Bob Cratchit Character Analysis

Bob Cratchit Character Analysis

1. Good-natured/Morally righteous

   • He toasts Scrooge as ‘the Founder of the Feast’ - Scrooge underpaid Bob but he is still thankful even though Scrooge would never care or know that he did. Elevates his position which emphasises their status gap.
   • When Mrs Cratchit reacts badly to Bob calling Scrooge the ‘the Founder of the Feast’, Bob simply reminds his wife of ​“the children”​ and that it is ​“Christmas Day” which heightens the righteousness of his character.
   • When Tiny Tim dies in Stave Four, Bob tries to remain peaceful by reminding his family not to ​“quarrel easily”​ amongst each other to honour Tiny Tim.
   • He returns from church with Tiny Tim on his shoulder which creates a pastoral image of him holding his child.

2. Important (more than a caricature.)

   • He is described ‘with the long ends of his white comforter dangling below his waist (for he boasted no great-coat)’. He is humorous but also shows how lots of people lived without necessities, such as a coat.
   • Emphasises plight of poor.He was devastated by Tiny Tim’s death but ‘He was reconciled to what had happened’. Death of children was common, so Bob accepts that he didn’t have the means to protect Tiny Tim.
     • VERB “He tried to warm himself at the candle”- pitiful verb 'tried' used to create a sense of helplessness. The anticlimatic 'candle' highlights the poor provisions in Bob's workplace as he only has a lone candle to warm himself. The fact 'he failed' illustrates the nonchalant attitude that the rich had towards' the poor's working conditions; Bob worked in a 'dismal little cell'.
   • Bob and his son's death emphasises Scrooge's responsibility that he has for other human beings.
   • Dickens introduces the idea that family should be an essential focus of the festive time - Bob calls the meal ​“the greatest success achieved by Mrs Cratchit since their marriage”​

3. Grateful

   • 'Nobody said or thought it was at all a small pudding for a large family. It would have been flat heresy to do so' - This ​exclamatory remark​ highlights Bob’s appreciation towards his family, despite the size of the pudding nobody even ​“thought”​ it was ​“small”.
     • The pudding presents an important image of there hard work and unity of the family.

4. Forgiving

   • Bob displays compassion as he forgives Scrooge for mistreating him​, once again idealising his character.

5. Family orientated

   • EXCLAMATIVE Bob reacts with a 'declension in his high spirits' and repeats 'not coming!' in disbelief when his children pretend that Martha can't make it for Christmas Day which highlights the extent to which Bob values his family which is a quality Dickens presents as ​ideal​.