The Negative Impacts Of Industrial Revolution On Children As Reflected In Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist Chapter III V

CHAPTER III
RESEARCH METHOD
3.1 Research Design
The writer used Qualitative descriptive method in the writing process of this
thesis. The Qualitative descriptive study is the method of choice when straight
descriptions of phenomena are desired. Such study is especially useful for
researchers wanting to know the who, what, and where of events (Sandelowski,
2005: 339). The Qualitative descriptive method tries to interpret and relate the
significance data to the situation, attitude as well as the point of view in a society,
conflict between two condition or more, and many others.
To find the data as reference of writing this thesis, the writer used library
research and internet research. The writer is collecting the data from some books,
internet and many other resources that can be related to the subject matter being
analyzed. The writer will do these following steps; collecting, selecting, analyzing
the data, interpreting them and finally creating the conclusion to write the thesis for
achieving the most effective study results.

3.2 Data and Data Source
Data are material which is used in some researches. Data is information of
parts, to be analyzed that the data can be obtained from magazines, newspaper,
books, etc. The data in this research is all of the quotation that is related to the topic

about industrial revolution and its impact on children in Oliver Twist by Charles
Dickens. The source of the data refers to the subject from which the data are
obtained. The data source is Charles Dickens’ novel entitled Oliver Twist.
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3.3 Data Collection
In collecting the data, there are two kinds of data, primary data and secondary
data. Primary data are those which are collected afresh and for the first time, and thus
happen to be original in character while secondary data are those which have already
been collected by someone else and which have already been passed through the
statistical process. (Kothari, 2004: 95).
In order to collect the primary data, the writer read the novel several times in
order to get more understanding about the novel, underlined the important data in the
novel that related to the impact of industrial revolution on children. The important
data must be selected in order to support the analysis of the impact of industrial
revolution on children and secondary data was gathered from several books which
are related to the topic of this thesis. The writer collected the data which give
understanding with the problem and objective of this thesis. Some of data and
information are also found from internet to support the analysis data.

3.4 Data Analysis
After all the data and information that related to the topics of this thesis are
collected, then data will be selected. The data will be selected and only the
significant data are used in the process of finishing this thesis. The data that will be
selected are related to the topic about industrial revolution and its impact on children.
All the collected and selected data which related to the topic are analyzed by using
sociology of literature theory to achieve the objective of this thesis. The writer makes
the interpretation based on the data which has been already taken and finally the
writer can create the conclusion for this thesis.

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CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS AND FINDING
It is really important to discuss about industrial revolution because it was a
great turning point which happened in the world yet it brought many negative
impacts toward society and the worst one was children exploitation. Actually, the
impact of industrial revolution did not fall upon children directly. There were some
social impacts that happened before the impact fell upon children. Before explaining
about children exploitation, it will be better if we know the historical background

that fore grounded children exploitation during industrial revolution.
England had a quick advancement during industrial revolution era in 18th
until 19th century. The transition to new manufacturing processes in the period from
about 1760 to sometime between 1820 and 1840. The advancement was getting
quicker after Joseph Kay succeeded in creating a weaving machine which could
work faster and arranged the cloth’s width in 1733. Despite of weaving machine, the
invention which brought a great impact during industrial revolution was steam
engine which was invented by James Watt in 1782. With the invention of steam
engine, many industries started to be moved by machine. With all those
advancement, industrial revolution brought many positive impacts which able to
improve the quality of life.
Behind the greatness of industrial revolution, there were many social
problems which happened during industrial revolution. One of those social problems
was children exploitation. Children exploitation had become the worst impact of
industrial revolution. It is impossible to explain about children exploitation without
knowing the root of the problem. By knowing the root of the problem, we can
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understand that one problem has a relation with other problem. It is like a chain
reaction.

The root of those social problems during industrial revolution was
urbanization. Industrial revolution had created a new urban life style which attracted
many villagers to seek their own fortune in industrialized city. According to
Fitzgerald (2000) in his journal entitled Science and Its Times: Understanding the
Social Significance of Scientific Discovery that industrial revolution accelerated the
growth of the urban population. Industrialization drew thousands of people to the
urban areas in search of employment. Many cities were completely unprepared for
the great influx of workers. Because of urbanization, there were many new terms that
appeared during industrial revolution era like worker, slum area, and children
trafficking. Besides, urbanization also caused another social problem like poverty,
and also children exploitation.
4.1 The Negative Impacts of Industrial Revolution in Oliver Twist
Industrial revolution was like a two-eyed sword. Industrial revolution brought
many positive impacts toward upper and middle class while brought negative
impacts toward lower class just like a sword which became sharper in the bottom yet
duller on the top. Most of those negative impacts impacted on social condition. There
were many social problems during industrial revolution which was caused by
urbanization. Charles Dickens tried to show his protest and described about those
social problems through his novel Oliver Twist. After I read the novel, I found two
negative impacts of industrial revolution which became the root of children

exploitation, they are urbanization and poverty.

