The Cratchit Family In A Christmas Carol

Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is a moral tale that depicts the protagonist’s Ebenezer Scrooge’s moral journey from selfishness to redemption. It can be seen that his new found way of life is derived from the desire to be a good man of the community and to assist others such as Tiny Tim. The idea of Scrooge’s transformation not being selfish can also be seen in his aspiration to contribute to the wider community that suffers from a poverty stricken way of life. In addition to this, Scrooge also reforms his way of life in order to feel love and care from family, which satisfied his nephew Fred aswell as himself. However, this selflessness is only to an

Following this bitter blow, the Ghost of Christmas Present leads Scrooge on a tour of two more families: that of his nephew and of his clerk. The vision of Scrooge’s clerk’s family – the Cratchits – paints an intricate example of the beauty of family. As Dickens explains, “They were not a handsome family; they were not well dressed; their shoes were far from being water-proof; their clothes were scanty… But they were happy, grateful, pleased with one another, and contented with the times…” (page 54). The Cratchits possessed minimal earthly wealth, and even had an ill son, yet they displayed incredible joy! The joy, warmth, affection, and laughter surrounding the Cratchits’ Christmas celebration brought Scrooge to the realization that the “Christmas spirit” does not depend on any material possessions, or even on situations. Joy is a choice, and that choice is made easier when we are surrounded by the ones we love.

‘If you please,’ said Scrooge. ‘Not a farthing less. A great many back payments are included in it, I assure you. Will you do me the favour?’” (Dickens 78)

“ Money is power, freedom, a cushion, the root of all evil, the sum of blessings, ” said Carl Sandburg. Throughout the story A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, he shares a clear message about wealth or having an abundance of money. The love of money can make mankind greedy and hateful, but wealth can also be used for thoughtful and generous purposes. His view goes hand in hand with the teachings of the Bible. In A Christmas Carol, Scrooge shows that his love of money makes him selfish and full of greed, but once he is shown his past, present, future he realizes his ways and changes them to help others, and he specifically embraces the Cratchit family in many ways.

Scrooge began his transformation into a good man when the Ghost of Christmas present shows him the Cratchit household. Scrooge throughout this scene is presented with the consequences of his actions and how they affect those who are less fortunate than he. “Think of that. Bob had but fifteen bob a-week himself; he pocketed on Saturdays but fifteen copies of his Christian name; and yet the Ghost of

He is a crippled boy who walks on crutches. Despite his condition Tim is always happy. Concerned, Scrooge asks if Tiny Tim will be alive in the future and the Spirit says it doesn’t look like he will. All gathered at a table, Mrs. Cratchit starts to speak poorly of Scrooge, but toasts to him for Bob’s sake. The spirit then shows him miners and lighthouse men who are happy about Christmas. At Fred’s house, Scrooge’s nephew, are laughing about how Scrooge called Christmas a humbug. Fred says he feels sorry for Scrooge and will keep asking him how he is doing despite that he always answers the same way. At this house Scrooge participates in the Christmas games and is very happy.

A Christmas Carol is about a man named Ebenezer Scrooge.Who had a lot of greed. He even called Christmas a “humbug”. Ebenezer Scrooge had more greed than any other man in England. He worked all year long even through Christmas, The most happiest time of year, but not for Ebenezer Scrooge. Scrooge had parter, Bob Cratchit, he paid him only 15 shillings a week. Cratchit had 5 children and one of his children had a crippled foot, and walked with a crutch. That Christmas the Cratchit family had a small turkey because of Scrooge's greed.

Scrooge’s clerk, Bob Cratchit had a clear view of the vexation clearly shown on Scrooge’s face as he snatched up a ruler with such vigour that the child who had begun to recite a Christmas carol frantically scrambled away. He had been looking through the key-hole of the counting-house. Bob Cratchit felt a small drop of pity for the youth but many a child had been warned of Scrooge’s frosty temper particularly upon Christmas Eve.

Scrooge was cruel and heartless and did not allow others to celebrate Christmas. He said, “A poor excuse to pick a man's pocket every twenty-fifth December!" He was extremely insensitive and cold-hearted he became furious when his clerk asks him for a day off on Christmas Day. He ignored his nephew when he said, "Merry Christmas Uncle" As this demonstrated he wanted everyone to be miserable at Christmas and did not allow his clerk and nephew to celebrate Christmas in the traditional way by being merry and enjoying Christmas. Bob Cratchit was probably on low wages because Scrooge was tight with his money.

