Dickens describes the Cratchit family as “not a handsome family; they were not well-dressed… but they were happy”. The family was grateful for what little they had, even their small Christmas dinner. They’re portrayed as kind, grateful, loving, and moral in spite of their poverty. This contentment and gratitude differs to the belief, which prevailed at the time, that the people in poverty were incapable of being appreciative, were immoral and largely criminals. Dickens presents the Cratchits as positive and upstanding citizens because he wanted to change this stereotype of the poor. He wanted to show his audience that people living in poverty could be good people, by using the archetype of a poor but happy family. Dickens desired to change this perception to encourage the audience of the time to be more generous and kind to the
Dickens describes the Cratchit family as “not a handsome family; they were not well-dressed… but they were happy”. The family was grateful for what little they had, even their small Christmas dinner. They’re portrayed as kind, grateful, loving, and moral in spite of their poverty. This contentment and gratitude differs to the belief, which prevailed at the time, that the people in poverty were incapable of being appreciative, were immoral and largely criminals. Dickens presents the Cratchits as positive and upstanding citizens because he wanted to change this stereotype of the poor. He wanted to show his audience that people living in poverty could be good people, by using the archetype of a poor but happy family. Dickens desired to change this perception to encourage the audience of the time to be more generous and kind to the