T.

ATILIM UNIVERSITY

GRADUATE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE DEPARTMENT

ENLISH CULTURE AND LITERATURE MASTER'S

PROGRAMME

A MARXIST APPROACH TO CHILD LABOUR IN OLIVER

TWIST, DAVID COPERFIELD, AND HARD TIMES

Master's Thesis

Yahia Haroon

Ankara – 2018
 T.C

ATILIM UNIVERSITY

GRADUATE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

ENGLISH LANGAUGE AND LITERATURE DEPARTMENT

ENGLISH CULTURE AND LITERATURE MASTER'S

PROGRAMME

A MARXIST APPRAOCH TO CHILD LABOUR IN OLIVER

TWIST, DAVID COPPERFIEL, AND HARD TIMES

Master's Thesis

Yahia Haroon

Supervisor

Assist. Prof. Dr. Gökşen Aras

Ankara-2018
 ACCEPTION AND APPROVAL

This is to certify that this thesis titled A Marxist Approach to Child Labour in

Oliver Twist, David Copperfield and Hard Times and prepared by Yahia Haroon

meets with the committee's approval unanimously as Master's Thesis in the field of

English Language and Literature following the successful defense of the thesis

conducted on 29 May 2018.

Signature of the Director

Prof. Dr. Dilaver Tengilimoğlu

Signature of the Supervisor

Assist. Prof. Dr. Gokşen Aras

Signature of Committee Member

Assist. Prof. Dr. Kuğu Tekin

Signature of Committee Member

Assist. Prof. Dr. Durrin Alpakin Martinez-Caro

 ETHICS DECLARATION

I hereby declare that;

 I prepared this thesis in accordance with Atilim University School of Social

Sciences thesis Writing Directive.
 I prepared this thesis within the framework of academic and ethics rules,
 I presented all information, documents, evaluations and findings in
accordance with scientific ethical and moral principles,
 I cited all sources, to which I made reference in my thesis,
 The work of art in this thesis is original,

I hereby acknowledge all possible loss of right in case of a contrary circumstance. (In
case of any circumstance contradicting with my declaration)

Yahia Haroon

29/5/2018
 i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to express my deepest gratitude for all those who support and

encourage me through this appreciable period of my life, a dream that I have been

waiting for. I am grateful for everyone without any exception.

A very extraordinary gratitude should be dedicated to my supervisor Assist.

Prof. Dr. Gökşen Aras for unlimited kindness and patience. I am honorable to

acknowledge that her instructions and accuracy in leading me through my study have

made my study more easy and interesting. Honestly I have the honor to be her

student.

I have to thank and express admiration for the staff of Atilim University for

their kindness and efficiency. A special thanks to Prof. Dr. Belgin Elbir who I see as

spiritual and inspiring figure for me.

Endless respect and gratitude for Assist. Prof. Dr. kuğu Tekin for her

kindness. I would like to thank Assist. Prof. Dr. Lerzan Gültekin and Assist. Prof.

Dr. Evrim Doğan.

High respect for the committee members Assist. Prof. Dr. Gökşen Aras,

Assist. Prof. Dr. Kuğu Tekin, Assist. Prof. Dr. Durrin Alpakin for their contributions

and instructions.

Finally, I would like to express my impression for the Turkish people and the

Turkish government for hosting me and honestly I did not feel as a foreigner among

them.
 ii

ÖZET

Oliver Twist, David Copperfield ve Zor Zamanlar Romanlarındaki Çocuk İşçiliğinin

Marxist Açıdan İncelenmesi.

Bu tez, Oliver Twist, David Copperfield ve Zor Zamanlar romanlarındaki çocuk

işçiliğini Marksist açıdan incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Bu tezde vurgulanmak istenen

düşünce, bu üç romanın yazıldığı dönemde çocukların sömürülmesi ve kötü

davranışlara maruz kalmalarıdır. Örneğin, Oliver Twist romanında, düşkünler

yurdundaki dehşet verici durumlar, yankesicilik, fuhuş ve 1834 Yoksulluk Kanunu

eleştirel bir bakış açısıyla yorumlanacaktır. David Copperfield romanında da pek çok

benzer sosyal olgu yer almaktadır. Zor Zamanlar’da ise Faydacılık fikrini

benimseyen Bay Creakle’ın yönettiği okuldaki öğrencilerin zihinlerini nasıl

şekillendirdiği işlenecektir. Dickens, çocuklara kötü davranılmasını ve onların

dövülmesine odaklanmakta ve buna ilişkin örnekler sunmaktadır. Birinci örnek,

David’in üvey babası ve kız kardeşi tarafından dövülmesi ve kötü muameleye maruz

kalmasıdır. İkinci örnek ise, Salem House Okulundaki öğrencilere kötü davranılması,

onların dövülmesi, sınıfsal ayrım ve bu ayrımın etkileridir. Dickens, üst sınıftan

Steerforth ve alt sınıftan Bay Mell olmak üzere iki model yaratır. Dickens, Bay

Mell’in Steerforth’a karşı çıktıktan sonra okuldan nasıl kovulduğunu yansıtır. Sonuç

olarak, yukarıda bahsedilen konular Marksist ideolojinin üst sınıfın işçi sınıfını veya

genel olarak fakirleri sömürdüğüne ilişkin söylemi çerçevesinde analiz edilecektir.

Anahtar Kelimeler: Marksist Eleştiri, Çocuk İşçiliği, Faydacılık, Charles Dickens,

Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, Zor Zamanlar.

 iii

ABSTRACT

A Marxist Approach to Child Labour in Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, and Hard

Times.

The thesis aims to study the theme of child labour in Oliver Twist, David

Copperfield, and Hard Times with regard to Marxist approach. The ideas that are to

be highlighted are the exploitation and abuse of children during the time in which

these three novels are written. For instance, in Oliver Twist the appalling conditions

in the workhouse, pocket picking, prostitution, and criticism of the Poor law in 1834

will be studied. In David Copperfield, many social issues might be found; Dickens

focuses on the child mistreatment and beating by giving examples for that. The first

example is that, David is beaten and mistreated by his stepfather and his sister. In the

second example, students in Salem House School are abused and beaten. As for class

difference and its influence, Dickens creates two models. Steerforth from upper class

and Mr. Mell from the lower class. Dickens shows how Mr. Mell is fired from school

after confronting Steerforth. In Hard Times, inserting material ideas into the mind of

school children run by Mr. Creakle who is adopting the idea of Utilitarianism. All in

all, the above mentioned and the related topics are to be analyzed in accordance

with the Marxist ideology to reveal upper class' exploitation of the working class or

the poor in general.

Keywords: Marxism, child labour, abuse, utilitarianism, Dickens, Oliver Twist,

David Copperfield, Hard Times.

 iv

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT…………………………………….……. i

ÖZET…………………………………………………………….……. ii

ABSTRACT……………………...……………………………..……. iii

CONTENTS…………………………………………………………… iv 

INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………... 1

MARXIST IDEOLOGY…………………………………………….... 6

WORKHOUSE'S APPLALING CONDITIONS IN OLIVER

TWIST………………………………………………………………… 21

CLASS DISTINCTION AND FACTORY'S MISERABLE

CONDITIONS IN DAVID COPPERFIELD ……………………… 37

UTILITARIANISM AND SOCIAL INJUSTICE IN HARD

TIMES………………………………………………………………… 58

CONCLUSION ……………………………………………………… 78

WORK CITED ………………………………………………………. 83

CURRICULUM VITAE ……………………………………………. 85

 1

INTRODUCTION

The objective that lies behind this thesis is to bring into focus the theme of

childhood during the Victorian age and deal with the exploitation of child labour in

that period that coincides with the industrial revolution that swept the Victorian

England. In addition, the thesis tackles the arbitrary suffering of children and

miserable conditions they face during their early ages. Marxist theory will be applied

to Charles Dickens's novels Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, and Hard Times.

The thesis consists of four chapters along with the introduction and the

conclusion. The first chapter will highlight the ideology of Marxism and provide a

solid argument about Marx’s perception towards the ordeals of the poor especially

children. Also, economic principles that Marx points out to, are going to be discussed

and are simultaneously applied to the relevant parts of the novels. Marx divides the

society into two main parts the bourgeoisie who are the factory owners and may be

seen as the as the oppressors of the proletariat who stand for the second part of the

community. They suffer under the extremely restrictive treatment imposed by the

bourgeoisie. Marx refers to the necessity of providing a fair and natural environment

in which children can grow up in a traditional manner where they can express

themselves, yet this atmosphere is obviously absent throughout the time in which

Dickens wrote his three novels. All those who support Marx's ideology agree that

Marx's aim is to eliminate the distinction among the classes that form the society,

and eventually all people would be equal, and social injustice and rank would die

out. Marx believes that to achieve equality among people, the means of production

should be of a common ownership that is preventing the bourgeoisie from exploiting

the proletariat. Moreover, problems of capitalism are going to be mentioned in terms

2

of Marx's definition and perception. The dilemma of a capitalist system may be listed

as follows: the modern work is insecure; the workers get paid little while capitalists

get richer, and capitalism is very unstable and finally unjust distribution of wealth

and insufficient wages.

The second chapter of this thesis analyzes Oliver Twist which draws a very accurate

description of the insult, abuse and exploitation the children undergo and gives an

apparent criticism of the Poor Law that passed in 1834. Appalling and bleak

conditions of the workhouse to which children are sent to be brought up, indeed

come under attack by Dickens, because he thinks what is called protection and

providing shelter for children in the workhouse are not true. The workhouse which

shows the inhuman treatment and dehumanization of children, also demonstrates the

lack of care every child needs in the early age so that the process of growing up

would happen in an appropriate environment. Dickens demonstrates a reasonable

amount of credibility and morality through his writings and Oliver Twist is no

exception. He honestly denounces the passing of the Poor Law, because the

reformation of this law brings more serious problems to the poor. Dickens brings into

focus the injustice in the workhouses of England besides the horrors and abuses.

Dickens figures out the connection between the paupers and managers of the

workhouse. His condemnation for the workhouses is done by portraying the brutality

and harshness, especially of Mr. Bumble, Mrs. Corney and Oliver. These characters

play vital roles in the process of revealing the humiliation, abuse and mistreatment in

these institutions. Oliver has a miserable experience in the workhouse, one time he is

driven by other boys who live with him just to ask for more soup during the meal,

but the reaction of the man who is responsible for the distribution of the food is very
 3

rough and he calls upon Mr. Bumble to tell him that Oliver asks for more soup.

