When Mr. Crummles makes a public scene out of Nicholas’s departure, Mr. Crummles again displays tendencies toward self-advertisement and self-interest that show that he is somewhat similar to Ralph and Squeers. The difference between those characters again, though, is that Mr. Crummles genuinely cares about people like Nicholas, Smike, and the actors in his theater company, while Squeers and Ralph are motivated only by self-interest.