the center of the room as a bed. Oliver, without any other choices, is impelled to live like an animal, sleeping in the damp darkness, eating leftovers. The dog is living better than Oliver is and through this biting satire, Dickens effectively portrays the devastating life that an apprentice has to withstand. Beatings at Mr. Sowerberry’s often happen because of false accusations that others place on this poor boy which shows that he is treated harshly. Oliver, as the scapegoat of many situations repeatedly has his clothes torn and faced bruised and scratched, giving him an angry flush. This cruel taunting and treatment forces Oliver to run away into the cold, bitter world with no one to protect him. This is common behavior of masters and children of apprenticeships because child labor is efficient and cheap. Dickens, through biting satire, wants to show that when getting into an apprenticeship, the child is susceptible to horrendous acts. In a way, this scene shows pathos Lee 7because it brings forth many emotions that add to Dickens’ message of reform. Knowing that anyone has to endure what Oliver has gone through will arouse pity and even anger. Dickens gets to the heart and reality of the apprenticeships to show what goes through the mind of an employer. This quality of exactness in the novel further exemplifies the hardships of children growing up in poverty. Apprenticeships are targeted a great deal in Oliver Twist because it is one of the inhumane systems to have more work done for less money. Unfortunately, “Victorian employers not as sensitive as Dickens to the physical and emotional damage child labor could inflict sees only the benefits to be had in hiring children” (Yancey 103). Child abuse is apparent in the apprenticeships despite the fact that the master may have a kind heart. This goes to show that child labor is thought to be a money saving way to expand business, but also this expre...