Oliver's request leads to his punishment by the workhouse officials. What is said

above discloses how bad the treatment is and what appalling circumstances the

children are experiencing. Furthermore, Dickens draws on the hardships of the

Victorian workhouse which makes Oliver utter a very remarkable statement "Please.

Sir, I want more"(Dickens 12). He demonstrates that the boys are neglected, ill-

treated, and experiencing hunger so much that every child threatens to eat the food of

the other if he is not fed enough. Oliver has the temerity to ask for more food only

because the hungry boys had cast lots to decide who would have to do it. The poor

orphan Oliver completely stands alone in the queue to receive his meal from the cook

and the other children are standing behind him also to receive their meals, but

because the children are so hungry and the food is not enough Oliver is afraid of the

fact that they will eat him to fill their empty stomach that is to say children scare

Oliver as if they are cannibals. The master of the workhouse is ready to punish any

child that would ask for more food.

In the third chapter of this thesis the story of Hard Times with reference to

suffering of children is going to be examined. The novel has many aspects

concerning the exploitation, deprivation, desperation and the oppression to which the

powerless and innocent kids are being subjected. This ideology is imposed by the

school owner upon the children that are attending this school. Children are deprived

of performing their lives in a spontaneous way. On the contrary, they have been

taught that fact is the most important thing in life which leads to make benefits

according to this ideology. At the same time, children are banned from imagination

and natural growing-up. In Hard Times, Dickens roughly condemns the agonies of
4

children, and depicts the lives of those who have been stripped of their emotions by

creating a fictional industrial town where he provides models and contrasts to the real

world Dickens himself experiences. The fictive town is overwhelmed with

desperation. The victimized children are taught according to Utilitarian philosophy,

which stipulates that only facts are useful in life. They are not permitted to imagine,

fantasize or think over themselves. Characters that are going to be covered in this

chapter would be an accurate portrayal of the children's plight. Throughout the fourth

chapter of the thesis, the suffering, humiliation, and harsh treatment David

Copperfield faces are to be highlighted.

The miserable conditions of the students in the school of Salem House which

is run by a hardline man Mr. Creakle who treats the boys very harshly, these

conditions are to be examined by focusing on the appalling attitudes they face and

the severe treatment they receive. As an adult, David Copperfield tells his agony of

his childhood, passing many bitter experiences first, under the oppression of his step-

father Mr. Murdstone who treats him very roughly because Mr. Murdstone sees

David as an intruder that spoils the happiness of the Murdstone family. In addition,

Mr. Murdstone's sister Miss Jane has been brought into the family house and she also

oppresses David. As a result, David is mistreated by both his step-father and his step-

aunt. David rebels against this injustice and bites Mr. Murdstone. Consequently,

David is punished as always. After his mother's death, David is forced to work at Mr.

Muedstone's wine-bottling factory where, he as a child is exploited by masterful and

powerful Mr. Murdstone. At this point David who is powerless and has no ability to

disobey or resist his exploiter, surrenders to his fate, and starts working in the

factory, because he has no alternative in the meantime. When Dickens writes his
 5

novels, the Industrial Revolution provides many opportunities for children like

working in factories. They work hard but receive very little. It is a fact that children

are the main victims of this revolution because they are weak and defenseless and

can be easily recruited. After Mr. Murdstone gets married to David's mother, he

discloses his true face. Before he marries David's mother, Mr. Murdstone pretends

that he likes David and will take care of him, but after the marriage he treats David

cruelly and sends him to Salem School to get rid of him.

Whereas the heartless Mr.Creakle is leading the school with a very

unsympathetic manner, Mr. Creakle is told by the Murdstones that David is a

naughty boy and has the habit of biting people. David is declared as a guilty boy and

a note is written on his back "take care of him he bites". This attitude increases his

suffering and makes the boys mock him. Children are being flogged and insulted

inside the school .The teachers are cold blooded and cruel. David is a vivid portrayal

of how children are stripped of their humanity and subjugated to the greedy

intentions of the factory owners.

 7

CHAPTER ONE

MARXIST IDEOLOGY

The ideology of Marx which is known as Marxism has become a widely

spread theory all over the world and its impact on our lives cannot be ignored. Marx

is one of the most influential thinkers during the last two centuries who achieves a

genuine transformation on society and culture. Marx's main concern is to eliminate

capitalism and remove the private ownership and to provide equality in society. Marx

believes that the salvage may be achieved only by the revolution of the poor or

'proletariat' against the rich or as he calls them the bourgeoisie. Marx's major target is

to have social justice and extinction of social class difference. He pays particular

attention to the exploitation of the working class and the unfair benefits the upper

class is getting from the working class. Due to the capitalist system, the rich gets

richer while the poor becomes worse. In a nutshell, the upper class should be aware

of the fact that they do not have the right or the pretext or excuse to savagely

manipulate the efforts of the proletariat in a way that takes the outcome of the works

of the poor to increase their wealth leaving these people live on a very little payment

that is hardly enough to meet their basic demands to survive.

Marxism is a body of doctrine developed by Karl Marx and to a lesser extent

by Friedrich Engels .It originally consists of three related ideas, a philosophical

anthropology, a theory of history, and an economic and political program. What

characterizes the thought of Marx is that, instead of making abstract affirmations

about a whole group of problems such as human nature, knowledge, and matter, he
8

examines each problem in its dynamic relation to the others and, above all, tries to

relate them to historical, social, political, and economic realities (Karl Kautsky 7).

Marx and his colleague Engels take part in the foundation and development

of the theory that is later known as Marxism. Marx plays the greater role to build his

tenet, but Engels contributes to this philosophy to a lesser degree. Their theory deals

with three main concepts, a philosophical Anthropology, a theory of History, and an

Economic and Political Program. These three parts are of essential significance in

forming the general frame of Marxism and comprehending the core of such ideas.

For instance, anthropology is required to observe and analyze human behaviours and

men's reactions to certain cases. In general, people are influenced by the surrounding

atmosphere and they react according to the different factors that they meet in their

daily lives. Precisely, the effects of the environment in which people live would

determine how they behave.

More specifically, to see nature of man in general and to discover

performances and actions that man is inclined to follow in an attempt to meet his

desires. Namely, the instincts, tendencies are the reasons that drive man to behave in

his own society in different ways. These characteristics may lead man to act in either

negative or positive ways that are chosen by man. What is Marx interested in, is the

negative characteristics because they will guide the upper class to see themselves

superior to the lower class and eventually to exploit them. Taking the analysis to

another level, Marx expects and wants the proletariat to be driven by their positive

characteristics that is to use their motives in refusing slavery and revolt against the

bourgeoisie.
 9

As for history, it is also fundamental to put Marxism in its right position as

related to human nature. History in general shows in detail how people behave and

how they react to the circumstances in which they live. Precisely, Marx and Engels

believe when the society is divided into two major parts the exploiters and the

exploited that means both sides are responsible for the wrong track. The first group

who is the bourgeoisie is oppressing the second group who is the proletariat. The

explanation might be that the bourgeoisie are driven by their negative instincts to

offend and humiliate the poor. In this case, the upper class does not take the initiative

to behave in a humanitarian way because their greed blinds them to the fact that they

hurt the poor.

Moving to the second group which is the proletariat or the working class, in

accordance with Marx's view, they are to be blamed for their obedience and

unacceptable silence, which give the bourgeoisie their power and arrogance allowing

them to turn into brutish masters. The third group is related to economic and political

program; these two systems play a vital role in governing people and impose

oppression on them. All people regardless of their social class have basic needs in

their lives to survive, and this an acceptable and legal right of human beings. In

detail, the upper class or the rich need more outcomes to enrich themselves not to

survive, while the lower class or the poor need basic things to keep themselves alive

and avoid starvation. The dilemma is that political system is led by the upper class,

so they will oppress the poor to keep themselves rich and compel the poor to work

under the bourgeoisie because the poor have no other option. However, Marxism

provides the solution by revolution.

10

Based on the socialist and dialectical theories of Karl Marx, Marxist

criticism views literary works as reflections of the social institutions out

of which they are born. According to Marxists, even literature itself is a

social institution and has a specific ideological function, based on the

background and ideology of the author. In essence, Marxists believe that

a work of literature is not a result of divine inspiration or pure artistic

endeavor, but that it arises out of the economic and ideological

circumstance surrounding its creation (Kautsky 9).

Marx views literature as a mirror that presents an accurate vision of the

social system as whole, and that literature cannot be separated from the interactions

of people in general. According to Marx, literature offers an instrument by which all

details of the community may be seen in its two aspects, the negative and the

positive. In other words, literature is determined by the author and his orientation and

background, if he wants to convey all shortcomings and foibles of the society and the

government, he would be able to shed light on these disadvantages by his pen. On the

other hand, if the author is willing to focus on the positive aspects or the advantages,

he is also capable of doing that.

Marx argues that literature is not a message or doctrine descending from

heaven and that human beings have nothing to do with it. On the contrary, literature

is completely born from the uterus of economic and social sufferings of ordinary

people. In his view, Marx sees literature as a tool to express the author's attitude

towards certain situations about the society. Hence, the divisions of authors would be

into two parties, the first party will take the responsibility to convey the reality of

sufferings, mistreatments, abuses, and exploitations of the poor through their works.
 11

The second group either will keep silent or would go to the side of the upper class in

an attempt to support them at least by unfair literary works that justify the

exploitation.

The concept of exploitation is a particular way of analyzing such

inequalities to describe an inequality as reflecting exploitation is to make

the claim that there exists a particular kind of causal relationship between

the incomes of different actors. More concretely, we will say that the rich

exploit the poor when two things can be established: that the welfare of

the rich causally depends upon the deprivations of the poor-the rich are

rich because the poor are poor; and that the welfare of the rich depends

upon the effort of the poor-the rich, through one mechanism or another,

appropriate part of the fruits of labour of the poor (Roemer 101).

As Roemer states, exploitation as a term within Marxism means the unjust

distribution of the production that the proletariat produce by their efforts. In terms of

Marxism, the relationship between income and outcome is inevitably available that is

the relation of cause and effect. That is two elements or factors are interrelated with

each other and depend on each other. To make it clearer, Roemer explains that the

outcome may refer to the production of working class, and income is the benefit that

goes to the upper class.

To go a little bit deeper into the analysis, perhaps the richness of the rich is

the result of the deprivation of the working class. Furthermore, the exploitation does

not stop at one level, if the worker works hard and produces as much as he can, his

production would go to the masters that means he is exploited. On the other hand, if
12

the worker is unemployed that would lead to another kind of exploitation which is

called economic oppression. Marx clarifies that poverty is caused by extracting the

efforts of the exploited.

