SHOULD OLIVER HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO WORK AS CHILD LABOURER?

Although it is a repulsive topic, I do believe child labour is a matter to discuss. Think about having to work all day, every day, for little or no money.

This is how Oliver Twist and many of his age grew up. I do hope what I have to say will prevent this revolting occurrence happening once more in Britain or, in fact, anywhere.

Children as young as five years old were forced to work hard, all day, in the hands of merciless masters. Oliver, along with many others, lived in an overcrowded building, starved of not only food, but happiness also. How could anyone allowed this to happen?

Oliver Twist was an orphan who was beaten daily and coerced to work for a cruel man named Mr Sowerberry after asking for more food on his 8th birthday. After being sold for six pennies, Oliver was caned regularly for little or no errors, and fed gruesome gruel. How could the workhouse, or anyone, have let this happen? How could anyone miss the shouts that cried out into the night? I can only hope that the workhouse owner – Mr Bumble – was simply unaware of the pain and anguish Oliver went through. Yet, after understanding Mr Bumble’s true character, I believe he ignored what was occurring in Mr Sowerberry’s undertakers.

Should Oliver have run away from the workhouse and undertakers, or was a crime committed that day he marched out the gates? Was it right for a child his age to experience all that?

I do believe it was the right decision for Oliver to make, and here is why:

Oliver simply wanted a new life from the cruelness of the workhouse and undertakers.

He was brave and courageous, and refused to be bullied in such a way.

Who wouldn’t want to break free from a place worse than prison, where you were starved and beaten? Oliver did.

Yet even the cleverest people can fall into well thought out traps. After being tempted into a trap, unaware of the fact, Oliver, along with Mr Dodger, famous London pick-pocketer, was led away into a den of thieves. Once more, Oliver found himself in trouble. After being arrested, then saved by Mr Brownlow, for a crime committed by Mr Dodger and a fellow thief. Who would put an eight-year-old in prison?

Being saved by Mr Brownlow was the best thing that happened to Oliver, though why did it have to end? Mr Brownlow was extremely kind, educated Oliver and fed him, which was all the responsibility of the government. Why this was not the case is beyond me.

Soon after, Fagin (the leader of Mr Dodger’s thieving gang), retrieved Oliver by kidnapping him. Where were the police at that time, had they failed little Oliver once more?

Oliver was threatened beaten in ‘Fagin’s den’ and forced to steal from generous Mr Brownlow. However, another kind soul announced itself into Oliver’s life. A lady named Nancy gave him hope and set him free. This makes you wonder why everyone isn’t and wasn’t like that. Kindhearted to those who need it. How could anyone be cruel?

So, to sum it all up, I still believe Oliver should not have been forced to work at such a dangerous place at such a young age. How could anyone think otherwise?