A Christmas Carol · Character

Bob Cratchit

Scrooge's shivering clerk, paid fifteen shillings a week, who carries Tiny Tim on his shoulder and Christmas cheer in his threadbare coat.

supporting

Also known as Bob, little Bob, Cratchit, Poor Bob

First appearance: Stave I: Marley's Ghost

As a supporting figure in A Christmas Carol, Bob Cratchit is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Bob Cratchit is briefly mentioned as Scrooge's underpaid clerk who slides on the ice and hurries home to Camden Town on Christmas Eve.

In the storyStave I: Marley's GhostOpen this moment free

See Bob Cratchit in Stave I: Marley's Ghost Book page

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Bob scratches away in the tank, hat off before he opens the door, pleading that being late is only once a year. His warmth toward a family that can barely afford a goose stands in quiet rebuke to his employer's wealth, and his patience makes Scrooge's coldness visible in human terms. When Scrooge finally leaps up to raise his salary and send the prize turkey to Camden Town, it is Bob's household that measures how far the old man has come.

Continue beside the text

The fuller portrait of Bob Cratchit sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See Bob Cratchit in Stave I: Marley's Ghost

Character Web

8 connections

A slice of how Bob Cratchit sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Professional
Family
Other

Character groups

Cratchit Family Circle
Protagonist

+3 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Breaking point

This is the story's dramatic climax because it marks the emotional and psychological peak of Scrooge's transfo…

Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.

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Relationships

Ebenezer Scrooge
professional · negative
Bob Cratchit is Scrooge's underpaid and overworked clerk, enduring his miserly employer's… How this plays out →
Mrs. Cratchit
family · positive
Peter Cratchit
family · positive
Tiny Tim
family · positive
Ghost of Christmas Past
psychological · ambivalent
Ebenezer Scrooge
professional · negative
Bob Cratchit is Scrooge's underpaid and overworked clerk, enduring his miserly employer's… How this plays out →
Ebenezer Scrooge
professional · negative
Bob Cratchit is Scrooge's underpaid and overworked clerk, enduring his miserly employer's… How this plays out →
Peter Cratchit
family · positive
Mrs. Cratchit
family · positive
Tiny Tim
family · positive
Mrs. Cratchit
family · positive
Peter Cratchit
family · positive

Ebenezer Scrooge
Bob Cratchit is Scrooge's underpaid and overworked clerk, enduring his miserly employer's harsh treatment.
Mrs. Cratchit
Bob and Mrs. Cratchit are a devoted married couple, loving and supportive despite their poverty.
Peter Cratchit
Bob is a caring father to Peter, proud of his son's efforts to help support the family.
Tiny Tim
Bob is Tiny Tim's loving father, deeply devoted to his frail son and heartbroken by his illness.
Ghost of Christmas Past
Bob Cratchit is observed by the Ghost of Christmas Past as part of Scrooge's lesson about the Cratchit family's suffering.
Ebenezer Scrooge
Bob Cratchit is Scrooge's underpaid and overworked clerk, enduring his miserly employer's harsh treatment.
Ebenezer Scrooge
Bob Cratchit is Scrooge's underpaid and overworked clerk, enduring his miserly employer's harsh treatment.
Peter Cratchit
Bob is a caring father to Peter, proud of his son's efforts to help support the family.
Mrs. Cratchit
Bob and Mrs. Cratchit are a devoted married couple, loving and supportive despite their poverty.
Tiny Tim
Bob is Tiny Tim's loving father, deeply devoted to his frail son and heartbroken by his illness.
Mrs. Cratchit
Bob and Mrs. Cratchit are a devoted married couple, loving and supportive despite their poverty.
Peter Cratchit
Bob is a caring father to Peter, proud of his son's efforts to help support the family.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Bob Cratchit in Stave I: Marley's Ghost

In the story

Bob Cratchit appears across 4 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Stave I: Marley's Ghost
Bob Cratchit is briefly mentioned as Scrooge's underpaid clerk who slides on the ice and hurries home to Camden Town on Christmas Eve.
Stave III: The Second of the Three Spirits
Returns home with Tiny Tim on his shoulder, participates in the family's Christmas dinner, and shows deep affection for his family.
Stave IV: The Last of the Spirits
Grieving the death of Tiny Tim, Bob returns home to his family, visits the grave, and shares news of Fred's kindness.
Stave V: The End of It
Arrives late to work; receives a salary raise and a promise of assistance from Scrooge.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Bob Cratchit unlock in the free preview.

See Bob Cratchit in Stave I: Marley's Ghost