What is specific about what is specific about Marxist politics is what it

declares the nature of the conflict to be; and what it proclaims to be its

necessary outcome. In the liberal view of politics, conflicts exist in terms

of "problems" which need to be 'solved'. The hidden assumption is that

conflict does not, or need not, run very deep; that it can be 'managed'by

the exercise of reason and good will, and a readiness to compromise and

agree (Miliband 17).

As Miliband explains, the political system especially the liberal is the one,

who to some extent has a fresh look on the struggle between social classes. As an

interpretation of Marx's notion, the conflict is tangible and is seriously threatening

the peaceful coexistence that is the conflict is a deeply inherited dilemma and it

should be uprooted. Marx offers two ways of solving such problem; the first one is to

use logic to deal with the trouble and thus to find the causes and solutions for this

problem; the second one is to have a truly honest intention so that the conflict may be

eradicated totally. Miliband expresses his thoughts according to Marx's ideology. He

argues that the political system that governs people and organizes their affairs should

not be used as a tool of bargaining the people. He goes further saying that the conflict

should not turn into a real confrontation and then slides into fighting between the two

parties of the society. According to Marx, the best way of solving this conflict is to

live peacefully and to make use of the peaceful atmosphere to civilize the whole

society.
 13

They enter into Will, relations of production which correspond to a

definite stage of Development of their material forces of production. The

sum total of these relations of production constitutes the economic

structure of Society, the real foundation, on which rises a legal and

political Superstructure, and to which correspond definite forms of

social Consciousness. The mode of production in material life determines

the general character of the social, political, and intellectual Processes of

life. It is not the consciousness of men which determines their existence;

it is on the contrary their social existence which determines their

consciousness (Kautsky13).

Marx writes his assumption about the society and how to differentiate

between its classes. The two major parts of the society are determined by relations of

production of the people who produce on their own desire and independently. They

correspond to the necessity of the stage in which they are producing to develop their

ability of production. Marx sees the production of these men as the base of the whole

economic and political system that would then control and manage the affairs of the

working class. However, Marx does not make it very clear whether the political

system is oppressive or fair at this specific point. Thus, he gives flexibility to his

followers to analyze his view according to the circumstances. Marx reaches the most

important and accurate notion about human nature, he explains that consciousness of

human beings in general is controlled by external factors that affect it. More

precisely, the social position or status overcomes their consciousness, then men

would act and behave according to their position in the social ladder.
14

Is first of all a natural being. As a natural being and a living natural

being, he is endowed on the one hand with natural powers, vital powers;

these Powers exist in him as aptitudes, instincts. On the other hand, as an

objective, Natural, physical, sensitive being, he is a suffering, dependent

and limited being…That is, the objects of his instincts exist outside him,

independent of him, but are The objects of his need, indispensable and

essential for the realization and Confirmation of his substantial powers”

The[…] who seek to satisfy certain primary needs (Kautsky15).

Human beings in general are gifted with natural forces that are inherited in

man from generation to another that cannot be changed or deleted. The reason is that

all forces which take the form of tendencies, instincts, and desires are genetically and

biologically available in man. Hence after, all actions, reactions, and behaviours of

man are determined by these forces, man is unable to overcome these driving

impulses which compel man to behave in certain ways according to the effects of the

impulsive elements which are settled in his internal structure.

On the other hand, what is known as 'objects' which means the desire to

possess something either abstract or materialistic are stirred in man by his internal

instincts and motivations are found outside, more specifically, they can be seen or

felt by man himself as independent objects of man himself. What is mentioned about

objects of man and his need are inseparable parts of recognition and assurance of

man's internal and essential forces that drive him in his performances within society?

What man looking for is gratification of his own desires? This will create a struggle

in man in a way that will force him to satisfy these tendencies by achieving them. In

a simple way, the upper class has their own driving forces that trigger their instincts
 15

to exploit the lower class and put themselves in a high social status. What drive the

upper class are their internal impulses, and to meet these impulses the upper class

need to have the lower class as 'objects' to feel satisfied.

He remained content with emphasizing this primary source. "Surplus

value is produced by the employment of labour power. Capital buys the

labour power and pays the wages for it. By means of his work the

labourer creates new value which does not belong to him, but to the

capitalist. He must work a certain time merely In order to reproduce the

equivalent value of his wages. But when this equivalent value has been

returned, he does not cease work, but continues to do so for some further

hours (Kautsky17

It is clear that Marx is not so much interested in the amount of production

that the workers produce in their hours of work. In Marx's view what the worker

produces is less significant as compared to the conditions in which the worker does

his work and how much the worker receives from his efforts. What Marx considers

to be the main problem is that the ideology of capitalism always prevails in the social

scene where the bourgeoisie try to insult and exploit the poor people. Marx's major

concern is to adjust the inhuman treatment that the upper class would impose on the

proletariat; he believes that workers are forced to work for long hours to produce

more. However, they have no control over their production; the bourgeoisie would

take over all production and pay a little to the workers. Marx argues that the whole

process of production is unfair to the workers, mentioning that the workers continue

to work until they produce an outcome which is equal to the wages they receive from

the bourgeoisie. Under the circumstances of humiliation and exploitation, the

16

workers do not stop working after they reach the limit which is equal to the efforts

they exert. On the contrary, they produce more and more, this would result in an

extra production that the workers do not make use of it, but the whole production go

under the control of bourgeoisie this is what Marx calls 'surplus'.

As a result of this economic system, the impact of such system affects the two

classes of the society. The first class or the bourgeoisie would increase their wealth

and power, and on the other hand, the proletariat would increase their poverty and

suffering. Marx lays out the solution for this economic problem through the

eradication of capitalism and replaces it with a more fair system.

In Marx's view,[…] the owners of the means of production, or

bourgeoisie, and the workers, or proletariat. "The bourgeoisie produces

its own grave-diggers. The fall of the bourgeoisie and the victory of the

proletariat are equally inevitable"(The Communist Manifesto) When

people have become aware of their loss, of their alienation, as a universal

nonhuman situation, it will be possible for them to proceed to a radical

transformation of their situation by a revolution (Kautsky 20).

In terms of Marx's perception of the difference between social groups, the

contradictory attitudes between the two major struggling classes historically exist for

a long time. As a historical fact, the capitalist system contains two opposing groups.

The owners of production or bourgeoisie. The other group is the workers or as they

are called in Marxism, the proletariat. As a matter of indisputable fact and depending

on the perception that everything is changeable and nothing is permanent forever,

Marx bases his notion about the fate of bourgeoisie on these realities. He views the
 17

bourgeoisie as ordinary people who are likely to make a fatal mistake that would

cause their collapse, precisely when the upper class oppresses the working class by

extracting their productions to enrich themselves reaching the highest point of the

social class. That is the distance between the two conflicting classes or bourgeoisie

and proletariat increases, at the same time the chances of bourgeoisie's fall down and

the uprising of the proletariat are equal. In other words, when upper class keep

exploiting and insulting the lower class the two sides will reach the maximum range,

for the upper class are at the highest level of exploitation of the working class and the

proletariat are at their maximum level of being insulted and humiliated. In this case,

both sides have a potential or a turning point in the social class, for the bourgeoisie's

potential is the collapse and for the proletariat's potential is the revolution and

uprising. Briefly, the bourgeoisie would be the losers while the proletariat would be

the winners.

In general, when people feel frustrated and they are unaware of the fact that

they are losing everything in their lives and they have no hope for future. In this case,

change is compulsory because there is nothing to lose in the short or long term,

change can be achieved only by a revolution to establish the communist system that

will provide justice and freedom for all.

The legal and political relations engendered by a given economic

structure exert a decisive influence on the entire mentality of social man.

Marx says: "Upon the different forms of poverty, upon the social

conditions of existence, rises an entire superstructure of distinct and

peculiarly formed sentiments, illusions, modes of thoughts and views of

life". Being determines thinking.it may be said that each step made by
18

science in explaining the process of historical development

(Plekhanov57).

What is raised above examines many basic ideas in Marxism. The mind of

man is related to the economic system of the whole political regime. The economic

matters play a crucial role in guiding social interactions among various social classes.

Economic resources, incomes, outcomes and relations to a great extent shape the

general law and political directions. The political relationships are considerably

determined by economic necessity which has definitive impact on the total state

policy. In a traditional way, people are looking for improving their economic

positions; the obsession of increasing their wealth controls their minds. In a more

specific way, man's mind is absolutely overwhelmed by material concept, is looking

for benefits and giving up all other human aspects of life. For instance, if a man is

very rich and has financial power and is influential in his society, he may reach and

form the laws that govern the daily life of ordinary people by means of his wealth.

This man will keep in his mind his own interests and how to develop his social and

financial position, regardless of the poor people and their sufferings. This is known

as the impact of money and economics on the political system.

It is a scientific fact that human beings show greedy behaviour towards

possessing as much as they can, and never stop the desire to have more. Over history

man shows the same orientations in disclosing his keen instincts to keep his mind

connected to the materialistic objects. Marx sums up his view of the society and how

economic circumstances form the social positions, way of thinking, way of feeling

and the outlook of life in general. It may be said that the rich would live in a high

standard of living with its high and luxurious style, while the poor would live in the
 19

low level life and feel the disappointment. What is mentioned above might be

interpreted that the economic situations trigger the struggle between social classes.

The general theory of Marxism is called historical materialism. It

explains how social systems work, and why transformations in societies

take place.[...]When one studies the evolution of human societies, the

role of conscious action in the determination of events presents a central

theoretical problem. Are we free to create our own history and to pursue

cherished ideals, or are we programmed since birth by biological make

up and the environment in which we live to follow certain evolutionary

patterns (Collins17).

Another aspect of Marxism seen above is not far away from the main notion

that Marx follows in relation with the behaviours of people. The wish to possess

material objects is shown right here, also a hint to the social system and its

mechanism that works according to the ruling class. However, the inevitable change

in social norms would happen, removing the ruling class and replace it by the

working class.

Scientific argument is being raised about the forms of society in which man

lives. The question is posed about the consciousness and its role in shaping the

actions of human beings in general. Can man's consciousness guide him to behave

honestly and in a human and civilized way? Or will he be guided by his greed which

is influenced by the surrounding atmosphere? Marx raises the scientific argument

that it is possible for man to form his own history and adopt the path that would meet

the best models in life. On the opposite side, it is also possible that human beings are
20

biologically determined in all aspects of life, so they have no other choice than

accepting their destiny as it is.

