Its tenderness and flavor, size and cheapness[ADJECTIVE], were the themes of universal admiration. Eked out by apple-sauce and mashed potatoes, it was a sufficient dinner for the whole family; indeed, as Mrs Cratchit said with great delight (surveying one small atom of a bone upon the dish), they hadn't ate it all at last![EXCLAMATORY] Yet every one had had enough. But now, the plates being changed by Miss Belinda, Mrs. Cratchit left the room alone -- too nervous to bear witnesses -- to take the pudding up, and bring it in.

Suppose it should not be done enough! Suppose it should break in turning out! Suppose somebody should have got over the wall of the back-yard, and stolen it, while they were merry with the goose: a supposition at which the two young Cratchits became livid! All sorts of horrors were supposed.

Hallo! A great deal of steam! The pudding was out of the copper. In half a minute Mrs Cratchit entered: flushed, but smiling proudly: with the pudding, like a speckled cannon-ball, so hard and firm, blazing in half of half-a-quartern of ignited brandy, and bedight with Christmas holly stuck into the top.

Oh, a wonderful pudding! Bob Cratchit said, and calmly too, that he regarded it as the greatest success achieved by Mrs Cratchit since their marriage. Mrs Cratchit said that now the weight was off her mind, she would confess she had had her doubts about the quantity of flour. Everybody had something to say about it, but nobody said or thought it was at all a small pudding for a large family. It would have been flat heresy to do so. Any Cratchit would have blushed to hint at such a thing.

At last the dinner was all done, the cloth was cleared, the hearth swept, and the fire made up. The compound in the jug being tasted, and considered perfect, apples and oranges were put upon the table, and a shovel-full of chestnuts on the fire. Then all the Cratchit family drew round the hearth[fire/warmth], in what Bob Cratchit called a circle, meaning half a one; and at Bob Cratchit's elbow stood the family display of glass; two tumblers, and a custard-cup without a handle.

Point and quotation	Notes: language/context
Families provide hapinesss 'Then all the Cratchit family drew round the hearth' [fire/warmth] ' they hadn't ate it all at last![EXCLAMATORY] Yet every one had had enough.'
Victorian families struggled  'Family display of glass; two tumblers, and a custard-cup without a handle.' 'Its tenderness and flavour, size and cheapness[ADJECTIVE], .. a sufficient dinner'
Dickens believed family made respectful,Christian humans 'nobody said or thought it was at all a small pudding for a large family'

Answer rating: 100% (QA)

Charles Dickens presents the Cratchit family as a family who appreciates everything no matter how big or small it is This is seen when Dickens states ... View the full answer