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Allusions
Stave 1
Explanation and Analysis—Scrooge & Bob Cratchit :
A striking foil appears in A Christmas Carol as Scrooge and Cratchit diverge from each other in every way. Whereas Scrooge is a crotchety old man, Cratchit is a pleasant family man. Scrooge hoards his cash, but Cratchit devotes his life's work to serving his wife and children. The following passage describes the Cratchits:
They were not a handsome family; they were not well dressed; their shoes were far from being water-proof; their clothes were scanty; and Peter might have known, and very likely did, the inside of a pawnbroker's. But, they were happy, grateful, pleased with one another, and contented with the time.
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Stave 3
Explanation and Analysis—Tiny Tim & Scrooge:
A Christmas Carol presents Tiny Tim as a foil for Scrooge. Tim is a sympathetic character whose plight makes Scrooge seem extremely greedy and inhumane. His situation invokes sadness and pity, but also hope and inspiration because he has a good attitude despite being poor and physically ailing. By presenting Tiny Tim in this way, the narrative appeals to the reader's empathy. Bob Cratchit describes Tim as a thoughtful person who always remains optimistic and empathetic:
Unlock with LitCharts A+"As good as gold,” said Bob, “and better. Somehow he gets thoughtful sitting by himself so much, and thinks the strangest things you ever heard. He told me, coming home, that he hoped the people saw him in the church, because he was a cripple, and it might be pleasant to them to remember upon Christmas Day, who made lame beggars walk and blind men see.”
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