The reason for the ambiguity above might be that Marx is providing a wide

range of argument to allow his followers to understand his theory in a more flexible

way. Shortly, materialism controls the mind of the rich, and the variation in society

in terms of social classes is a must. If human beings are free in their choices, so the

blame will be on the upper class because they exploit the working class, and the

working class would be blamed to be silent and obedient to the exploitation. On the

other hand, if human beings are biologically and socially determined in advance, so

there will be no blame for neither the bourgeoisie for their exploitation nor for the

working class for their obedience.

 21

CHAPTER TWO

WORKHOUSE'S APPALLING CONDITIONS IN OLIVER TWIST

Charles Dickens acquires a tremendous success in literature after he faces an

appalling and a miserable childhood in which he is forced to work in a blacking

warehouse at the age of twelve after his father is imprisoned in debtor's prison. His

works catch the lives of the poor in England and their living conditions, more

specifically; he expresses the sense of childhood in his novels. Among his huge

achievements, it is worthy to mention his influence on social reform. He carries on

his shoulders the burdens of his society and becomes a social reformer and social

scene observer as well as an influential critic of injustice and harsh working

conditions. He also satirizes the shortcomings of the British judiciary system and he

contributes to the reformation of the class difference. He deals with the Poor Law in

1834 and criticizes the law sharply. Dickens's style is very remarkable in that, he

works as a newspaper reporter so his descriptions present a number of details. He

uses powerful adjectives and is known for his use of metaphors and similes. An

essential feature that characterizes Charles Dickens is that he is considered the

master of dialect and he uses what is called substandard speech to add to the picture

he is creating about a character. He is noticed for his exaggeration. He is inclined to

use humour which illustrates disadvantages or negative characteristics of a person,

society, or government. Dickens is distinguished in his adaptation of bildungsroman

technique which is linked to the ethical, psychological and experimental

development of the major character (Miller 3-6).

22

Oliver Twist is a fictional masterpiece to denounce the social injustice and

appalling conditions of people who live in workhouses that have been built to protect

poor people. It is unacceptable not to sympathize with Oliver's story due to the

catastrophic scenes that Dickens conveys for his readers. Oliver is born and

immediately his mother dies after his birth. He spends his first nine years in an

orphanage then he is sent to a workhouse.

Mr. Bumble, an official in the workhouse offers five pounds to anyone that

will take Oliver away. After that, Oliver is apprenticed as a chimney sweeper, but he

escapes this brutish work. He starts working for a local undertaker, Mr. Sowerberry.

One of the workers of Mr. Sowerberry, whose name is Noah Claypole, insults

Oliver's mother. Oliver's reaction against this abuse of his mother is strong. He

attacks Noah and incurs Mr. Sowerberry's anger. At dawn, Oliver runs away heading

to London, gets exhausted and starves to death. In one attempt to rob an elderly

gentleman Oliver is in panic to see his colleagues robbing the old man, so he runs

away because of fear. Oliver is caught but then is released. The old man who is

supposed to be robbed, takes Oliver, feeds him and makes him recover.

Unfortunately, two members of Fagin's gang Bill Sikes and his lover Nancy

capture Oliver and take him again to Fagin, Oliver is ordered by Fagin to help Sikes

in a burglary in which Oliver is shot by a guardian, then Sikes escapes. Oliver is

taken by Mrs. Maylie and her niece Rose. Nancy meets Rose in London and tells her

about Fagin's gang when news reach Sikes, he savagely murders Nancy. Sikes leaves

London and feeling guilty he hangs himself. Monk who is Oliver's half-brother meets

Oliver and tells Oliver who his real father is and gives Oliver his share of the
 23

inheritance that their father left for them. Fagin is hanged. Mr. Bumble adopts Oliver

and lives with Oliver and the Maylies in the countryside.

We name our fondlings in alphabetical order The last was an S,-

Swubble,I named him. This was a T,-Twist, I named him. The next One

as comes will be Unwin, and the next Vilkins. I have got names ready

made to the end of the Alphabet, and all way through it again, when we

come To Z(Dickens 8).

According to Marx's view the idea of exploitation settles in the mind of the

upper class and their attitude towards the lower class. The above mentioned dialogue

between Mr. Bumble and Mrs. Mann sets out the first impression about this reality.

Oliver is considered to be another creature that does not belong to their world, so

they "workhouse officials” can easily dehumanize him and see him as a merchandize

which is prone to trading as any another thing that may be bought or sold. What

makes the scene more inhuman for Oliver is that he has no clear parentage. This

matter would increase his suffering and his abuse. "Five pounds would be paid to

anybody who would take possession of him"(Dickens 27). This quote illustrates

obviously the range of underestimation concerning the poor and how they are viewed

as material things which may be exchanged. Remaining within the idea mentioned

above, human beings are inclined to exploit other human beings when they are weak,

helpless, and defenseless because the consciousness of arrogant men is absent. This

is an indisputable fact and it is represented in the officials of the workhouse. Simply,

this comes in accordance with Marx's perception about the nature and tendency of

the bourgeoisie to enslave poor people.

24

Boy, said the gentleman in the high chair, listen to me. You know you're

an orphan, I suppose? What's that, sir? Inquired poor Oliver. "The boy is

a fool-I thought he was, said the gentleman in white waistcoat. 'Hush;

said the gentleman who had spoken first. You know you've got no father

or mother, And that you were brought up by the parish, don't you? Yes,

sir replied Oliver, weeping bitterly. What are crying for? Inquired the

gentleman in the white waistcoat and be sure it was very extraordinary.

What could be the boy crying for? I hope you say your prayers every

night, said another gentleman. In a gruff voice; and pray for the people

who feed you, and take care of you –like a Christian (Dickens10).

It seems that the previous quote keeps the same situation as is posed in the

quote that proceeds. Furthermore, this quote between Oliver and the board of the

workhouse which is responsible for the management of the workhouse's affairs

shows the brutality against children in the workhouse. The unkind officials try to

make the boys aware of their social status and trigger their self-awakening to the fact

that they are subjected to the mercy of the workhouse's authority. More specifically,

boys are insulted by coercion. The words "feed you" explain how arrogant and

ruthless the board is, who put themselves in a high position and degrade the people

underneath them. Such behaviours may be interpreted as follows: we "the board" are

superior to you "boys" ,you are the "fool" a reference to Oliver and it is our mercy

and charity that make us give you what is needed to keep you alive. Indeed, this

action of the board reflects the argument of Marx that the upper class is oppressing

the lower class by paying them the minimum amount to meet the basic needs of

living.
 25

Norrie Epstein believes that the tough portrayal of the workhouse which is

supposed to shelter the needy people has failed to support the poor, and it is a result

of The New Poor law of 1834. 'A revolution was attempted in the way, the needy, the

elderly, and the orphans were treated"93).Charles Dickens confirms that "Oliver is

my glance at the Poor law" (Epstein93).

It is plain that Epstein has a bleak and gloomy position towards the New

Law of Poor that is supposedly designed to provide an alternative for the

impoverished families and their children. It might be a gesture of either hypocrisy or

weakness of the government to protect the poor. Marx has clearly adopted the idea of

rebellion or revolution in his theory about social justice. This ideology of Marx

matches what Epstein is saying about the necessity for a confrontation with the

authority. When ordinary people are oppressed and their rights are confiscated and

they do not receive the necessary attention from their leaders as Marx sees it, the

revolution would be an inevitable choice to get rid of exploitation and humiliation.

It is apparent that Dickens is extremely concerned with the plight of the

working class. This statement "Oliver is my glance at the Poor Law" shows the

seriousness of the case that the new legislation is to bring more suffering and ordeals

to the poor. Dickens takes on his own to discover the catastrophic atmosphere in the

workhouse and tell the truth bravely about the place that hopefully will be a

humanitarian resort for the needy. The truth is that such place turns out to insult and

punish people.

As Ginger Frost states in his book "Victorian Childhood' ", The life of

children inside workhouse under the New Poor Law of 1834 was especially harsh
26

and unnecessarily cruel. Workhouses were grim places to live in, especially since

neither the Old, nor the New Poor Law was soft on children of the working-class and

paupers" (45). It is explicit that Frost rebukes the Poor Law in its two versions The

Old and The New and conceives them as miserable regulations. He uses two negative

and powerful adjectives "grim" and "harsh" to describe the workhouse. This perhaps

reflects his frustration about the authority. The reason for his anger is that the first

experience with the old law proves the shortcomings of authority to provide a

suitable place for the poor. As a matter of logic, the second legislation would be only

an extension of the first law or a slightly emended version of the old law that would

bring nothing in favor of the poor. People and all who are concerned with this issue

may assume that the experience is a better approval that is the first failure of the old

law will be the same failure with the new one. To support what is raised above,

Ralph Miliband has the evidence in his book "Marxism and Politics " in the

following quote his perception may be seen as reflection on Marxist view to remove

masterful officials "Before all else a revolutionist' and that 'his real mission in life

was to contribute ,in one way or another, to the overthrow of capitalist society and of

the state institutions which it had brought into being, to contribute to the liberation of

the modern proletariat "(154).

It is obvious that Miliband shares Marx's view on society and precisely the

proletariat who have no other choice than toppling over the leading corrupt

exploiters. Because change does not bring any benefits to the poor and as Marx

points out in the above quotation, the only way to get freedom and to get rid of the

exploitation and abuse in labor is to have a society free of capitalists. Capitalists

 27

extract the efforts and power of the working class through the long hours of work

getting the surplus for their interests and give workers a little payment.

George V. Plekhanov in his book "Fundamental Problems Of Marxism"

comments on Necessity and Revolution .The following quotation is to support the

need for liberation “When a social revolution is brought about by a class striving for

its liberation, that class acts in a way that is more or less expedient in achieving the

aim desired; in any case its activities are the cause of that revolution. However,

together with all the aspirations that brought them about, these activities are

themselves a consequence of a definite course of economic development, and

therefore are themselves determined by necessity"(96).

In the above quote Plekhanov reflects the essence of Marx's theory that calls

for the refusal of submission to the upper class. It is the duty of working class to take

the initiative and to liberate themselves from oppression. The working class should

hope for freedom. Their motive in all their activities in the path of getting their target

is their hope.

The following quote from Oliver Twist concords with Marxist idea,

explored above" all poor should have the alternative […] of being starved by gradual

process in the house, or by a quick one out of it" (11). It is clear that, Dickens

condemns the system of the workhouse. What is known to be an establishment to

provide the poor with what they hope becomes useless and does not meet their

ambitions. The needy seem to have no place to stay, the workhouse is their only

hope, but unfortunately it fails to meet their demands, and people inside it starve but

not at the same speed as those outside it.

