What does Bob want to do that makes Mrs Cratchit angry? Its not convenient, said Scrooge, and its not fair. In the first stave, Scrooge is cold and miserly towards Bob Cratchit. The purpose of life was to accumulate as much money as possible, and the way in which to accomplish that end was to work every day. "I wish I had him here. How does Scrooge treat Bob Cratchit in stave 5? Characters. Advertise with us. The Cratchit family is the most important thing in Bob's life. 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. Let us know your assignment type and we'll make sure to get you exactly the kind of answer you need. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Fezziwig celebrates Christmas by having music, dancing and food provided at his office. "Mr. Scrooge!" said Bob; "I'll give you Mr. Scrooge, the Founder of the Feast!" "The Founder of the Feast indeed!" cried Mrs. Cratchit, reddening. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. He feels that his pocket is being picked, that he is being robbed, by Bob's request for Christmas off. Does he continue to live in London? Free trial is available to new customers only. He is shown carrying his son, Tiny Tim, home from church. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. How does Scrooge treat his clerk Bob How does he respond to his Christmas Day off? Clearly, this positive attitude comes from Bob Cratchit, who is able to shut out his difficulties at work once he leaves the office. 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 (and formerly Marley) is apparently a merchant, but it's never clear exactly what he sells. Spirit of Tiny Tim, thy childish essence was from God'' (104). What is Scrooges attitude towards Bob Cratchit? 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. Scrooge complains to Bob Cratchit, his clerk, when he asks for the day off for Christmas. If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. Then he was shown an episode from his time as an apprentice to Mr. Fezziwig and the Christmas party. And yet, Scrooge feels himself to be victimized by Bob and everyone else that expects a paid day off for the holiday. You'll be billed after your free trial ends. The narrator describes the scene in Scrooges office where Scrooge rations the live coals needed to heat the place during winter. Most clerks make a bit less (2 Bob a day) so Scrooge is paying his as a senior Clerk). Scrooge's attitude towards Bob Cratchit and his family significantly changes, and he proceeds to purchase a prized turkey for the Cratchit family. When Scrooge asks the ghost if Tiny Tim will live, the spirit replies that it sees an empty chair and unused crutch if the future remains unaltered. Indeed Charles Dickens emphasizes the plight of the poor and that we should treat people less fortunate with kindness throughout the book. Bob hopes to secure a good job for Peter, who will then help provide income for the struggling Cratchit family. Bob suffers in silence for his familys sake. 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. He realizes that Bob has a family to support. Bob wants to make a toast. Bob knows that if he replenishes his fire, Scrooge will threaten to terminate his job. In addition to this depiction of Cratchit's young son as a physical burden, the child is no doubt a financial burden on the cash-strapped family as well. Why does Scrooge's nephew come to the office to visit? So he tries to warm himself as best he can without angering Scrooge. From their conversation, it is clear Scrooges attitude towards Bob is cold and uncaring and that their relationship is strained. Solutions. All rights reserved. A 1843 Shilling (12 pence) is about $30 in buying power and 240 Pence = 1 pound. For the first time, Scrooge begins to understand that Bob is a human being embedded in a network of relationships. Does he open his own business? The next day, Scrooge surprises Bob by giving him a raise and has a lovely dinner with the Cratchit family. At home, Bob Cratchit is depicted as a loving husband and father. Once Scrooge is able to see the Cratchit family interact with each other, he sympathizes with their plight. how does scrooge trick Bob cratchit the day after christmas? ''The office was closed in a twinkling, and the clerk, 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.'' In the end, when Scrooge changes his ways for the better, Bob Cratchit is delighted. In the above question, where does Scrooge want it sent? Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Bob Cratchit is a warm and loving man who tries to find the best in others - even in Ebenezer Scrooge, his miserly boss. Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. Although the position of clerk was a white-collar job with relatively high social position compared to more menial physical labor, the BBC explains that the position was often one of mindless drudgery and perpetually ink-stained fingers. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. Bob Cratchit is Scrooges clerk and works in unpleasant conditions without complaint. In "A Christmas Carol", Bob Cratchit is described as a small man with an optimistic outlook on life. How does Scrooge's nephew treat Bob Cratchit, his clerk? Before his experience with the spirits, Scrooge is known throughout his community as cold, miserly, and mean-spirited. Juanita went home right after softball practice$\color{#c34632};$ she was hoping to get a phone call. It is obvious that Scrooge is taking out much of his isolation and bitterness on Cratchit, and it is often Cratchit's severely ill son, Tiny Tim, that pays the dearest price for Scrooge's outrageously poor treatment of his employee. list each character in relationship from scrooge, why does the ghost of Christmas past show Scrooge shadows of things that have been, The Ghost of Christmas Past was the first of the three spirits that haunted the miser, Ebenezer Scrooge in order to convicne him to repent. Why doesn't Scrooge like Christmas in A Christmas Carol? d. patronize. 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 asks for Christmas Day off. b. mediate Tiny Tim has a withered hand and requires crutches to walk. Scrooge watches the people on the street, he smiles and talks to them. In stave 1, Scrooge allows Bob Cratchit to freeze by prohibiting him from using an adequate amount of coal to keep himself warm on the extremely cold day. Scrooge may be realizing for the first time how much some fathers love their children. 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 . Scrooge watches the people on the street, he smiles and talks to them. By allowing Bob Cratchit to have the day off to spend with his family, Scrooge can be better exposed to the poverty to which he has condemned his loyal employee -- a poverty that has not, Scrooge discovers, dampened the Cratchit family's love for each other and for the season. He obeys Scrooges rules and is timid about asking to go home to his family early on Christmas Eve. Scrooge wants the turkey sent to Bob Cratchit's house. Bob Cratchit even views Scrooge as a benefactor, giving credit to him for providing the wages that allowed for the Christmas meal. A gold Pound (Sovereign) today from 1843 has melt value of $425 in gold and cost about $600 to purchase and a US $5 gold coin slightly higher value ($4.85 USD buys a gold pound). Ill retire to Bedlam. Scrooge overhears Bob Cratchit cheerfully returning Freds Christmas greeting. Ace your assignments with our guide to A Christmas Carol! The Cratchits have six children. Passage 2: ''But he [Scrooge] was early at the office next morning. The reader reflects on the lack of parental affection in Scrooges childhood. In Stave One of A Christmas Carol, we meet Scrooge and his employee, Bob Cratchit, for the first time. A poor excuse for picking a mans pocket every twenty-fifth of December! said Scrooge, buttoning his great-coat to the chin. How does Dickens present and develop the character of Bob Cratchit? What does Bob Cratchit go on to do in his life? Scrooge has a small fire for warmth, but Cratchit's fire is even smaller. In one scene, Scrooge is shown the Cratchits following Tiny Tim's death. By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from SparkNotes and verify that you are over the age of 13. Knowing the wages his clerk and his family subsist on, he thinks the poor man crazy. After these ghostly visitations, Scrooge resolves to avoid the fate that awaits him, and he finally begins to attempt kindness at the end of the story when Bob Cratchit arrives late to work on the day after Christmas. do you think that people like scrooge are really happy 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,. 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Economic experiments have shown that Cratchit's wages are so poor that translated to a modern economy, they would account for less than $100 a week, an obviously impossible salary to live on.