Beginning in England in the late 18th century, the Industrial Revolution changed the face of the country's economy. Although it became a center of wealth and production for the world, the majority of capital rested firmly in the hands of wealthy capitalists who cared little for the suffering endured by millions of workers. In Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" (1843), this theme of industrial suffering is illustrated through the historical and symbolic characterization of Bob Cratchit and his family, juxtaposed with Scrooge's heartless capitalist ideals. Through this powerful theme of industrial suffering, Dickens allows the reader to visualize the suffering of the poor in the mid-Victorian period. Similarly, the theme of industrial suffering can be defined as the suffering of lower class individuals under capitalist rule. In "A Christmas Carol", Bob Cratchit embodies this theme by working hard for a heartless capitalist (Scrooge) who does not reward Bob's dedicated work with enough money to support his family. This industrial suffering arouses a feeling of sympathy, thus enlightening the reader about the plight of working families in the mid-Victorian period. From factories to mines to trading posts, everyone in the working class was treated poorly. Bob Cratchit is employed in an accounting office and earns “15 shillings” (Dickens, 7) a week; a sum of money that is not enough to support his wife and children. According to Landow and Skipper, sixteen shillings were equivalent to four-fifths of a pound sterling, and "poor mid-century vicars earned as little as £40-50/year". Extrapolating, Bob Cratchit earns around £39/year. Likewise, his d...... middle of paper ......ate the economy and controlled society. Works cited and consulted Collins, Philip. "The reception and status of the Carol". The Dickensian 89.3 (1993): 170-176. Dickens, Charles. “A Christmas Carol”. Personalized English 101-N2 tutorial. Ed. Mr. van Woudenberg. Edmonton: University of Alberta, 2000. 30-70. Green, DR and AG Parton. “Slums and Slum Life in Victorian England: Mid-Century London and Birmingham – Urban Change and Slum Formation” Leicester: Leicester University Press, 1990. 53-83. Landow, GP and J. Skipper. Wages, cost of living, contemporary equivalents of Victorian money. HP. 1999 [Copyright]. Online. Houston, TX. Available: http://landow.stg.brown.edu/victorian/economys/wages.html. Accessed April 1, 2001. Tillotson, Kathleen. "A Background for a Christmas Carol". The Dickensian 89.3 (1993): 165-169.