28

According to Peter Kirby "Many people of Dickens' time seriously believed

that poverty was a direct result moral degeneracy and that those who were poor

deserve to suffer. In their eyes it was the paupers' own fault that they were poor

because it was due to their 'inherent deficiencies'(95). Apparently, this quote conveys

the reality of the society and the prevailing idea that controls the mind of the upper

class; they think nothing should be changed and the rich will remain rich and the

poor will remain poor. According to Marxist approach, the huge difference between

the two sides may be seen clearly. People are poor because of their deficiencies

which are inherited by generations and it is not because upper class extracts the

production of the poor. Precisely, upper class believes that no change should happen

in social system, the rich remain rich and the poor remain poor. In other words, the

exploitation and the abuse of the working class would continue in terms of the upper

class. However, the solution comes immediately by applying Marxist critical

approach, everything would be settled, as Plekhanov clarifies the appropriate option

by revolution.

The most notable scene in Oliver Twist is the scene when Oliver is pushed by

hungry boys to ask for more gruel the matter that makes the board's officials behave

sharply against Oliver.

The gruel disappeared; the boys whispered to each other, and winked At

Oliver […] child as he was desperate with hunger, and reckless with

Misery. He rose from the table; and advancing to the master, basin and

Spoon in hand, said, somewhat alarmed at his own temerity,-'Please, sir, I

Want some more'. […] the master aimed a blow at Oliver’s head with the
 29

ladle, pinioned him in his arms and shrieked aloud for the beadle.

(Dickens12).

The mistreatment inside the workhouse is very apparent. After Oliver asks

for more gruel the man who is distributing food for boys is astonished and he calls

Mr. Bumble because they think asking for more is unnecessary. The reaction of the

board is so tough; they beat Oliver and imprison him in a room for five days. The

boys starve and feel the sharp need for food. What is served for them does not make

them healthy. The portion that is given for every one of them is to keep them alive

and work for the benefit of the officials. As is explained in this particular scene, the

room in which the boys are fed is a large hall, where the master is dressed in apron

and two women assist him.

Each boy can take one porringer and is not allowed to have more, only on

public occasion, they have two porringers with quarter of bread .The following quote

shows inhuman and extraordinary sufferings of boys" The bowls never wanted

washing. The boys polished them with their spoons till they shone again[…]the

spoons being nearly large as the bowls[…]as if they have devoured the very bricks of

which it was composed"(Dickens 12). This quote expresses the real hunger that the

boys are facing. It is very ailing feeling to see innocent kids who are dehumanized

and enslaved by their masters. Dickens uses a very expressive sentence to sum up the

whole scene "bowls never wanted washing". It shows the keen shortage of food in

the workhouse. "Devoured the very bricks" is another image of ordeal in which the

boys live, because of hunger the boys are looking at the room in which they have

their meals and hope to eat its bricks to feed themselves up because their stomachs

are empty and need to be filled.

30

Georg Lukacs in his book 'Marxism and Human Liberation' mentions one of

Marx's themes about freedom and national struggle to have political rule within the

hands of workers.

This minority sets up a dogmatic outlook in the place of a critical one; an

idealist, in the place of a materialistic one. For them, real relationships

are replaced by sheer will as the drive-wheel of revolution. We say to the

workers; You have to get through fifteen ,twenty, fifty years of civil war

And national struggle, not merely to change the relationships, but also To

change yourselves and become capable of political rule. On the other

hand, they say; we must seize power at once or forget about it (76).

It is very explicit that Marx openly calls the workers to revolt against the

political regime. He implies that workers should sacrifice so that they would be able

to rule themselves even if they engage in fighting for a long time. Marx's view is that

the only way to have social justice is through overthrowing the corrupted political

regime. In terms of his ideology, Marx wants the proletariat to bring about the

downfall of the bourgeoisie.

This quote by Marx may be seen as a response to the quote from Oliver

Twist about hanger and mistreatment by workhouse's board. In Oliver Twist, the

upper class which is represented in the forces who are in power, for example, the

board and Mr. Bumble may be seen as the bourgeoisie. It is very clear from their

behaviours, that they show the ideology of exploitation of the lower class or the poor

or as Marx calls them the proletariat. Oliver and his colleagues might be considered

to be proletariat, because they are helpless and powerless and are exploited by their
 31

masters. As Marx points out, the only way to get rid of these leaders is to have

revolution.

Another moral conversation between Rose and Nancy explores the influence

of poverty on human behaviours and attitudes. The scene is very painful and shows

how human beings are forced to do things against their wills. Nancy glides into

prostitution at a very early age reflecting the fact that prostitution, pocket picking and

other crimes are common in the Victorian era. The main blame is attributed to the

political system which should be removed and replaced with a new one that ensures a

good life for mob.

Stay another moment,"[…] will you return to this gang of robbers, and to

this man, when a word can save you? What Fascination is it that can take

you back, and make you cling to wickedness and misery? Nancy, replied

[ladies beautiful Like you and has admirers, but when such I have no

friends Turn into a new means of violence and suffering (Dickens 266).

It is plain that the dialogue between Rose and Nancy stems from the social

circumstances in which the two girls live. As for Rose, she has money and social

status that protect her from suffering and exploitation, while Nancy represents a

model of teenage that has no protector or money to put her in a good social position.

On the contrary, she is forced to work as a prostitute. David Paroissien states that

"prostitution of young girls can be counted under the label of child labour as well-the

two principle factors which were forcing young girls to work in the streets were

extreme poverty and parental abandonment "(238). The case is very evident, as

social justice and fair political system are needed to protect children and the poor in
32

general. Relating this problem to Marxist view, the solution lies in the removal of

capitalism which brutally exploits the working class and does not pay attention to the

suffering of the poor. Marxist ideology seems to fit what is explored above.

The following quote that describes the death of Nancy and how she is

victimized when Sikes kills her. Sikes murders her for disclosing the secrets of

Fagin's gang to Rose. After news come to Sikes, he gets furious and ruthlessly

murders her. "She staggered and fell; nearly blinded her blood that rained down

from a deep gashing her forehead; but raising herself, with difficulty, on her

knees,[…]as high from heaven as her feeble strength would allow pray for mercy to

her maker" (444).

Nancy's killing would surely settle in the mind of the readers and critics

equally, because it shows how the society and government neglect Nancy and let her

be a victim of poverty. Nancy has no person to protect her morally. This is why; she

is compelled to work in the criminal world of Fagin and deviates to the worst destiny

of prostitution. She would probably be a lady like Rose if the circumstances that are

available for Rose would have been available for her. What makes the scene more

painful is that, children at their early age, when they are unable to perceive the good

or the evil in their lives, they would easily be recruited and exploited according to the

benefits of their benefactors.

To support what is raised above, Paroissien David states that "The girls

supported themselves and thereby maintained the boys and the elder criminal figure

by their prostitution and by occasional stealing from men they had picked up in the

streets' (110). It is very clear that the abandonment of children by authority, society
 33

and parents is the main reason for the catastrophes of children. For children who are

orphans, the full blame would be on the authority.

The relationship between Marxism and all what is explored concerning

Nancy and Fagin's criminal gang are in harmony. The idea of bourgeoisie and

proletariat may be seen as an applicable approach. According to Ralph Miliband, as

he quotes from Marxism's theory, "The protagonists of class struggle have

naturally varied,[…] freeman and slave[…]bourgeoisie and proletariat in the epoch

of capitalism ,oppressor and oppressed have stood in constant opposition to one

another ,either revolutionary reconstitution of society[…] or ruin of contending

classes"(19). It is highly possible to relate this ideology about class struggle,

exploitation, and difference to the criminal world of Fagin. Fagin and his gang may

be considered to be the bourgeoisie and Nancy as the proletariat. The struggle

between Nancy and Fagin's gang is obvious, as well as the abuse and exploitation of

Nancy. "Ruin of contending classes" the statement shows how Nancy is ruined and

destroyed by her opposition represented by Fagin and Sikes at the first confrontation

between them. If Nancy would have been silent and submissive to Fagin and Sikes,

she would be safe. The same idea is valid for working class; they should work

silently and does not violate rules of upper class or as Marx names them bourgeoisie.

Dickens also uses a minor character to show human nature of fondness in

looking down the people beneath them. Noah Claypole who is Mr. Sowerberry's

apprentice feels jealous when Oliver advances in his work with the undertaker

Mr.Sowerberry. When Oliver arrives, Noah tries to insult him and make fun of him

because he sees Oliver as lower class compared to him. "I'm Mister Noah Claypole,

"said the charity boy, and you're under me"(Dickens 29). Noah makes it very clear
34

while he is speaking to Oliver that he has the right to do whatever he wants with

Oliver. "This affords charming food for contemplation. It shows us what a beautiful

thing human nature is and how impartially the same amiable qualities are developed

in the finest lord and the dirtiest charity-boy"(Dickens 30). Dickens explores the

nature of man in general to transform from one attitude into another in terms of

circumstances. The case signals human characteristics which may be changed from

the best to the worst thing to meet the illness and obsession of exploiting and

possessing the inferior.

What is explored above might be an explanation to the Marxist's

understanding of bourgeoisie. In Communist Manifest, Marx says "Forged weapons

that bring death to itself "(96) Marx presents the fact that when someone makes an

opposition against himself that means he is inventing a menace or threat that either

should be oppressed by force or it will cause the collapse of the person who has

created this supposed enemy. Connecting this quotation to the conversation between

Noah Claypole and Oliver it is likely to say that Noah represents the mind of the

bourgeoisie with their instinct to enslave people, and Oliver may stand for the

oppressed people or the working class. Oliver acts against humiliation and

oppression of Noah. In this act Oliver represents the threat which is detected in poor

people against their masters.

To conclude, Oliver Twist might be seen as an accurate depiction of

humiliation and mistreatment in the workhouse. Dickens has deliberately and

obviously condemned the passing of the Poor law which is supposed to help and

protect poor people. On the contrary, this law turns out to be a punishment for the

poor. Miserable conditions of the working class and exploitation of the upper class of
 35

the lower class in addition to carelessness that the authority shows towards children

are highlighted. All these actions may make girls slide into prostitution and other

children become criminals. The brutality of the governmental officials is seen in the

state establishments. Instead of protecting the poor, the workhouse becomes a place

where people are treated toughly. The suffering of the needy does not end and

exploitation of children goes on, because the social system is corrupted and the

government is not serious enough to find solutions for the poor.