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4.1.1 Urbanization
Industrial revolution had industrialized many cities in England which
attracted villagers to move to city. This kind of phenomena is called urbanization.
Industrial revolution led to urbanization by creating economic growth and there were
many job opportunities that draw villagers moved to city. Industrialized city is like a
pillar of light which attracted moths to come closer to the light. Many villagers
believe that by living in city, their life will be better because everything has become
more advanced. Those advancement and job opportunities have attracted villagers
move to city.
“The name awakened a new train of ideas in the boy’s mind. London!
- that great place! - nobody, not even Mr. Bumble, could ever find him
there. He had often heard the old men in the workhouse, too, say that
no lad spirit need want in London; and that there were ways of living
in the vast city which those who had been bred up in country parts had
no idea of. It was the very place for a homeless boy, who must die in
the streets unless some one helped him. As these things passed

through his thoughts, he jumped upon his feet, and again walked
forward.” (Dickens, 1838: 46)
Despite of attracted by living an easy life, villagers are also attracted by the lights of
city. During industrial revolution, electricity only existed in city while village had
not been flown by electricity so that they move to city in order to know how great
living in city with its advancement.
“Much farther! Yes as good as there,’ said the long-legged tramper,
pointing out before him. ‘Look there! Those are the lights of London.’
‘They’re a good two mile off, at least,’ said the woman despondingly.
(Dickens, 1838: 275-276)
There are many villagers that moved to city. Sometimes, the city dwellers can
recognize if villagers have just moved to city. It shows that there are different
appearances between city dwellers and villagers.
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“A pleasant night, sir, but cool for the time of year,’ said Fagin,
rubbing his hands. ‘From the country, I see, sir?’
‘How do yer see that?’ asked Noah Claypole.
‘We have not so much dust as that in London,’ replied Fagin, pointing
from Noah’s shoes to those of his companion, and from them to the

two bundles” (Dickens, 1838: 279)
Once a city is industrialized, the process of urbanization continues on for a
much longer period of time until the city goes through economic and social reform.
City becomes more developed because of urbanization. The emergence of new
entrepreneurs, shop and many others, new houses have been built so that city
becomes more crowded and make trading process easier.
“It was market-morning. The ground was covered, nearly ankle-deep,
with filth and mire; and thick steam, perpetually rising from the
reeking bodies of the cattle, and mingling with the fog, which seemed
to rest upon the chimney-tops, hung heavily above.” (Dickens, 1838:
135)
Urbanization is always characterized by the large-scale migration of people from the
rural areas to the urban areas in which led to a sudden, and often unexpected,
increase in the urban population so that city becomes crowded and loaded.
“Countrymen, butchers, drovers, hawkers, boys, thieves, idlers, and
vagabonds, every low, were mingled together in a dense mass. The
whistling of drovers, the barking of dogs, the barking of dogs, the
bellowing and plunging of oxen, the bleating of sheep, the grunting
and squeaking of pigs; the cries of hawkers, the shouts, oaths, and
quarrelling on all sides; the ringing of bells and the roar of voices that

issued from every public-house; the crowding, pushing, driving,
beating, whooping, and yelling; the hideous and discordant din that
resounded from every corner of the market; and the unwashed,
unshaven, squalid, and dirty figures constantly running to and fro, and
bursting in and out of the throng, rendered it a stunning and
bewildering sense, which quite confounded the sense.” (Dickens,
1838: 135)
Despite of the fact that the growth of urban centers leads to the creation of more job
opportunities for the people, it must be noted that urbanization is almost always

33

perceived as a negative trend. The rise in population of the cities has created many
problems like air and water pollution that became the major issues.
“Near to that part of the Thames on which the church at Rotherhithe
abuts, where the buildings on the banks are dirtiest and the vessels on
the river blackest with the dust of colliers and the smoke of close-built
low-roofed houses, there exists, at the present day, the filthiest, the
strangest, the most extraordinary of the many localities that are hidden
in London, wholly unknown, even by my name, to the great mass of

its inhabitants.” (Dickens, 1838: 329)
Besides, the number of villagers that moved to city cannot be matched by the square
measure of the city. Villagers and demand for housing keep increasing but city
cannot provide enough houses for those villagers so that it creates slum area. During
industrial revolution in England, slum area had become one of major problems. The
rate of slum area in England was quite high because England could not accommodate
those villagers. The condition of slum area in England at that time was quite
miserable.
“The sole places that seemed to prosper, amid the general blight of
the place, were the public-houses; and in them the lowest orders of
Irish were wrangling with might and main. Covered ways and yards,
which here and there diverged from the main street, disclosed little
knots of houses, where drunken men and women were positively
wallowing in the filth; and from several of the doorways great illlooking fellows were cautiously emerging, bound, to all appearance,
on no very well-disposed or harmless errands.” (Dickens, 1838: 51)
The increasing population caused to fight over jobs. In order to solve the
problem, factory owners decided to pay their laborers by low wages so that factories
could take in all villagers that wanted to get a job in city. Most of people that lived in
slum were work as laborer so that their life became more miserable. That condition
had created poverty during industrial revolution.