Dickens intentionally dresses the ghost in symbols of Christmas to accentuate the idea of what the Christmas spirit should be – “free…genial…cheerful”. Scrooge observes The Cratchit Family’s situation - their “thread-bare clothes” and “twice turned gowns”- through the ghost, and he learns how his actions have been detrimental. Scrooge recognises that Bob Cratchit is deserving of more; more than a “dismal

In A Christmas Carol, an allegory of spiritual values versus material ones, Charles Dickens shows Scrooge having to learn the lesson of the spirit of Christmas, facing the reality of his own callous attitude to others, and reforming himself as a compassionate human being. The reader is shown his harshness in the office, where he will not allow Bob Cratchit enough coal to warm his work cubicle and begrudges his employee a day off for Christmas, even claiming that his clerk is exploiting him. In the scene from the past at Fezziwig’s warehouse, Scrooge becomes aware of the actions of a conscientious, caring employer and feels his first twinge of conscience. The author suggests an origin for Scrooge’s indifference to others as Scrooge is portrayed as a neglected child, the victim of a harsh father intent on denying him a trip home for the holidays and only reluctantly relenting.

The film adaptation of Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol, the main character, Ebenezer Scrooge, has led a life of greed and selfishness due to his circumstances as a child. His contemptuous and derisive attitude toward others often renders him the outcast of the town in which he lives in. On many occasions he proves himself to be uncharitable and unwilling to be lenient to give Bob Cratchit, a abused and underpaid man who works for Scrooge, any extra time off or pay on Christmas. When the two business owners came by Scrooge’s workplace to ask for money to donate to charity, he profusely refused their efforts to get him to provide any and shooed them away. All of these qualities only added to his negative social standing. People feared him and often avoided him due to his pessimistic demeanor. Even with this attitude, characters Bob Cratchit and Fred, who is Scrooge’s nephew, take pity on him and want the best for him because they can empathise with him. When Mrs. Cratchit starts to praise Scrooge in a negative light, Bob strays away from the subject and wills the subject to drop because it was Christmas, and people should be thankful for what they have. Another instance is when the Ghost of Christmas Present showed him Fred talking to the rest of his family, and despite after making fun of him, he chose to cheer to him in his honor. This is because he forgave Scrooge for his actions due to the fact that he pitied him and

Ebenezer Scrooge was a slave to his desire for wealth would be an understatement. His very innate being was controlled by this one all consuming want, and it infected and ruined every relationship he was ever part of. However, Mr. Scrooge isn’t remembered necessarily for his greed, rather he’s remembered for his drastic change at the end of the novel. In the beginning of the novel when Mr. Scrooge is approached by two gentleman in order to make a Christmas donation Scrooge says that, “If they would rather die they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population”(11). Mr. Scrooge does not care about his fellow people, all he cares about is their cash. He is a foul and nasty character. However after being visited by three ghosts he starts to become a better person. His transition begins when the Ghost of Christmas Past shows him how he alienated his love and how he lost his sister as well. This starts to put a crack in his psyche and is the beginning of his transformation. Next he is visited by the Ghost of Christmas Present who shows him the awful conditions that his employee Bob Cratchit is suffering, no thanks to Scrooge. The fact that Mr. Cratchit’s son Tim may soon die because of him wears away at Scrooge’s facade of heartlessness even more, but the transition isn’t yet complete. Although he asks the Ghost of Christmas Present whether Tim Cratchit will live and is “overwhelmed with penitence and grief”(63), his despair at the young child’s

Scrooge is taken to the present, he sees the Cratchit feast on there small dinner, but when Mr Cratchit makes a toast to Mr. Scrooge, Mrs. Cratchit doesn 't want to toast Mr Scrooge. Present takes Scrooge to see the places where the

First, Present takes him to his employee’s house where Scrooge learns how poor and sorrowful his employee, Bob Cratchit, is. Their family is struggling and Tiny Tim, the youngest member of the Cratchit family, is crippled. Unfortunately for Tiny Tim, death may be coming very soon, but he does not care. He is very optimistic and loves everyone by saying, “God bless us everyone,” (704). Next, Present shows Scrooge his nephew’s house and how everyone dislikes him, yet his nephew still toasts to his life. Once he does so his wife seems astonished as she says, “A toast to him?” (709). Soon the Ghost of Christmas Present deliquesces and disappears.