 37

CHAPTER THREE

CLASS DISTINCTION AND FACTORY'S MISERABLE CONDITIONS IN

DAVID COPPERFIELD

David Copperfield (1849) is a bildungsroman that traces the maturity and self-

awareness of the protagonist David Copperfield from his early childhood up to his

adulthood. David passes through many stages in his growth, he loses his father

before even his birth, and his mother the young pretty woman Clara Copperfield

marries the stiff Mr. Murdstone. Mr. Murdstone and his hardline sister Miss

Murdstone treat David badly. Furthermore, Mr. and Miss Murdstone reproach Clara

Copperfield and restrict her behaviors even in her own house .David's suffering

increases so much as his step-father beats him. David's reaction against the harsh

beating is that he bites Mr. Mudstone’s arm. As a punishment, David is locked in his

room for five days. Then Miss Peggotty, his nurse sympathetically tells him that he is

to be sent to school of Salem House where he enlarges the circle of his acquaintances

and friends. After his mother's death he is apprenticed in Mr. Mudstone’s factory. He

is subjected to humiliation in that factory. He runs away to join his only alive relative

Miss Trotwood. David extends his circle of new people; he falls in love with two

girls, Dora and Agnes.

Dora dies after their marriage. Then he and Agnes get married. After all

suffering, he becomes a successful writer. David Copperfield is a reflection of

Dickens's own experience in his childhood where he faces a similar experience as a

worker in factory. The portrayal of suffering in David Copperfield has a sense of

responsibility on the part of the author because of the real suffering Dickens
38

witnesses in his early age as a child. David Copperfield is enriched with many social

issues, like class distinction, criminality, exploitation, and abuse. Thus Marxist

approach may be reflected in the novel.

In the early events of David Copperfield the protagonist is subjugated to a

threat of abuse and mistreatment by Mr. Murdstone who treats David violently. The

following quotation may explore the intentions of Mr. Murdstone to insult David:

David" he said, making his lips thin by pressing them together

"if I have an obstinate horse or dog to deal with, What do you Think I

do? "I don't know." " I beat him" I had answered in a kind Of breathless

whisper ,but I felt, in my silence, that my breath was Shorter now. "I

make him wince, and smart. I say to myself, I'll Conquer that fellow ';

and if it were to cost him all the blood he had I should do it (Dickens

48).

It is obvious from the quotation above that Dickens makes it clear for his

readers that human beings have two instincts or tendencies that are the desire to

abuse and enslave the inferior because they are helpless and powerless. The reason

behind such behaviour is to gratify their morbid or pathological desires. The second

attitude is that man in general has the natural and spontaneous reaction to defend

himself or herself against outer aggression especially when the hostility is unjustified

and baseless. As an extension for the argument, this argument may be listed into the

conception of the prey and the predator, which shows the ruthless performance

among animals whereas the powerful consumes the weak. Mr. Murdstone says "If I

have an obstinate horse or dog […] I beat him"(Dickens 48), these words might
 39

provide a clear and vivid image about his disrupted nature in its negative form and

content.

The word "obstinate" has a deep meaning which illustrates Mr. Murdstone's

view on the people underneath him. Mr. Murdstone wants people to obey all his

orders and wishes. If they disobey his commands as he thinks they will be violating

the rules he sets out to control people. Briefly, he confiscates the right of people to

express themselves or to object to any oppression. From what is raised above, Mr.

Murdstone may stand for the role of the predator. Moving to the second part of the

prey and predator's idea, the prey is surely David who demonstrates his will to

defend himself against the aggressiveness of Mr. Murdstone regardless of the results.

In his speech, David says, "I'll conquer that fellow, and if it were to cost him all the

blood he had"(Dickens 48), which shows the instinct of self-defense that is inherited

and deeply rooted in human nature. The word 'conquer' discloses David's precedent

intention to defend himself against any mistreatment or insult. It shows the refusal

and objection of innocent people to surrender to the masterful or authoritative

persons. "Cost him all the blood" (Dickens 488) shows David's carelessness of what

will happen to Murdstone after David wants to attack him even if Mr. Murdstone

would lose his life. What David implies is that innocent people should not allow

arrogant people to enslave them.

Coming back to Marxism and how to relate this ideology to what is

discussed above, the support of this idea may be clarified by Alfred G. Meyer in his

book 'Marxism The Unity of Theory and Practice'. He explains "The truth gives

strength to the forces progress and paralyzes the old ruling class. It frees the slave

and makes our dreams come true.[..]Marx repudiated all notions of universal
40

morality […] his stand seems to be close to the pragmatic one"(105). According to

Marx's notion which is stated in the previous quotation that confirms the reality

about people who are looking for freedom and redeeming to get rid of slavery

imposed by bourgeoisie. They inspire their magnitude and ambition from the fact

that change should happen in the social system. As Marx sees it, the old ruling class

or as it is implied, the bourgeoisie must be removed from the top of authority. The

second remark that Marx raises is through the word 'paralyzes' which is a very

expressive word to assure that the unique solution for the suffering and humiliation

of the "enslaved people' as Marx calls them is by stopping or hindering absolutely all

activities of the upper class that aim at manipulating the efforts of the poor into the

benefits of the bourgeoisie. Marx interestingly and honestly denounces the prevailing

concept of universal morality which gives the right to the upper class to control the

working class. It might be a condemnation of the view that the poor are poor because

of their deficiencies or shortcomings and therefore they should bear and accept their

miserable conditions.

To attribute Marx's view about slavery and freedom to the confrontation

between David and Mr. Murdstone, it is better to concentrate on their traits and

orientations when they face each other. The analysis of David's character and how he

behaves would be separated from the analysis of Mr. Murdstone that is each

character would be examined independently. Mr. Murdstone with his keen desire to

oppress and enslave David makes him extremely obedient to all his instructions and

wishes. He may be viewed as the bourgeoisie with his habit of possessing people. On

the other hand, David is highly possible to represent the forces of change which are

the motivations that drive the poor to free themselves. If David accepts the threat of
 41

Mr. Murdstone and succumbs to Mr. Murdstone's greedy tendencies of possessing

and degrading him, then David will be always under the mercy of Mr. Murdstone all

his life. On the contrary, David takes the most appropriate option for himself which

is to halt the transgression of Mr. Murdstone by confrontation and gets rid of his

arrogance. The scene is a very accurate depiction of the class conflict and the way of

solving this strife.

As the time runs out, Mr.Murdstone carries out his threat to David that he

never minds beating David. One night as David is supposed to go to his room, Mr.

Murdstone tells him that they would go together to his room. Mr.Murdstone winks to

his stiff sister Miss Murdstone to prevent David's mother from going upstairs. Miss

Murdstone shouts aloud at David's mother so as not to go to David. David's mother

remains at the first floor under the threatening words by Miss Murdstone, she cries a

lot and bursts into tears because of her worry about her son, but she is unable to help

him. The purpose of what is detailed right here is to confirm the inclination of human

beings to insult the powerless people when they have the right time to do it. For

instance, David is helpless so Mr. Murdstone has a desire to offend him just to meet

his instinct. For further details, the upper class does not want any kind of protection

for the lower class so that they can mistreat them. An evident indication for that is

Mr. Murdstone when he gives a gesture by his eye to his sister to prevent David's

mother from going with David. Thus, David would be alone without protection, and

it will be easy for Mr. Murdstone to punish him. The whole scene may be attributed

to the upper class and the lower class, when the bourgeoisie oppress the proletariat.

The following quotation explains what happens between David and his step-father:
42

He walked me up to my room slowly and gravely-I am certain he had a

delight in that formal parade of executing Justice-and when we got there

,suddenly twisted my head Under his arms.[…]I cried to him. Don't,

pray don't beat me. Entreating him not to beat me. I caught the

hand]…]in my mouth Between my teeth and bit it through.[…]He beat

me then, as if he Would have beaten me to death.(Dickens 58).

The above quotation shows how brutal and ruthless Mr. Murdstone is. He

goes beyond the limits of humanity by beating a child at his early age. As is known,

children are the symbols of innocence, nature, spontaneity and they are completely

pure spiritually and physically. They do not reach the awareness of what is right or

wrong, so that they would be blamed or punished for their mistakes or

misbehaviours. They always behave spontaneously without taking into consideration

the consequences of their behaviours. Children do not commit great sins or behave in

a bad way intentionally or hurt the elderly to a great extent, simply because they do

not have the power to defeat the elderly. From what is raised above and if it is

compared to the behaviour of Mr. Murdstone it will be clear how inhuman and

malicious he is. Simply because he is punishing and torturing an innocent child that

has no power to defend himself and does not make a mistake that deserve

punishment. He beats David in a way that explores the masterful mind of the upper

class. The behavior of Mr. Murdstone may be analyzed as follows. He has an object

in his mind that is David's mother Clara Copperfield, and he sees her as his

possession. David will be the partner with Mr. Murdstone in the relation with Clara.

This relationship may disturb Mr. Murdstone because he sees David as a rival for

him towards Clara. To move to another level and extend the argument more
 43

specifically, Mr. Murdstone might consider Clara to be his working class who

produces everything for him and does not want David to share this with him.

Perhaps, this explains why Mr. Murdstone hates David. In other words, Mr.

Murdstone sees David as a menace or threat to his property which is represented by

Miss Clara Copperfield.

To look at what is previously discussed in accordance with Marx's notion,

Georg Lukacs in his book 'Marxism and Human Liberation' mentions the following:

Men who are liberated from capitalistic slavery, from the countless

Outrages, brutalities, idiocies and humiliation of capitalist exploitation

Will gradually become accustomed to observing those elementary Time-

recognized rules of social life together which are reiterated in All the

percepts for thousands of years ,and this without force, without

Compulsion, without the subordination ,without the particular apparatus

Of force which is called the state (83).

This quotation divides the society into two parts in general the oppressor or

the upper class and the oppressed or the working class. As is stated above the ruling

social class or as is called in terms of Marx's perception the capitalists adopt the idea

of exploitation in a very insulting way for the working class and for a very long time.

Marx believes that when the worker is freed from the slavery of the bourgeoisie he

will be aware of the suffering he endures in the time of slavery. Marx states that the

working class should not surrender to oppressive laws of the upper class. The

bourgeoisie tend to enslave and overcome the workers. The capitalists have their own

ideology and they understand the world according to their benefits. They believe that
44

the poor must bear their mistakes of being poor, and submit to their circumstances.

Moreover, the capitalists think that the poor are poor because of their shortcomings

and foibles and they deserve suffering.

