Scrooge especially feels for poor Tiny Tim and starts to make a connection between the young boy's probable death and the very low wages he pays his father. 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. Name the six places the second spirit takes Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. He looks down on those less fortunate than himself, and loathes the cheerfulness that accompanies the annual return of the Christmas season. Dickens wastes no time establishing that his protagonist is a mean, vindictive individual with seemingly no redeeming qualities. "What did Scrooge say about giving his clerk a day off to celebrate Christmas in Charles Dickens'sA Christmas Carol?" Dickens depicts him in tattered clothing, although Cratchit makes sure his clothes are clean and mended. 40 lessons Scrooge refuses to give him additional coal for the fire, and even threatens to fire Cratchit if he tries to obtain more coal from Scrooge. In fact, Bob is always happy because he finds in his family everything he could desire. Unknown if this calculator takes into account the exchange rate affecting purchasing power. Work such as Cratchit's letter-copying "was repetitive and mind-bendingly dull, leaving clerks exhausted by the end of the day." A 1843 Shilling (12 pence) is about $30 in buying power and 240 Pence = 1 pound. Scrooge, a "tightfisted hand at the grindstone," treats his clerk, Bob Cratchit, coldly. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. In one scene, Scrooge is shown the Cratchits following Tiny Tim's death. When the story opens, Scrooge knows nothing about his employee. Mrs. Cratchit says, though she cannot refrain from adding, "He'll be very merry and very happy, I have no doubt!". February 28, 2023, SNPLUSROCKS20 Since 1971 the Pound is floating and in Dec 2022 $1.22. 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. 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). 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. Why does the Ghost of Christmas Present bring Scrooge out to a bleak and desert moor? "The Treadmill and the Poor Law are in full vigour, then?" said Scrooge . Overall the three spirits teach Scrooge to be a better man. When Cratchit is first introduced in the text, he's not even given a name. Scrooge is reluctant to give Bob Christmas off to spend with his family. Explain Ignorance and Want, who appear in stave 3 of A Christmas Carol. To Scrooge's stingy, tight-fisted way of thinking, the idea of a paid holiday for his employee was robbing him of the labor for which he was paying. He is patient, even-tempered, and finds joy in a simple Christmas with his family. 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.". Scrooge has a small fire for warmth, but Cratchit's fire is even smaller. As the story progresses, Scrooge is visited by three spirits, who take him on a journey to the past, present, and future, which allows Scrooge to recognize his corrupt, malicious ways. eNotes Editorial, 3 Feb. 2020, https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/how-scrooges-attitude-towards-bob-cratchit-change-759417. 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. 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. The office was closed in a twinkling, and the clerk . Bob Cratchit overhears Scrooge's nephew argue that Christmas has many benefits, and before he realizes it, Cratchit applauds the nephew's words. From their conversation, it is clear Scrooge's attitude towards Bob is cold and uncaring and that their relationship is strained. Dickens has established the hostile nature of his protagonist so he can henceforth proceed with the series of nocturnal developments intended to redeem the old man's soul. At the end, Scrooge sends a giant turkey to the Cratchits, gives Cratchit a raise, and becomes involved with the Cratchit family, especially Tiny Tim, who does not die. Cratchit is underpaid and overworked, yet he maintains his cheerful temperament despite the problems he faces at work and at home. He has a young child with a disability and other children to support as well. Scrooge is unhappy despite his material wealth, while Bob Cratchit is happy in spite of his poverty. How does Scrooge treat his clerk Bob How does he respond to his Christmas Day off? When the Ghost of Christmas Present takes Scrooge to visit the Cratchits on Christmas Day, he sees Bob Cratchit carrying his sickly son Tiny Tim, and later raising a toast to Scrooge for providing the feast. His youngest son, Tiny Tim, is the light of Bob's life but is very ill and needs medical attention that Bob can't . Bob hopes to secure a good job for Peter, who will then help provide income for the struggling Cratchit family. I feel like its a lifeline. He immediately insures that the Cratchit family will have a wonderful Christmas dinner and gives Cratchit a considerable raise. Latest answer posted December 11, 2020 at 10:52:15 AM. Scrooge pretended to be angry when Cratchit came in late the next morning, then he raised Bob's salary. Why does the Ghost of Christmas Present have over eighteen hundred brothers? Oh, he was early there. He is the first spirit to visit Scrooge. b. combat, campaign, tactic, siege How to Market Your Business with Webinars. 