Bob Cratchit
Scrooge's poorly paid clerk, whose family life reveals both affection and the material costs of his employer's stinginess.
He wants to support his family, preserve their shared happiness and see Tiny Tim grow stronger.
The book
Who they are in the book
Spoiler-freeBob's cheerfulness exists alongside cold, insecure work and worry for his children. Dickens gives him pleasures and loyalties that exceed the role of a suffering employee.
How the book draws them
- Applauding at a costIn Stave I, Bob applauds Fred's defense of Christmas and is threatened with dismissal. His instinctive agreement reveals values he cannot safely express in the workplace.
- Claiming pleasure after workIn Stave I, he slides on Cornhill with a group of boys before running home to play. The brief release of energy shows a life outside the cautious manner Scrooge requires.
- Carrying Tim homeIn Stave III, he brings Tiny Tim from church on his shoulder and repeats the child's thoughts to the family. His trembling voice unsettles his claim that Tim is growing strong, revealing fear beneath his effort to reassure the family.
- A toast the family resistsIn Stave III, he proposes Scrooge as the founder of the feast. His wife's anger and the children's reluctant response prevent the gesture of goodwill from excusing the employer's treatment of them.
- Grief behind reassuranceIn the future shown in Stave IV, he tries to speak cheerfully before breaking down over Tim. He values Fred's sympathy for its manner, not merely possible assistance, and asks the children to remember their brother through kindness.
- A raise that first sounds alarmingIn Stave V, he arrives late expecting a reprimand and briefly fears Scrooge has lost his senses when offered more money. The surprise shows how thoroughly the old conditions of work have shaped his expectations.
If you like A Christmas Carol
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