Bob Cratchit and his family, including Tiny Tim, are central characters in Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol". They represent the working-class struggle and the importance of family, love, and compassion in Victorian society. The Cratchits serve as a foil to Scrooge's initial miserliness and highlight the transformative power of kindness and generosity.
- Bob Cratchit is portrayed as a humble, loving father and dedicated employee despite harsh working conditions
- Tiny Tim symbolizes innocence and the plight of impoverished children in Victorian England
- The Cratchit family's warmth and unity contrast sharply with Scrooge's initial coldness and isolation
- Their struggles and joys serve to humanize the working class for Dickens' upper-class readers
- Key themes include family bonds, social inequality, and the redeeming power of compassion