A Christmas Carol Background
Poverty in Victorian England
Main Focus of this Article
The main focus of this article is the poverty in England during the Victorian Era. The author expresses this by mentioning Charles Dickens' book Oliver Twist. Oliver Twist is a book written in the point of view of a poor orphan boy who lived in Victorian England.
Living Conditions in Slums
Slums were run down areas with houses where 30 or more people live together in a single room. People squatted and slept on straw beds that were placed on the hard room floor. Rotting dead bodies laid everywhere on the floor and the mothers had to protect their infants from rats attacking them.
Workhouses
Workhouses are where the poor working class would go if they needed support. They usually worked for clothes, and shelter. The workhouses only provided the minimal amount of food a person needs to survive. The people that lived there were treated as slaves. The workhouses separated the people into men, women, and children. Workhouse were a last resort, and most people would rather suffer outside than go to a workhouse.
Child Labor
The children in the family had to work along with their parents to support their family's need. Some jobs children worked at were pulling carts through small coal mines, street peddling, chimney sweeping, and factories/mills. Most of these jobs were deadly to the children's who worked there. Some children were recruited to become thieves or pickpockets.