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4.1.2 Poverty
The poverty during industrial revolution was caused by urbanization which
became uncontrollable so that there were many villagers that moved to city and
England population exploded and city could not take in those many villagers.
Poverty is also the element of society, based on this novel, poverty during industrial
revolution was characterized by low income earnings, food shortage, poor living
conditions and poor health.
Many villagers that moved to city work as laborers during industrial
revolution. They are paid by low wages as the consequence of factory policy in order
to take in any people that wanted to work. As the consequence of the low wages that
they received, they have to suffer financial problem.
“It’s all bought up as fast as it can be made,’ said the fellow. ‘There
are fourteen water-mills, six steam-engines, and a galvanic battery
always a-working upon it; and they can’t make it fast enough, though
the men work so hard that they die off, and the widow is pensioned
directly, with twenty pound a year for each of the children, and a
premium of fifty for twins.” (Dickens, 1838: 316)

Just like the previous quotations in term of poverty, the problem faced by the poor is
similar. Despite of working in factory, those paupers that did not work in factory
choose to become vagrant or conducting crime.
“This was a vagrant of sixty-five, who was going to prison for not
playing the flute; or, in other words, for begging in the streets, and
doing nothing for his livelihood.” (Dickens, 1838: 82)
Due to financial problem, they have to suffer food shortage. In order to solve
this problem, the board tries to overcome the food shortage of those paupers by
giving and limiting the food for those paupers each day because they are not allowed
to be overfed.
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“With this view, they contracted with the water-works to lay on an
unlimited supply of water; and with a corn-factor to supply
periodically small quantities of oatmeal; and issued three meals of thin
gruel a day, with an onion twice a week.” (Dickens, 1838: 11)
Obviously, the food limitation has made them suffer extreme famine. Most of
paupers do not feel contented with food limitation which was done by the board
because the portion of the food is very small and not enough to satisfy their hunger.
“We have given away, Mr. Corney, we have given away a matter of
twenty quarters loarves, and a cheese and a half, this very blessed
afternoon; and yet them paupers are not contented.” (Dickens, 1838:
147)
Besides, the board also limits the kind of food that could be given to the paupers.
Those paupers also cannot be overfed because the food had been limited. The food
which was prohibited by the board is meat because meat can make those paupers
have much energy and spirit in which would lead to rebellion.
‘Meat, ma’am, meat,’ Replied Bumble, with stern emphasis. ‘You’ve
overfed him, ma’am. You’ve raised a artificial soul and spirit in him,
ma’am, unbecoming a person of his condition; as the board, Mrs.
Sowerberry, who are practical philosophers, will tell you. What have
paupers to do with soul or spirit? It’s quite enough that we let ‘em
have live bodies. If you had kept them on gruel ma’am, this would
never have happened.” (Dickens: 1838: 43)
The condition of paupers is quite miserable. The lack of food has affected their
physical appearance. They become very pale which indicated that they did not eat
properly.
The man’s face was thin and very pale; his hair and beard were
grizzly; his eyes were bloodshot. The old woman’s face was wrinkled;
her two remaining teeth protruded over her under lip; and her eyes
were bright and piercing. Oliver was afriad to look at either her or the
man. They seemed so like the rats he had seen outside. (Dickens,
1838: 33)

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Due to this kind of treatment, many paupers die because of starving. It looks like the
board starves those paupers to death on purpose. The rate of mortality which was
caused by starving was quite high during industrial revolution
“When I came back, she was dying; and all the blood in my hearts has
dried up, for they starved her to death. I swear it before the God that
saw it. They starved her!’ He twined his hands in his hair, and with a
loud scream, rolled groveling upon the floor, his eyed fixed, and the
foam gushing from his lips.” (Dickens, 1838: 34)
Despite of extreme famine, many paupers also suffer poor housing. They
have to live in house which could not protect them from any kind of weather. It can
be said that their house are not proper to be lived by. Many paupers during industrial
revolution era lived in slum area. They should live in slum area in which the air and
water are polluted; the place was really dirty and there were many rats surround the
place. Their houses were stuck together and resided in narrow and dirty alleys.
“A dirtier or more wretched place he had ever seen. The street was
very narrow and muddy, and the air was impregnated with filthy
odors. There were a many small shops; but the only stock in trade
appeared t be heaps of children, who, even at that time of night, were
crawling in and out at the doors, or screaming from the inside.”
(Dickens, 1838: 50-51)
The houses in slum area almost like the people who are tottering and crazy,
supporting themselves on canes. Actually the inmates of the houses realize that the
houses that they lived in are not good to be inhabited at all, but they have no other
places to go.
Some houses which had become insecure from age and decay, were
prevented from falling into the street, by huge beams of wood reared
against the walls, and firmly planted in the road; ... (Dickens, 1838:
33)
They have to live in some aged houses which can fall into the street any time. In
order to prevent those houses from falling, the inmate should put “huge beams of
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wood” behind the walls and plant them in the road. Despite of living in slum area,
some of those paupers that had no place to live must live on the side road. They have
to struggle with the cold air and starving all day long.
“Bleak, dark, and piercing, cold, it was a night for the well housed and
fed to draw round the bright fire and thank God they were at home;
and for the homeless starving wretch to lay him down and die. Many
hunger-worn outcasts close their eyes in our bare streets, at such
times, who, let their crimes have been what they may can hardly open
them in a more bitter world.” (Dickens, 1838: 144)
When the night comes, they have to spend their time sleeping in a bare street and let
themselves to get cold and stiff until the morning lights come to warm their body.
Being homeless is caused by poverty, because they have no means or money to
supply their basic needs.
Because of poor housing and limited financial, many paupers were vulnerable
to illness during industrial revolution. Paupers that lived in slum area cannot take
care of their own health. Paupers that lived in slum area are living with polluted air
and water and live in improper house. Illness accounted for many deaths during
industrial revolution era. With a chronic lack of sanitary care and no knowledge as to
what caused illness. Illness was also a social problem which was hard to be solved
during industrial revolution era. Most of paupers die because of fever and
tuberculosis become the greatest killer in slum area.
“She was sinking under a painful and incurable disease, and wished to
recover him before she died. Inquiries were set foot, and strict
searches made. They were unavailing for a long time, but ultimately
successful; he went back with her to France.” (Dickens, 1838: 343)
Although it was certainly true that urban conditions during the industrial revolution
were appalling, the improvement in mortality rates indicated that conditions were not
bad enough to grievously affect the health of the city dwellers.