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. When he is celebrating Christmas with his family, he offers a toast in his honor. Scrooge believes one can only be happy with wealth, but ironically, he remains miserable despite his wealth. To whom does Scrooge send the Christmas turkey? In A Christmas Carol, Bob Cratchit works for Ebenezer Scrooge, where he is paid a pittance for his services. Scrooge describes the scene within the Cratchit house that he sees while with the Ghost of Christmas Present. Wed love to have you back! In this passage, Bob Cratchit is depicted as a man capable of experiencing child-like joy while playing in the snow with the children he encounters on his walk home. What is the difference in the mood of Stave 4 and Stave 5? If he could only be there first, and catch Bob Cratchit coming late. Bob Cratchit is Scrooge's clerk and works in unpleasant conditions without complaint. We're sorry, SparkNotes Plus isn't available in your country. $24.99 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. As if to emphasize further the nature of Scrooge's character, Dickens has his main character be visited by a kind gentleman seeking a charitable contribution for the benefit of the poor. 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. Psychological Research & Experimental Design, All Teacher Certification Test Prep Courses, Margaret Stone, Margaret Stone, Amy Fredrickson. He obeys Scrooge's rules and is timid about asking to go home to his family early on Christmas Eve. 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. Scrooges joke about Bedlam, a famous insane asylum, reflects his perplexity at a world where people can be gracious while impoverished. His employer, Ebenezer Scrooge, does not care about Cratchit or his desire to celebrate Christmas with his family. Bob Cratchit is depicted as wearing a long ''comforter'', or scarf, to try to stay warm at work. There was a bright light and a strange voice calling him. Explain why the word belongs to that set. How does Bob Cratchit influence Scrooge? Your group members can use the joining link below to redeem their group membership. Cratchit is impossibly underpaid and overworked, and still Scrooge complains about the shortcomings that he perceives in his clerk. Describe the encounter with the "portly gentlemen" on the street. How does this relate to the beginning of the story? The narrator describes the scene in Scrooges office where Scrooge rations the live coals needed to heat the place during winter. Bob Cratchit is quite poor. Complete the following sentences with an appropriate phrase that includes the correct form of jugar, Link each word on the left with a set of words on the right. The reader reflects on the lack of parental affection in Scrooges childhood. Before his experience with the spirits, Scrooge is known throughout his community as cold, miserly, and mean-spirited. 6 Who is Bob Cratchit in the Great Gatsby? Scrooge keeps his word about refusing the poor. Very simply, Bob Cratchit changes from being a thing to emerging as a human being in Scrooge's eyes. Dickens continues to emphasize Bob Cratchit's poverty throughout the story. His wife is not as charitable as he is about his miserly boss. What is the theme of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens? 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. By signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy. how does scrooge react to each one of the episodes from the past? c. extricate A poor excuse for picking a mans pocket every twenty-fifth of December! said Scrooge, buttoning his great-coat to the chin. Let us know your assignment type and we'll make sure to get you exactly the kind of answer you need. 2023 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved, "Secret, And Self-contained, And Solitary As An Oyster", https://www.enotes.com/topics/christmas-carol, https://www.enotes.com/topics/christmas-carol/characters, https://www.enotes.com/topics/christmas-carol/themes. To begin with the Cratchits, the family consists of Scrooge's employee Bob Cratchit, his wife (whose first name is not mentioned), and his children, Martha, Peter, Belinda, Tiny Tim, and another boy and girl whose names are not given. 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. Share. Readers learn that Scrooge pays Cratchit only 15 shillings a week. When the Ghost of Christmas Present takes Scrooge to visit the Cratchits on Christmas Day, he sees Bob Cratchit carrying his sickly son Tiny Tim, and later raising a toast to Scrooge for. Bob Cratchit is a character in Charles Dickens's "A Christmas Carol." Scrooge, his employer, keeps the door between them open so he can watch Cratchit at all times. What does Bob Cratchit go on to do in his life? Complete the sentence in a way that shows you understand the meaning of the italicized vocabulary word. said Scrooge. Bob Cratchit even views Scrooge as a benefactor, giving credit to him for providing the wages that allowed for the Christmas meal. Cratchit represents the Victorian ideal of Christmas as a time of happiness and warmth, centered around children. 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. Bob Cratchit struggles to care for his family, and the portions at the Cratchit dinner table are small. Let us know your assignment type and we'll make sure to get you exactly the kind of answer you need. Scrooge treats him poorly, hesitating to even let him have the. Bob Cratchit is Scrooges clerk and works in unpleasant conditions without complaint. Amy has taught and tutored college-level English; she has a master's degree from Colorado State University in rhetoric and composition. 