Obviously, the relationship between Mr. Murdstone and David is based on

the formers desire to rule and control David. With his desire to control and rule over

David, Mr. Murdstone may be seen as the capitalist. On the other hand, David with

his persistence to confront and remove injustice and authoritative power of Mr.

Murdstone represents working class and its struggle to eliminate slavery, abuse, and

exploitation by the capitalists. Marx believes that the deeply rooted idea which

extends to the deep past should be changed to make people live in the same fair

social conditions.

David is aware now of the strictness and toughness of both Mr. and Miss

Murdstone towards him and his mother. In the following quotation, he openly

explains the arrogant behaviour of Mr. Murdstone and his strict sister .They do not

mistreat David only, but also his mother. David shows that his stepfather and his

sister Miss Jane are firm in imposing their commands on David and his mother. He

mocks his mother in that she is also firm like them, but in her obedience to Mr. and

Miss Murdstone.

Firmness, I may observe, was the grand quality on which both Mr. and

Miss Murdstone took to this stand. However I might Have expressed my

comprehension of it at that time […] I comprehend in my own words that

was another name for Tyranny ,and for certain gloomy, arrogant, devil's
 45

humour […]nobody else in his world was to be so firm as Mr. Murdstone

(Dickens 51).

Richard Locke in his book The Use of Childhood in Ten Great Novels says:

Dickens, repeatedly explored the theme expressed most memorably in Wordsworth's

phrase, "The Child is Father of the man" with unprecedented Ferocity, glee, sorrow

and grandeur […] the fundamental optimism […] Lies in its struggle that a naturally

good childhood will ensure a good life (20). From the quotation above a very

amazing, acceptable and accurate image may be drawn about childhood.

Wordsworth's phrase has a deep meaning; it makes a comparison between the

childhood and adulthood which both form the whole society. Wordsworth's phrase

may be interpreted in many levels, but the closest one to the theme being discussed

through this thesis is that the child will never be a child forever as someday comes

and becomes an adult and will take the role and position of the adult. If the child is

abused at his early age, he may turn into a vengeful character.

It is very worthy to consider that children in general need the convenient

environment in their growth towards their adulthood. If children find suitable

atmosphere they will develop all their defend mechanisms and senses in a traditional

way that is necessary for every child. In this case, children will be good

representatives for their society. On the contrary, if children grow up in a harsh,

unsuitable, hostile and morbid atmosphere and lack the essential care every child

needs at his growing up in this case, they are going to become burdens on society.

Perhaps transform their personalities into severe ones. It is very possible that

oppressing children and exposing them to psychological and physical abuse, may

lead to the deformation of their psyche. This pressure will be reflected in their
46

behaviours in future when they become adults, when it will be difficult to control

their aggressive orientations or reform this aggressiveness.

Exploring the meaning that lies in Richard Locke's statement "naturally

good childhood will ensure good life" it does not differ so much from what has been

posed above. Children represent innocence and nature because all their performances

come spontaneously without any intrusion from outsiders. They need to pass through

their different ages without outside effects which may create troubles in their

advance of self-awareness and self-discovery. If children find normal style of life

they will live normal life in the future .This would ensure happy life for them and the

community.

To illustrate the relation between Marxism and what has been discussed

previously, Richard Levins in his book 'Rearming the Revolution’ says "The

defense of Marxism requires confronting bourgeois ideology in every area so that

they don't overwhelm us with their apparent common sense” (71). The Marxist

ideology is explicitly shown in these lines, if Marxism wants to defeat its opponents,

it should challenge them as much as possible. Precisely, the working class or

proletariat must stand firmly in the face of the bourgeoisie and refute their thoughts

on larger scale. The challenge functions on two levels, abstract and tangible. What is

meant by the abstract level is that fighting the ideas and words with ideas and words

that is to disapprove or rebut their ideology by providing abstract evidences that

contradict with such ideology. The second one is the tangible challenge that is a real

and material or physical confrontation or clearly the use of force to get rid of the

bourgeoisie.
 47

It is reasonable to draw a parallel between the quotation that has been

analyzed above and the idea of David about the firmness of Mr. and Miss Murdstone

.David realizes the firm and rough nature that is deeply rooted in the minds of the

Murdstones in their right to guide and control David and his mother according to

their ideas.

David is now conscious of the fact that the Murdstones have their own

ideology of ruling David and his mother in the way that serves the Murdstones'

benefits. David makes it clear that he should confront the Murdstones by words and

if necessary by actions. In this confrontation between David and the Murdstones

which lies in two divisions the ideological or mental attitude and physical situation.

The Murdstones represent the bourgeoisie and David and his mother represent the

proletariat. In terms of Marxism, David must confront the Murdstones as much as he

can to overcome them.

At school of Salem House, David enlarges his circle of acquaintances. He

experiences a new kind of insult for himself and his new friends. Mr. Creakle, the

school's headmaster who is a hard-hearted man and seems very strict. At the

beginning of the first half of the school, Mr. Creakle warns the students that he will

punish them if they fail in their lessons. The following quotation may sum up the

suffering and abuse of David and the students of Salem House School:

Mr. Creakle entered after breakfast ,and stood in the doorway looking

Round upon us like a giant in a story-book surveying his captives […]

Mr. Creakle came to where I sat, and told me that if I were famous for

Biting, he was famous for biting too.[…]Poor Traddles was always

48

Caned every day[…]begin to draw skeletons all over his slate, who

Reminded himself that caning couldn't last forever (Dickens 83,84,85).

Richard Locke points out the miserable experiences David has been through

both in his mother's house and his new place in Salem House. "His five-day

incarceration in his room, and his exile to brutal Salem House school, where he is

forced to become a kind of walking book By wearing a sign reading (with wonderful

meaning of both the plea And warning"( Locke 28). "Take Care of Him. He

Bites"(Dickens 81). These two quotations from David Copperfield and Richard

Locke summarize the suffering of David in his room after he beats Mr. Murdstone

and then Mr. Murdstone locks him for five days. The second phase is at Salem House

where David experiences a new life with more suffering this time on his psyche. As

is mentioned above, the words "take Care of Him. He Bites" show the psychological

and physical pressure which is imposed on David. Mr. Murdstone tells Mr. Creakle

to be aware that David has a habit of biting. Then Mr. Creakle writes this phrase on

David's back. The suffering of David never stops this time. Mr. Creakle tells him that

if he has the ability to bite, Mr. Creakle has the ability and habit to cane his students.

David feels panic while watching the headmaster in the school. David is now beaten

and abused by Mr. Creakle's cane. .

All students are caned by the headmaster except one student, Steerforth who is not

beaten. The main reason is that he is rich and of high social class and his mother

supports the school financially. The boy who is victimized and is subjected

frequently to abuse and beating is Traddles. He nearly receives punishment on daily

basis. After each punishment, he draws a skeleton on his slate so that he can

overcome his agony. What is painful is that a place such a school which is supposed
 49

to be an educational institution to prepare generations for the future, turns away from

its path and transforms into a prison-like place "surveying his captives.

To bring Marxism and what is illustrated above together, Hugh Collins in

his book Marxism and Law explains that "Law, as an instrument of class oppression,

was considered a suspect form of social control which would certainly disappear

with the demise of capitalism "(Collin 127). Marx touches the point when he remarks

that law has two functions. The first one is to organize affairs of the society as a

whole which would result in peaceful life. The second one is when law is misused by

authority and is transformed into instrument or tool to oppress or extract the freedom

and dignity of people. Marx sees law as an excuse by upper class to control the

working class. The upper class does not care about the suffering or abuse of the

lower class, attributing this to respect of law. But the reality is that they want to make

use of this law to enslave the poor. As is mentioned in the quotation above, Marx

argues that the solution should come from the working class or proletariat as he says

by "demise of capitalism".

The matter to some extent has become clear that Mr. Creakle with his misuse

of the law in his school to mistreat his students and abuse them by beating them or

reproaching them may be considered to be an act of the bourgeoisie. Mr. Creakle

depends on the law and takes his power from this law to threaten and intimidate the

students. The law is found to impose order in the school and protect everyone, and

prevent things from turning into chaos. On the contrary, Mr. Creakle insults his

students by imposing his harsh behaviour in the school. The students in their helpless

and defenseless positions surely represent the oppressed class. The idea of Marx is

that working class should prepare themselves for a revolution and keep in their minds
50

the temporary or interim scene of disorder in social affairs. Furthermore, the

inevitable removal of unjust law must have some negative consequences or fallouts,

but the proletariat have no option else. As Marx imagines, the absolute obedience to

the manipulated law should come to an end, then the opportunity of abusing and

exploiting lower class dies out. More specifically, if the law is used by the

bourgeoisie as a tool or an excuse to oppress the proletariat in this case breaking the

law and getting rid of the bourgeoisie's grip over the working class will be a better

choice even if the consequences would be chaotic. Consequently, the chance to

exploit and insult poor people will disappear, the reason behind that is that the

bourgeoisie lose the power of law by which they oppress poor people.

David's ordeal continues after his mother's death. His stepfather decides to

send him to London to work in his blacking factory. David is at ten when he works in

the factory, he is paid very little, and he lives on bread. He is known as "the little

agent": I know enough of the world now, to have almost lost capacity of being Much

surprised by anything;[…] I can have been so easily thrown away At such an age

.hurt bodily or mentally […]I became, at ten years old, a little Laboring hind in the

service of Murdstone and Grinby.(Dickens 135).

Gringer Frost clarifies that "Factory jobs meant a long day of almost constant

toil, paced by steam-driven machines, under the supervision of strangers in unhealthy

condition"(Frost 44) Ginger is inclined to generalize David's catastrophe to other

children that are living in the same unhealthy conditions. He implies that the factory

owners force the children to work for long hours and pay them a little. The factory

owners do not pay attention to the early age of children or the physical efforts

children exert while they are working.

 51

David expresses his deep sorrow and surprise about the whole humanity

when they do not feel about the fact that children are abused and exploited. He is

astonished and shocked by the silence of mankind towards child labour, when the

greed of the rich blind them and prevent them from seeing the reality that they have

destroyed the beautiful childhood of each child who is trapped in child labour. David

states clearly and undoubtedly that the world has lost the common sense, when

children work at early age, and he specifically mentions his age when he is ten years

old as an example of work in disgusting circumstances. The world does not feel at

least a little bit of astonishment. He wants to remind the world about the physical and

psychological damage children inflict. He believes that children at his own age are

victimized by the upper class to increase their richness.