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“Surely there is no danger of anything so dreadful,’ said Oliver. ‘Two
hours ago she was quite well.’
‘She is very ill now,’ Rejoined Mrs. Maylie; ‘And will be worse, I am
sure. My dear, dear Rose! Oh, what should I do without her?”
(Dickens, 1838: 213)
Due to all the social problems associated with industrial poverty, the
government tried to pass new Poor Laws that were intended to help the poor. Sadly,
the Poor Laws have made the impoverished suffer even more. The Poor Law created
the institution of the workhouse. The workhouse was designed so parishes would no
longer have to support the poor for free. If the poor need support, they have to live at
the workhouse and work with limited food and basic shelter.
“…the parish authorities magnanimously and humanely resolved, that
Oliver should be ‘farmed,’ or, in other words, that he should be
dispatched to a branch workhouse some three miles off, where twenty
or thirty other juvenile offenders against the poor-laws, rolled about
the floor all day, without the inconvenience of too much food or too
much clothing, under the parental superintendence of an elderly
female, who received the culprits at and for the consideration of
sevenpence-halfpenny per small head per week” (Dickens, 1838: 5)
Besides, the treatment of society and parishes official toward paupers during
industrial revolution was quite terrible. Many laborers die in the work place due to
over exhaustion or accident. Most of those laborers are paupers. Nonetheless, factory
owner tends to pay no attention to laborer’s death because they just worker. There
are many people that wanted to work in factory so that if a laborer died, they can be
replaced with a new laborer.
“Oh, come in with you!’ said Mrs. Corney, sharply. ‘Some of the old
women dying, I suppose. They always die when I’m at meals. Don’t
stand there letting the cold air in, don’t. What’s amiss now, eh?”
(Dickens, 1838: 146)

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Dickens tried to show his protest against factory owner that labored their laborer all
day long which made them had no time to rest a while or even sleep during industrial
revolution.
“For combination of both these blessings in the one simple process of
picking oakum, Oliver bowed low by the direction of the beadle, and
was then hurried away to a large ward, where, on a rough hard bed, he
sobbed himself to sleep. What a noble illustration of the tender laws of
England! They let the paupers go to sleep!” (Dickens, 1838: 11)
The quote above was a satire of the author of this novel toward his society
surrounded him at that time. “What a noble illustration of the tender laws of
England! They let the paupers go to sleep!” described that laborers or paupers could
not go to sleep at that time because they had to work all day long. It happened
because the demands of some goods kept increasing so that those laborers should
work hard to fulfill the demand. With that kind of life style, obviously there were
many deaths that occurred among paupers during industrial revolution.
Poverty had also created social class that was very significant between
citizens in England at that time. The social class has created the unfair treatment of
upper class toward lower class.
“He may have worse, I say,’ repeated Mr. Grimwig. ‘Where does he
come from! Who is he? What is he? He has had a fever. What of that?
Fevers are not peculiar to good people; are they? Bad people have
fevers sometimes; haven’t they, eh? I knew a man who was hung in
Jamaica for murdering his master. He had had a fever six times; he
wasn’t recommended to mercy on that account. Pooh! nonsense!”
(Dickens, 1838: 89)
It shows that the upper class does not accept someone without knowing where he
comes from, what kind of person he is, and the like. They relate “bad people” with
“fever”. It means that the bad thing must be come along with the bad people. They
also think that lower class always has bad intention. They think that lower class will
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do anything to get money. Sometimes they willingly ditch them or even accuse them
for something that they were not even done.
“No,’ he said, smiting the table with his fist, ‘I do not. The boy has a
new suit of clothes on his back, a set of valuable books under his arm,
and a five-pound note in his pocket. He’ll join his old friends the
thieves, and laugh at you. If ever that boy returns to this house, sir, I’ll
eat my head.” (Dickens, 1838: 91)
Industrial revolution also created more socioeconomic mobility, and
increasingly people began to view poverty as a condition resulting from personal
failure rather than an inescapable state. For Christians who supposedly treat others
with fairness, kindness, and altruism, parish sacrificed their duty of providing the
basic necessities of life to constantly seeking the least expensive relief method. Many
beadles and other parish use religious rhetoric to justify their treatment to the
paupers.
“You’re going by coach, sir?’ I thought it always usual to send them
paupers in carts.’
‘That’s when they’re ill, Mrs. Mann,’ said the beadle. ‘We put the sick
paupers into open carts in the rainy weather, to prevent their taking
cold,’
‘Oh!’ said Mrs. Mann.
‘The opposition coach contracts for those two, and takes them cheap,’
said Mr. Bumble. ‘They are both in a very low state, and we find it
would come two pound cheaper to move ‘em than to bury ‘em – that
is if we can throw ‘em upon another parish, which I think we shall be
able to do, if they don’t die upon the road to spite us. Ha! ha! ha!”
(Dickens, 1838: 108)
Because of poverty and financial problem that paupers had to face, it had
made them use children to help them in solving their financial problem because
children was also an object which can be used to earn more money so that there were
many children had to suffer the worst negative impact of industrial revolution.

