $18.74/subscription + tax, Save 25% He says it is the same as picking a mans pocket every twenty-fifth of December!. Scrooge treats him poorly, hesitating to even let him have the. What is the theme of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens? What did Scrooge say about his door knocker? Answers 1. Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol takes the reader on a journey to find out how the main character, Scrooge, transforms from a life of anger and cruelty to a life of love and kindness. 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. Three ghosts take Scrooge through Christmases past, present and future. Yet all of the Cratchits adore the young child who must use a crutch and body brace to walk. In the above question, where does Scrooge want it sent? In Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol, Bob Cratchit is a character who is employed as a clerk working for the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge. Peter Cratchit is the family's eldest son. Cratchit represents the Victorian ideal of Christmas as a time of happiness and warmth, centered around children. Their youngest son, Tiny Tim, has many physical problems, but yet has a big heart. Scrooge believes one can only be happy with wealth, but ironically, he remains miserable despite his wealth. Scrooge became a happy, good person who helped those around him. Cratchit is underpaid and overworked, yet he maintains his cheerful temperament despite the problems he faces at work and at home. Ebenezer Scrooge finally understands that Bob Cratchit is happy, even in his humble circumstances, and at the end of A Christmas Carol Scrooge finally learns firsthand the joys that generosity can bring to the giver. Get unlimited access to over 84,000 lessons. Then he was shown an episode from his time as an apprentice to Mr. Fezziwig and the Christmas party. Why did Bob Cratchit suffer in silence in A Christmas Carol? Passage 2: ''But he [Scrooge] was early at the office next morning. Enter a Melbet promo code and get a generous bonus, An Insight into Coupons and a Secret Bonus, Organic Hacks to Tweak Audio Recording for Videos Production, Bring Back Life to Your Graphic Images- Used Best Graphic Design Software, New Google Update and Future of Interstitial Ads. Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more! Dickens's purpose in creating this character may be to contrast Bob's good nature with the ill-natured Scrooge. Bob Cratchit is unceasingly loyal to Ebenezer Scrooge. This is an individual badly in need of redemption, and the following sections, or "staves," of A Christmas Caroldo precisely that. How does Scrooge treat his clerk Bob How does he respond to his Christmas Day off? Martha Cratchit is a late arrival for the dinner, having been delayed at the milliner's shop where she works. Name the six places the second spirit takes Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. Scrooge's . Even beyond his own familiarity with clerical work, however, Dickens was likely interested in the life of clerks due to his constantly critical view of England's social classes at the time. Renew your subscription to regain access to all of our exclusive, ad-free study tools. He's simply described as "his clerk, who in a dismal little cell beyond, a sort of tank, was copying letters." Scrooge relegates his clerk Bob Cratchit to a minimal fire, expecting Cratchit to work while cold. Bob Cratchit, like nearly everyone else except Scrooge, is excited about the holiday. And what is that? Scrooge refuses to give money In Stave I Scrooge is asked to make a donation for the 'Poor and destitute' of society. Records from the time show that employers would use any reason at all not to promote their clerks, including physical appearance or the sound of one's voice. Discount, Discount Code When the story opens, Scrooge knows nothing about his employee. Answered by Aslan 5 years ago 12/10/2017 12:23 PM. 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. Here, Bob tries to turn his death into a life lesson for his remaining children. Scrooge may be realizing for the first time how much some fathers love their children. how does scrooge react to each one of the episodes from the past? Scrooge goes to his nephew's for dinner. As the Library of Congress explains, that's not entirely clear, either. The abused, underpaid clerk of Ebenezer Scrooge (and possibly Jacob Marley, when he was alive), Cratchit has come to symbolize the poor working conditions, especially long working hours and low pay, endured by many working-class people in the early Victorian era. Even though he is the only person that Scrooge interacts with on a daily basis, Scrooge does not treat him well. Dickens himself had worked as a law clerk before moving on to journalism and the more profitable career of being one of the most popular novelists to ever live (nice work if you can get it). Cratchit only wanted a day off with pay. When children come caroling, he goes after them with a ruler. Scrooge moves from using people and loving things to using things and loving people. His employer, Ebenezer Scrooge, does not care about Cratchit or his desire to celebrate Christmas with his family. Anything more than that is left to the reader's (or viewer's) imagination. Bob hopes to secure a good job for Peter, who will then help provide income for the struggling Cratchit family. He is patient, even-tempered, and finds joy in a simple Christmas with his family. Even though this practice developed a little after Dickens' time, this is exactly the kind of social injustice that was normally the target of his most scathing satire. 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. ____________ __________________ despues de ducharse. How Does Scrooge Change In A Christmas Carol. Copyright 1999 - 2023 GradeSaver LLC. Scrooge raised Cratchit's salary, promised to help his family, bought his lunch, built up the fires, and bought another coal scuttle so Crachit could have coal whenever he wished. Although a good and mature man and father, Bob possesses a childlike appreciation of innocent funwhich may be, in part, why he is such a good father. Cratchit loves his son, but simply can't afford adequate medical care for him. Cratchit's 15 shillings a week makes 39 pounds a year. Charles Dickens published A Christmas Carol in 1843. Cratchit is Scrooges overworked employee, a timid man afraid to stand up to his bosss demanding ways. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. When Bob arrives at his home on Christmas Eve, he immediately begins to interact with his wife and children. Bob Cratchit is always happy. Well, in a sense, what Cratchit does is dependent on what Scrooge does. In "A Christmas Carol", Bob Cratchit is described as a small man with an optimistic outlook on life. Characters Bob Cratchit, his son Tiny Tim, and Scrooge's nephew Fred, all influence Scrooge in his journey of . And yet, Scrooge feels himself to be victimized by Bob and everyone else that expects a paid day off for the holiday. Despite the poor working conditions, Bob cannot afford to lose his job as he has a family to support. Scrooge sends a turkey to the Cratchit family, his first act of kindness to others. Why does Bob Cratchit work for Scrooge? Overall the three spirits teach Scrooge to be a better man. He thinks Christmas is a "Humbug!" (Dickens 2). Does he continue to live in London? He obeys Scrooge's rules and is timid about asking to go home to his family early on Christmas Eve. How does this relate to the beginning of the story? What is Bob Cratchit relationship to Scrooge? Before his experience with the spirits, Scrooge is known throughout his community as cold, miserly, and mean-spirited. The Cratchit family has been described as "impoverished, hardworking, and warmhearted". 6 Who is Bob Cratchit in the Great Gatsby? on 2-49 accounts, Save 30% on 50-99 accounts. Scrooge thinks that Christmas is a frivolous and ridiculous holiday when people who have no money spend it anyway. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Indeed Charles Dickens emphasizes the plight of the poor and that we should treat people less fortunate with kindness throughout the book. Bob Cratchit is Scrooges clerk and works in unpleasant conditions without complaint. SparkNotes Plus subscription is $4.99/month or $24.99/year as selected above. Clearly, this positive attitude comes from Bob Cratchit, who is able to shut out his difficulties at work once he leaves the office. As the story begins, Cratchit is hard at work in Scrooge's accounting office on Christmas Eve. b. mediate 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. Insert semicolons where they are needed in the following sentence. Readers view the scene through Scrooges eyes, his choice of words conveying a sense of wonder at Bobs behavior. For the next 7 days, you'll have access to awesome PLUS stuff like AP English test prep, No Fear Shakespeare translations and audio, a note-taking tool, personalized dashboard, & much more! He has placed wealth above people, and as a result he is heading for a lonely death unless something changes. Scrooge believes one can only be happy with wealth, but ironically, he remains miserable despite his wealth. Scrooge's poor clerk. In A Christmas Carol, what is the warning that Marley gives Scrooge? "I wish I had him here. The next day Scrooge states that he will increase Cratchit's salary immediately and promises to help his struggling family. Scrooge gives Bob a pay rise, for instance, and he donates a large turkey to the family for their Christmas Day meal. Most clerks make a bit less (2 Bob a day) so Scrooge is paying his as a senior Clerk). "What did Scrooge say about giving his clerk a day off to celebrate Christmas in Charles Dickens'sA Christmas Carol?" Explain Ignorance and Want, who appear in stave 3 of A Christmas Carol. Bob Cratchit asks for Christmas Day off. Bob Cratchit is a character in Charles Dickens's "A Christmas Carol." 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What does Bob want to do that makes Mrs. Cratchit angry? Who is Scrooges clerk in the story A Christmas Carol? He will not die if Scrooge changes his ways In Stave 5, what does Scrooge offer to a charity on Christmas? 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. 20% Generally, people's salaries in Victorian England were very low compared to current income. Why do the portly man and then the thin man visit 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,. 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. 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. How did Scrooge treat his clerk Bob Cratchit? The eldest children work hard and Bob is always looking to find them better situations. It is not, consequently, surprising that the old man responds to his clerks request for Christmas Day off with a typically uncaring remark. Latest answer posted December 03, 2020 at 4:13:31 PM. He does not seem to notice or care about his obvious poverty as long as he can celebrate Christmas with his family. and know me better, man!" The word 'exclaimed' makes the Ghost seem excited to see Scrooge . While clerks originated in medieval times as people in religious positions ("clerk" is related to the word "clergy"), asVictorianLondon.orgexplains, by Victorian times, it had come to mean anyone "engaged in the departments of trade or business that require the pen.". Scrooge is so hard on Bob and treats him very unfair. Bob feels warmed by the good cheer of being with others in celebration. In short, Scrooge is a bad person at the beginning of A Christmas Carol. Bob Cratchit Character Analysis. Knowing what you do about Bob Cratchit, continue his story beyond the pages of Dickens's classic novel. (The Cratchits don't get mentioned by name until the Ghost of Christmas Present . The office was closed in a twinkling, and the clerk . Scrooge wants the turkey sent to Bob Cratchit's house. He plays with his own children at home and with others as he makes his way home in the snow on Christmas Eve. 1 How did Scrooge treat his clerk Bob Cratchit? That all changes when the Ghost of Christmas Present takes Scrooge to see the Cratchit family's Christmas. The elderly miser condemns his sole employee to a life of misery, going so far as to deprive the young clerk of enough coal to warm his cramped office space. 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