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. The portly man and he thin man go visit Scrooge because they want him to donate money to the poor. Bob Cratchit is poor for two reasons. Scrooge complains to Bob Cratchit, his clerk, when he asks for the day off for Christmas. Yet all of the Cratchits adore the young child who must use a crutch and body brace to walk. Accessed 1 Mar. Get unlimited access to over 84,000 lessons. These held the hot stuff from the jug, however, as well as golden goblets would have done; and Bob served it out with beaming looks, while the chestnuts on the fire sputtered and cracked noisily.". Much of a clerk's wages went to keeping up the appearance of a white-collar lifestyle, including always having a black suit (to hide the ink stains?) And so while a clerk might be involved in any level of white-collar office administration work, including accounting, copy-editing, or record-keeping, Bob Cratchit's primary role seems to be as a copyist, copying Scrooge's letters by hand, even when the ink freezes. lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. How does Ebenezer Scrooge treat Martha Cratchit? Scrooge watches the people on the street, he smiles and talks to them. The next day Scrooge states that he will increase Cratchit's salary immediately and promises to help his struggling family. When the Ghost of Christmas Present takes Scrooge to visit the Cratchits on Christmas Day, he sees Bob Cratchit carrying his sickly son Tiny Tim, and later raising a toast to Scrooge for providing the feast. I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. 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. And Ebenezer Scrooge begins "A Christmas Carol" as a bad one. But what exactly does he do? A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is the story of a greedy man named Ebenezer Scrooge. That all changes when the Ghost of Christmas Present takes Scrooge to see the Cratchit family's Christmas. Latest answer posted January 12, 2021 at 5:08:54 PM. 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. Name the six places the second spirit takes Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. How does he continue to support Tiny Tim? Why did Bob Cratchit suffer in silence in A Christmas Carol? Also, Scrooge expects Bob to work in the cold office without a decent fire to keep his hands warm. d. patronize. Describe the two children who emerge from the second spirit's robe in A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Marley's purpose in the play was to warn scrooge that he would be visited by 3 spirits. In the original script Ebenezer does not have contact with Mrs Cratchit only with Tiny Tom and Bob.. Does he open his own business? 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. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Where do these athletes play? Scrooges response to this request is to inquire whether prison is not an appropriate venue in which to house such individuals and families. How does Dickens present and develop the character of Bob Cratchit? Cratchit likely eschews new clothes so he can better provide for his large family. Tiny Tim is depicted as a courageous boy who is able to enjoy his life despite his circumstances. Bob Cratchit is Scrooges clerk. It's a white-collar job, albeit the barrel-bottom level of it for a mere15 shillings a week, which is a pittance, barely enough to feed Cratchit's family and not enough for him to afford a coat. Their youngest son, Tiny Tim, has many physical problems, but yet has a big heart. He works for Ebenezer Scrooge and he is quite loyal to his employer despite the fact that Scrooge is an irritable cheapskate. The free trial period is the first 7 days of your subscription. The Cratchits benefit from Scrooge's change of heart, with Bob Cratchit, up till now a member of the working poor, receiving a raise and enough coal to finally stay warm in his office. 3 Why does Bob Cratchit work for Scrooge? More books than SparkNotes. Stave Two: The First of the Three Spirits, Stave Three: The Second of the Three Spirits, Charles Dickens and A Christmas Carol Background. Bob Cratchit as an employee in Scrooge's business. "How does Scrooge's attitude towards Bob Cratchit and their relationship change at the end of A Christmas Carol?" 2 How does Scrooge treat Bob Cratchit in stave 5? Martha Cratchit is a late arrival for the dinner, having been delayed at the milliner's shop where she works. As he is reminded of Fezziwig, he is reminded of how hard a person he has become. Scrooge marvels at how the Cratchit's seem to celebrate Christmas despite their lack of money and concerns about Tiny Tim's health (Dickens 40). Bob Cratchit is a warm and loving man who tries to find the best in others - even in Ebenezer Scrooge, his miserly boss. 2023 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved, "Secret, And Self-contained, And Solitary As An Oyster". The elderly miser condemns his sole employee to a life of misery, going so far as to. Add Yours. 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