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4.2 The Effect of Those Negative Impacts of Industrial Revolution on Children
in Oliver Twist
Industrial revolution not only brought negative impacts toward our society
but also many little children at that time. Despite of little children, many babies also
suffered the negative impact of industrial revolution. Most of those children were
exploited. Exploitation is an arbitrary and discriminatory treatment against someone
which was committed by the people or families with the purpose of forcing the
person to do something without pay attention to their rights such as physical and
mental development. Someone can be exploited if he cannot say “No” or reject any
command and all he can do is accepting any command which was given so that any
people can do anything to them arbitrary. Most of the exploitation victim is children
because they possess no power to reject those commands physically and mentally.
Actually, not only children that can be exploited but also adult can be exploited if
they have no power to reject.
During Industrial revolution, poverty had caused children exploitation.
According to Humphries (2010: 31) in her book entitled Childhood and Child Labor
in the British Industrial Revolution that many contemporary observers suggested that
selfish parents sent their children to work, often instead of working themselves, and
used the children’s earnings to buy consumers goods. Children had to suffer the
cruelty of industrial revolution and carried the burden in the very young age. In the
novel Oliver Twist, there are four kinds of exploitation which happened toward
children during industrial revolution era including baby farming, children apprentice,
children as laborer, and children recruitment as criminals.

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4.2.1 Baby Farming
During industrial revolution era, baby farming had become a very wellknown business. This kind of business was started because of the number of woman
that worked as laborer was increasing so that they had to entrust their babies to baby
farmer. Babies that were entrusted to baby farmer including orphans that was left by
their parents due to accident in workplace, and unwanted children that was
abandoned by their parents because the children was the result of forbidden love in
middle class or upper class. Most of those babies are exploited by baby farmer to get
money for their own advantages.
“And now about business,’ said the beadle, taking out a leathern
pocket-book. ‘The child was half-baptised Oliver twist is nine year
old today.’
‘Bless him! Interposed Mrs. Mann, inflaming her left eye with the
corner of her apron.
‘And notwithstanding a offered reward of ten pound, which was
afterwards increased to twenty pound- notwithstanding the most
superlative, and I may say, supernat’ral exertions on the part of this
parish,’ said Bumble, ‘we have never been able to discover who is his
father, or what was his mother’s settlement, name or cond-ition.”
(Dickens, 1838: 8)
Most of baby farmers were parish official during industrial revolution. They received
weekly stipend which was given by the board to help them in raising those babies.
Unfortunately, the baby farmer uses this chance by taking the greater part of the
money for their own while giving the rest to raise those babies.
“The elderly female was a woman of wisdom and experience; she
knew what was good for children; and she had a very accurate
perception of what was good for herself. So, she appropriated the
greater part of the weekly stipend to her own use, and consigned the
rising parochial generation to even shorter allowance than was
originally provided for them; thereby finding in the lowest depth a
deeper still; and proving herself a very great experimental
philosopher.”(Dickens, 1838: 6)
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It showed the Christian hypocrisy which happened toward children during industrial
revolution. Even though those baby farmers are paid, they never took care of those
babies very well. Precisely, they torture those babies and children by starve them,
shut them or even abuse them.
“Oliver was about to say that he would go along with anybody with
great readiness, when, glancing upward, he caught sight of Mrs.
Mann, who had got behind the beadle’s chair, and was shaking her fist
at him with a furious countenance. He took the hint at once, for the fist
had been too often impressed upon his body not to be deeply
impressed upon his recollection.” (Dickens, 1838: 9)
They often experience physical abuse from the baby farmer which made them obey
and afraid of the baby farmer. Sometimes those babies that had grown up are locked
up in the cellar if they made a mistake.
“They shall understand that, ma’am; they shall be acquainted with the
true state of the case,’ said Mr. Bumble. ‘There, take him away. I
can’t bear the sight on him.’
Dick was immediately taken away, and locked up in the coal-cellar.
Mr. Bumble shortly afterwards took himself off, to prepare his
journey.” (Dickens, 1838: 110)
This kind of business can be categorized as exploitation because they use those
babies as the field of money. They receive the money but do not do their duty very
well. With that kind of treatment, most of those babies and children are in miserable
condition.
‘The child was pale and thin, his cheeks were sunken, and his eyes
large and bright. The scanty parish dress – the livery of his misery –
hung loosely on his feeble body; his young limbs had wasted away,
like those of an old man.” (Dickens, 1838: 109)
Just like a farm, there will be a time when those babies will be farmed out by the
board or their parents. The condition of those children when they are farmed out is

