Characters

Ebenezer Scrooge

Ebenezer Scrooge is the hero of the novel. When we first meet Scrooge, he is completely cold, hard and uncharitable. But we learn during the novel how he once enjoyed life and even loved a woman. All of his better characteristics have been submerged under his passion for making money, however, to the point where he cares nothing for any other human being. When reminded of his former life, and shown the present and future consequences of his avarice, Scrooge seizes the opportunity to reform, and embraces generosity as the novel closes.

Fred [surname never given]

Fred is Scrooge's nephew and the son of his beloved sister Fan. Fred is a kind-hearted young man who endeavours to persuade his uncle to change his ways and enter into the Christmas spirit. He married for love, something of which Scrooge is particularly scornful at the opening of the novel. He remains magnanimous towards his uncle, and he welcomes Scrooge joyfully after his conversion.

Jacob Marley

Jacob Marley is Scrooge's former business partner, who died seven years prior to the novel's opening. In life, he shared Scrooge's avaricious attitude, but he suffers in the afterlife, and comes to warn Scrooge and persuade him to change his ways.

Bob Cratchit

Bob Cratchit is Scrooge's clerk, who works for low wages and in poor conditions, struggling to make enough money to feed his six children adequately. Nevertheless, he insists on toasting his employer on Christmas day, thus exemplifying a charitable, forgiving attitude.

Mrs Cratchit

Mrs Cratchit is Bob Cratchit's wife. She works hard to make the home cheerful with Bob's meagre wages. She is less inclined to toast Bob's employer, perhaps because she cannot overlook the consequences of Scrooge's avarice for her own family, particularly Tiny Tim.

'Tiny' Tim Cratchit

Tiny Tim is Bob Cratchit's disabled son. Scrooge learns that Tim will die within a year if the Cratchits do not soon have a larger income so that he can be better nourished. This is a key moment in Scrooge's conversion to generosity.

Mr Fezziwig

Mr Fezziwig is a kind-hearted, jovial old merchant, to whom Scrooge was apprenticed as a young man. He is generous towards his apprentices, throwing a ball for them at Christmas time. Witnessing his generosity reminds Scrooge of the joys and benefits of open-heartedness.

Fan

Fan is Scrooge's sister, Fred's mother. She died young. Scrooge loved her dearly when she was alive.

Belle

Belle is Scrooge's fiancée in younger days, who parts from him when she sees that he loves money more than he loves her. She later marries happily and has a large family, a fact which fills Scrooge with regret for what might have been.

Characters Retrieval Practice