Bob Cratchit

Bob Cratchit
A Christmas Carol character
Bob Cratchit and Tiny Tim as depicted in the 1870s by Fred Barnard
First appearance A Christmas Carol 1843
Created by Charles Dickens
Information
Nickname(s) Bob
Gender Male
Occupation Clerk
Spouse(s) Mrs. Cratchit (named Emily in some adaptations)
Children Martha
Belinda
Peter
an unnamed son (named Matthew in some adaptations)
an unnamed daughter (named Lucy or Gillian in some adaptions)
Tiny Tim

Bob Cratchit is a fictional character in the Charles Dickens novel A Christmas Carol. The abused, underpaid clerk of Ebenezer Scrooge (and possibly Jacob Marley, when he was still alive), Cratchit has come to symbolize poor working conditions, especially long working hours. He is close to 30 years of age in the book, but can appear differently in different versions.[1]

According to a comment by Scrooge, Cratchit works for 15 shillings a week at a rate of three pence ("thruppence") an hour for 60 hours per week. Until the decimalization of the British Pound in 1971, one shilling was twelve pence. Thus, fifteen shillings is 180 pence. It would take 60 hours to earn 180 at a rate of three pence per hour.[2] In terms of 2015 purchasing power, this would be approximately £63.00[3] or about $94 US per week.

Family

Seven members of Cratchit's family are mentioned in the original story, four of whom are named:

  • Mrs. Cratchit, Bob Cratchit's wife, who is named Emily in some adaptations.
  • Martha Cratchit, the eldest daughter, who works as an apprentice at a milliner's.
  • Belinda Cratchit, the second daughter.
  • Peter Cratchit, the heir, for whom his father is arranging employment at the weekly rate of five shillings and sixpence.
  • Timothy "Tiny Tim" Cratchit. The youngest child, he is desperately ill and walks with a crutch.
  • An unnamed younger son, named Matthew; or alternatively, a daughter named Miranda in varied adaptations.
  • An unnamed younger daughter, named Lucy or Gillian in various adaptations.

Notable actors who portrayed Bob Cratchit in A Christmas Carol

The role of Bob Cratchit has been performed (live action, voiced or animated) by, among others:

 Garry Boyle Gade Valley School play

References

  1. ↑ "Wall Street: Bob Cratchit Hours". Time Magazine. 18 August 1967. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
  2. ↑ "Understanding old British money - pounds, shillings and pence". Resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk. Archived from the original on 2015-12-27. Retrieved 2015-12-25.
  3. ↑ "Purchase Power of the Pound". Measuring Worth. Retrieved 2015-12-25.

[[Category:Male characters in literature]

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.