44

also miserable. Some of them are dead due to bad treatment and the carelessness of
baby farmer.
“…for the at very moment when a child had contrived to exist upon
the smallest possible portion of the weakest possible food, it did
perversely happen in eight and half cases of ten, either that it sickened
from want and cold, or fell into the fire from neglect, or got halfsmothered by accident; in any one of which cases, the miserable little
being was usually summoned into another world, and there gathered
to the fathers which it had never known in this.” (Dickens, 1838: 6)
The rate of baby mortality is quite high because of this kind of business. Those baby
farmers do not responsible of those babies death. There are many babies that died in
the hand of baby farmer and they just pay no attention to their death.
“It’s very much blotted, sir,’ said the farmer of infants; ‘but it’s
formal enough, I dare say. Thank you, Mr. Bumble, sir; I am very
much obliged to you, I’m sure.’ Mr. Bumble nodded blandly, in
acknowledgement of Mrs. Mann’s curtsy, and inquired who the
children were. ‘Bless their dear little hearts!’ said Mrs. Mann, with
emotion, ‘They’re as well as can be, the dears! Of course, except the
two that died last week and little Dick.” (Dickens, 1838: 109)
Baby farming can be considered as children exploitation because they utilize babies
as their money farm. They are paid by their parents and orphanage but they never
done their duty very well. They just think about themselves and take advantage of
those babies.
4.2.2 Children Apprentice
The word apprentice means a person who is under an obligation to work for
his master for a period of time for which he receives his master instruction for his
profession, art or occupation. During industrial revolution era, the concept of
apprenticeship was very popular. There were many children who worked as
apprentices during industrial revolution era. Most of children apprentice are offered

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with some pound for themselves from the board. The board offers those children like
selling a good or property in market in which many people look for it. Many shop
owners want to take those children because they can help the shop owner to work
and learn about the trade.
“Oliver was ordered into instant confinement, and a bill was next
morning pasted on the outside of the gate, offering a reward of five
pounds to anybody who would take Oliver Twist off the hands of the
parish. In other words, five pounds and Oliver Twist were offered to
any man and woman who wanted an apprentice to any trade, business
and calling.” (Dickens, 1838: 14)
Just like a market, the buyers have their own right to bargain the price of the
children. The board will decide whether they accept the price or not. Sometimes, the
board do not accept the price if it is too cheap.
“Mr. Gamfield’s countenance brightened, as, with a quickstep, he
returned to the table, and said,
‘What’ll you give, gen’l’men? Come! Don’t be too hard on a poor
man. What’ll you give?’
‘I should say, three pound ten was plenty,’ said Mr. Limbkins.
‘Ten shillings too much,’ said the gentleman in the white waistcoat.
‘Come!’ said Gamfield; ‘say four pound, gen’l’men. Say four pound,
and you’ve got rid of him for good and all. There!’
‘Three pound ten,’ repeated Mr. Limbkins, firmly…” (Dickens, 1838:
17)
Sometimes, children apprentice is used as children trafficking practical. The board
does that for their own advantage. Those children apprentices are paid because they
have helped the master when doing their job. The wages of apprentice depends on
the master. If the master is a good one then the wages will be expensive and vice
versa.
“A’prentice, sir!’ said the child, trembling.

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‘Yes, Oliver,’ said Mr. Bumble. ‘The kind and blessed gentlemen
which is so many parents to you, Oliver, when you have none of your
own, are a-going to ‘prentice you; and to set you up in life, and make
a man of you; although the expense to the parish is three pound ten! –
three pound ten, Oliver! Seventy shillin’s – one hundred and forty
sixpences! – and all for a naughty orphan which nobody can’t love”
(Dickens, 1838: 18)
Even though they have been paid by the master, it does not mean they can do
anything they wanted. They have to obey any kind of command that was given by
the master and they cannot resist the command.
“Well,’ said Mr. Sowerberry, taking up his hat, ‘The sooner this job is
done the better. Noah, look after the shop. Oliver put on your cap, and
come with me.’ Oliver obeyed, and followed his master on his
professional mission.” (Dickens, 1838: 32)
That kind of treatment can be categorized as physical exploitation because those
children apprentices have to follow his master anywhere and everywhere when he
went to do job. They are like an assistant for the master. Because of this, they also
get much knowledge which was given by the master to them so that they can apply
the knowledge in the future.
“As Oliver accompanied his master in most of his adult expeditions,
too, in order that he might acquire that equanimity of demeanour and
full command of nerver which are so essential to a finished
undertaker, he had many opportunities of observing the beautiful
resignation and fortitude with which some strong-minded people bear
their trials and loses.” (Dickens, 1838: 36)
Becoming an apprentice also can be considered as children labor but it is a
bit different because their housing and food are provided by their master. Most of
those children are force to become apprentice. It is against their will to follow the
master. They do not want to be sent away and become apprentice because they are
afraid that death will come upon them after living with the new master.

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“Oliver fell on his knees, and clasping his hands together, prayed that
they would order him back to the dark room – that they would starve
him – beat him – kill him if they pleased – rather than send him away
with that dreadful man.” (Dickens, 1838: 20)
Because of those children’s life belonged to the master, the master have their
own right to do anything they please toward the children that they had taken. Become
apprentice means that they will become the possession of the master. If the master
treats them well, they are lucky but if the master treats them bad, they should not
resist and have to accept that kind of treatment. Usually, the bad treatment always
happens when they will be fed by the master.
“Here, Charlotte,’ said Mrs. Sowerberry, who had followed Oliver
down, ‘give this boy some of the cold bits that were put by for Trip.
He hasn’t come home since the morning, so he may go without ‘em. I
dare say the boy isn’t too dainty to eat ‘em – are you, boy?’ (Dickens,
1838: 27)
Usually, they are fed by food leftover or a piece of bread with butter. Feeding
limitation rule also has effect in apprenticeship because if the apprentice is overfed,
they will rebel and resist the master. In Oliver case, he was fed by his master’s dog
food leftover that was neglected by the dog for days. The bad treatment also happens
to them when they want to rest. It was true that the master provided a place to stay
for apprentice but it does not mean they can sleep in a proper place like they
expected. Usually, the apprentice sleep in dirty basement which is not an
inappropriate place to rest or on kitchen floor and sometime in attic in which the
master store his broken and old properties.
“Then come with me,’ said Mrs. Sowerberry, taking up a dim and
dirty lamp, and leading the way upstairs; ‘your bed’s under the
counter. You don’t mind sleeping among the coffins, I suppose? But it
doesn’t much matter whether you do or don’t, for you can’t sleep
anywhere else. Come – don’t keep me here all night!’ Oliver lingered
no longer, but meekly followed his new mistress.” (Dickens, 1838:
27)
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A master is responsible to ‘tame’ the apprentice that he had been brought
home. Like a master that tamed his dog, masters should punish their apprentice if
they made a mistake in doing their job. The punishment can be flogging, being
caged in the basement or being starved for days. It is done so that the apprentice will
never resist their master and always obey them.
“No; he’s out, or he would have murdered him,’ replied Noah. ‘He
said he wanted to.’
‘Ah! Said he wanted to: did he, my boy?’ inquired the gentleman in
the white waistcoat.
‘Yes, sir,’ replied Noah. ‘And please, sir, Missis wants to know
whether Mr. Bumble can spare time to step up there, directly, and flog
him – ‘cause master’s out.” (Dickens, 1838: 42)
Despite of punish those children apprentices, the master will do anything to make
the apprentice go to work even abuse them. The death of apprentice will not become
a burden for master because they can look for other children that could become
apprentice in parish workhouse or even the board.
“That’s acause they damped the straw afore they lit it in the chimbley
to make ‘em come down agin,’ said Gamfield; ‘That’s all smoke, and
no blaze; vereas smoke ain’t o’ no use at all in makin’ a boy come
down, for it only sinds him to sleep, and that’s wot he likes. Boys is
wery obstinate and wery lazy, gen’lmen, aand there’s nothink like a
good hot blaze to make ‘em come down vith a run. It’s humane, too,
gen’lmen, acause, even if they’ve stuck in the chimbley, roasting their
feet makes ‘em struggle to hextricate theirselves.” (Dickens, 1838: 16
There is no responsibility of a master when his apprentice is dead. All they think is
about how the apprentice can help them look for money. Not all masters do bad
treatment toward their apprentice. Actually, children apprentice is a good way to
employ children but the bad treatment from the master and the coercion of the board
toward those children had made children apprentice considered as children
exploitation.

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4.2.3 Children as Laborer
Children as laborer happened during industrial revolution because of poverty
in a family. The decision of children work as laborer is made by parents. If the
family live below the poverty line, parents see children as part of contributor in their
family income. The only reason parents send children to labor is because of their low
income. Consequently poor parents cannot afford schooling for their children. Thus,
mainly poor households are to send forced their children to labor instead of sending
to school. It shows that poverty and underdevelopment drives children labor.
“Noah was a charity-boy, but not a workhouse orphan. No chancechild was he, for he could trace his genealogy all the way back to his
parents, who lived hard by; his mother being a washerwoman, and his
father a drunken soldier, discharged with a wooden leg, and a diurnal
pension of twopence-halfpenny and an unstatable fraction.” (Dickens,
1838: 30)
During industrial revolution, there were factories which developed because
of the increase of product demand so that they had to produce quicker. Many
factories labor many children because they can be paid by low wages and ordered
arbitrary. Those children begin to work at early morning every day.
‘Well! You have come here to be educated, and taught a useful trade,’
said the red-faced gentleman in the high chair.
‘So you’ll begin to pick oakum to-morrow morning at six o’clock,’
added the surly one in the white waistcoat. (Dickens, 1838: 10-11)
This also can be categorized as physical exploitation because being the part of the
factory make children should spend several hours a day in their young age. They
have to start working on six o’clock so that is why they have no chance to attend
school. Those children also have the same working hour as the adult ones yet they
are paid by lower wages even the wages only enough to fulfill their stomach a week.

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Sevenpence-half penny’s worth per week is good round diet for a
child; great deal may be got for sevenpence-halfpenny; quite enough
to overload its stomach and make it uncomfortable.” (Dickens, 1838:
5)
During labor in factory, most of those children laborer are starved to death. In
the factory, the food is limited by the owner whereas they have to do their work for
hours. The food is not enough to regain their energy or even satisfying their hunger.
Sometimes, those children have to hold their hunger for three months. This kind of
thing is a kind of general torture toward children. Starvation had become the worst
problem that ever happened on children during labor in factory.
“…employing themselves, meanwhile, in sucking their fingers most
assiduously, with the view of catching up any stray splashes of gruel
that might have been cast thereon. Boys have generally excellent
appetites. Oliver Twist and his companions suffered the tortures of
slow starvation for three months.” (Dickens, 1838: 12)
Those children are not allowed to ask for more food to the owner. Each child cannot
exceed the food quota because it will violate the rule of the factory. For those
children that tried to ask for more food than it will be considered as violation to the
feeding rule because it equals with doing crime act.
“What!’ said the master at length, in a faint voice.
‘Please, sir,’ replied Oliver, ‘I want some more.’
The master aimed a blow at Oliver’s head with a ladle, pinioned him
in his arms, and shrieked aloud for the beadle.” (Dickens, 1838: 12)
Because it is considered as crime, there must be a punishment. The punishment for
those children that violated the rule is being locked in stone jug or being starved until
the owner accepts their regret and gives his mercy upon them.
“For a week after the commission of the impious and profane offense
of asking for more, Oliver remained a close prisoner in the dark and
solitary room to which he had been consigned by the wisdom and
mercy of the board.” (Dickens, 1838: 14)
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Sometimes, death sentence could be valid on those children that tried to ask for more
food at that time. The death sentence can be hung. It can be happen if the factory
owner reports this kind of rebellion to the board then the board can order to hang the
children. It was the picture of the cruelty of children life as laborer during industrial
revolution.
“Horror was depicted on every countenance. ‘For more!’ said Mr.
Limbkins. ‘Compose yourself, Bumble, and answer me distinctly. Do
I understand that he asked for more, after he had eaten the supper
allotted by the dietary?’
‘He did sir,’ replied Bumble.
‘That boy will be hung, ‘said the gentleman in the white waistcoat. ‘I
know that boy will be hung.” (Dickens, 1838: 14)
Dickens tried to criticize the Victorian society for the ill-treatment of the poor and
social stratification that existed during this period. He opened the eyes of readers to
the plight of children who were subjected to child labor and he was successful partly
due to the fact that he had personally been involved in child labor and was able to
give his readers a vivid image of what it was like for those unfortunate children.
“What a fine thing capital punishment is! Dead men never repent;
dead men never bring awkward stories to light. Ah, it’s a fine thing for
the trade! Five of ‘em strung up in a row, and none left to play booty,
or turn white-livered!” (Dickens, 1838: 54-55)
Children laborers are involved in many different forms of works, which include risks
and hazards. These children are vulnerable to physical pain and injury particularly
being exposed to health hazards. The vast majority of children laborer are involved
in hazardous occupations such as agriculture, mining, manufacture, construction
bonded children laborer, domestic work and fishing. Environmental and occupational
conditions can impact on the health and development of the children. With that kind

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of dangerous working condition, it has caused many children laborers die due to
accident in the work place. It also raised the rate of children mortality at that time.
“Lor bless her dear heart, when she has lived a long as I have, sir, and
had thirteen children of her own, and all on ‘em dead except two, and
them in the wurkus with me, she’ll know better than to take on in that
way, bless her dear heart! Think what it is to be a mother, there’s a
dear young lamb, do’” (Dickens, 1838: 4)
Obviously, children as laborer are considered as exploitation because those children
are utilized by factory owner but they did not care about those children welfare or
safety. They even pay those children by low wages and ordered them to work
arbitrary. This also can be categorized as physical exploitation.
4.2.4 Children Recruitment as Criminals
During industrial revolution era, many children that lived on the street. The
existence of many street children is caused by poverty. They have no home or money
to buy food. Most of those street children are orphans or neglected children. Because
of the number of street children, it has given a chance for any senior thieves to use
this moment. They manipulate those street children’s mine by showing them how
pleasant is their lives.
“There, my dear,’ said Fagin, ‘that’s a pleasant life, isn’t it? They
have gone out for the day.’
‘Have they done work, sir?’ i