To find the interaction between Marxism and the scene in which David

conveys his suffering in the factory, Karl Korsch in his book on Marxism has the

answer "Even when bourgeois social theorists appear to speak of other social forms,

their real subject matter is still the prevailing form of bourgeois society whose main

characteristics they find duplicated in all other forms"(Korsch 32). This is a very

expressive and powerful quotation that discovers the reality of the upper class related

to their hypocrisy. What Marx thinks is that the bourgeoisie pretend to have changed

their attitudes towards the working class. However, the fact is that the change is a

superficial one, and the bourgeoisie say something and do another. The reason

beyond this orientation is their inherited ideology completely controls their minds.

To avoid the frustration of the proletariat because of the ailing, appalling,

bleak, and gloomy conditions imposed by the bourgeoisie on the working class and

to avoid the anger of the poor, the bourgeoisie talk about another conception that is
52

different from the old version of their ideology, but, indeed, it is still the same core of

both the old and the new ideology, no change may be seen in reality. The bourgeoisie

claim that they provide opportunities of jobs for the poor, but, in fact they make use

of the cheap labour.

Comparing David's conditions in the factory of Mr. Murdstone to Marxism

and in terms of what is explored above Mr. Murdstone may be said to be a model of

the bourgeois who exploits his workers. He claims that he opens his factory for the

poor to help them and provide them with jobs, but his real intention is to increase his

income and benefit. The evidence of this argument is that he pays a little for workers

and forces them to work for long hours. On the opposite side, David is the

representative of the proletariat and David himself shows the agony he finds in the

factory. He depicts the physical and psychological pressure he endures through his

presence in the factory. He blames the world for neglecting the crisis of children at

their early age. The implication of this scene is that the world is represented by the

ruling class abandons the poor. On their turn, the poor had better take the initiative

and change the social norms that perch on their chest.

The following quotation explores burden, pain, and sigh that settle in David's

heart about his bad period of childhood when he is exposed to different kinds of

torture and abuse: "No words can express the secret agony of my soul as I sank into

this companionship; compare these henceforth every- day associates with those of

my happier childhood. I had, of being utterly without hope now of the shame I felt in

my position" (Dickens 136-137).

 53

As Richard Locke in the Use of Childhood in ten Great Novels mentions

"The most instance of child abuse is not physical so much as social and

psychological: David's slave labor in his stepfather's rat-infested warehouse at the

decaying edge of the river"(Locke 29). David declares his remorse concerning his

childhood. He has melancholy which stems from his deepening sadness .He assumes

that no person or words can reach his internal suffering because when he remembers

his beautiful days when he lives with his mother before she marries Mr. Murdstone

and before he is enslaved in the factory. He makes a comparison between his bad and

good childhood when he remembers his friends "happier childhood"(Dikens 136)

and his bleak mood "without hope now"(Dickens 137). He remembers his

relationships with his friends especially Steerforth and Traddles. This scene explains

how important the period of childhood for a child and how it affects his or her

behaviours and thoughts. The psychological effect on David is obvious from his

words, as he has some negative remarks and memories about his childhood that he

cannot escape.

To move from the discussion above to Marxism and to see the possibility of

harmonizing them, John E. Roemer, in his book Foundation of Analytic Marxism

raises the following comment "With structural force, people's options are limited by

their social position to a range of things they can do, with options outside this range

unacceptable or prohibitively costly" (Roemer 274). This quotation refers to

restrictions or confinements of people; it implies that people should be aware of the

fact that their choices in life are determined by their social status. Within the scope

this social status, people can do their options, but they are not allowed to go beyond

these limits. The social position confines people and does not offer them wide range
54

of choices according to their wishes, on the contrary, it bans or prohibits them from

getting out of this limit. What is meant by this quotation is that people have the right

to dream only within their limitations of their fate, and they must accept the fact that

they have no way to exceed this circle. In other words, their ambitions should not

drive them to violate the social norms.

It is possible to relate this discussion to David's attitude and his hope of

having better childhood. It is the social norms and traditions that make David suffer

much. If the social system were fair enough, David would live in better conditions,

but the whole social system is ruined by the idea of capitalism. David's poverty puts

him in the atmosphere of mistreatment and suffering, and he has no other option but

to accept his fate in terms of his social position. At his childhood, getting beyond his

social position causes more problems for David.

Class difference might be regarded as an element of humiliation as is detailed

in this scene: "Steerforth's place was at the bottom of the school, at the opposite end

of the long room.[…]"Silence, Mr. Steerforth" said Mr. Mell "Silence yourself "said

Steerforth, turning red. Whom are talking to? "Sit down", said Mr. Mell."Sit down

yourself " said Steerforth"(Dickens 89). When Mr. Creakle falls ill one day, Mr. Mell

assumes his responsibilities in the school. Mr. Mell is poor and the students are not

afraid of him like Mr. Creakle. They behave freely without displaying any kind of

respect for Mr. Mell. They start dancing around him, shouting and laughing because

of his poverty. Mr. Mell feels upset for the behaviours of the students, so he asks

them to be silent, and all boys keep silent and obey. The only student who does not

obey is Steerforth, who confronts Mr. Mell in a disgraceful way. Steerforth asks Mr.

Mell to sit down and shut up. The boys are impressed at the courage of Steerforth,
 55

and treating the teacher in this shameful way. When Mr. Creakle arrives, Steerforth

tells him about what happens between Steerforth and Mr. Mell. Mr. Creakle, instead

of punishing Steerforth for his bad behaviour, fires Mr. Mell from the school. The

main reason for this decision is that Mr. Mell is poor and Steerforth is of his class

and his mother is funding the school financially. To support what is detailed about

Steerforth's mother and her funds for the school of Salem House, Mr. Creakle's hints

confirm this fact "said Mr. Creakle, I must say, that you should attach such an epithet

to any person employed and paid in Salem House"(Dickens 91). Mr. Creakle assures

that Steerforth's family pays everybody in the school "employed and paid". To

support the above argument with Marxist idea, Ralph Miliband in "Marxism and

Politics” says: Domination, in Marxist thought, is not an inherent part of the human

Condition, just as conflict is not an inherent in class societies, and are Based on

specific ,concrete features (Miliband 18).

Marx defines the domination or class distinction as a situation created by

society and it is not genetic characteristics to be inherited through generations. If

class difference is an inherited trait in the nature of human beings, then human beings

are not to be blamed for their class distinctions. The reason behind that class

difference is not optional, but obligatory because it is a genetic process which cannot

be avoided. However, the grim fact is that class difference is created and is given

patronage by human this is why humanity ought to be blamed for class distinction. In

David Copperfield, the class difference is clear in the confrontation between

Steerforth and his teacher Mr. Mell. Steerforth insults Mr. Mell and Mr. Mell is

punished because of his lower class.

56

To conclude, Dickens sees David Copperfield as his favourite among all his

works, to support this claim Edgar Johnson mentions the following "Of all my books,

I like this the best[…]I have in my heart of hearts a favourite child. And his name is

David Copperfield"(Johnson 689-690). Dickens conveys sufferings, mistreatments,

and humiliations through David Copperfield. David passes through different stages

in his growth to maturity. He suffers at the hand of his stepfather and his sister. Then

he experiences the miserable life in factory that is too early for his age to endure such

severe and an unbearable work. David meets different people of different social

classes, which show him how social class plays vital role in treating people.

However, at the end of the day, the free will of people who are insisting on achieving

their targets in life will defeat all forces of the oppression and tyranny. Briefly, the

forces of justice would overcome the forces of injustice and the strange silence of the

world may come to an end. Finally Marxism is in harmony with many ideas which

are inserted in David Copperfield.

 57

CHAPTER FOUR

UTILITARIANISM AND SOCIAL INJUSTICE IN HARD TIMES

Hard Times (1854) is first published in 1854. After the industrial revolution

sweeps England, the inclination for fortunes increases among the rich. In Hard Times

a relatively new concept of exploiting children at their early age appears. Mr.

Gradgrind adopts the philosophy of rationalism, which is derived from the theory of

Utilitarianism by Bentham. This ideology stipulates that life is only facts and expels

and hinders processes of emotions, fantasy and imagination. In other words, the

conception strips children off their feelings and senses, by inserting factual, concrete

and materialistic ideas into the minds of children since their very early ages. Mr.

Gradgrind is the master of implementing such thoughts; he has a school with a

relentless staff that is well-trained and educated to teach the children these ideas. Mr.

Gradgrind deprives not only the students in his school, but his own children Tom and

Loisa from developing their imaginations and emotions and grow up in traditional

way that every child needs in his bringing up. With the advance of the plot, the

concept of Utilitarianism approves the falseness of this view of life. Tom is

transformed into dissipated and corrupted person to some extent. The same thing

happens to Loisa yet she is not corrupted as Tom. She feels unrelated to her own

emotions. Furthermore, Loisa sees herself separated from other people and suffers

alienation. She is aware that her father's education is banning her from a wonderful

childhood. Dickens creates the circus actors as a model to be contrasted with the

ideology of Mr. Gradgrind. Towards the end of Hard Times, Dickens makes it clear

that the theory of rationalism approves its failure. Mr. Gradgrind finally realizes his
58

wrongdoing of his thoughts. In Hard Times, the exploitation of child labour may be

viewed as dangerous because it prevents children from growing up naturally.

In the very early stage of Hard Times, Dickens sets up the main theme of

exploitation and taking away the children from their traditional world and

environment of innocence and beauty. Mr. Gradgrind openly addresses his teachers

bringing out his restricted orientation in implanting the ideas that life is not more

than facts and he considerably drives out all other aspects of life. Mr. Gradgrind

performs the role of the oppressor against his students; he authorizes himself to think

and behave on behalf of his students. Mr. Gradgrind roots up the children’s will to

express their desires or opinions and more precisely he bans them to object. The

students ought to be subservient to his educational system; eventually the students

would be misguided and prone to fresh kind of abuse where they seem helpless to

contradict with what is imposed upon them by their master.

The following quotation expounds the core of Utilitarianism and its

concepts when Mr. Gradgrind is ordering his teachers to insert his thoughts into the

minds of children: "Now, what I want is facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but

facts. Facts alone are wanted in life. Plant nothing else, and root out everything

Else. You can only form the mind reasoning animals upon facts: nothing else will

ever be of any service to them" (Dickens 1). John R. Harrison in his Pattern of Ideas

and Imagery in Hard Times says "Ideologically and economically schoolroom and its

proprietor together exude a combined aura of the crypt and profitable

business"(Harrison 5). What is spoken by Harrison completely matches the doctrine

that Mr. Gradgrind advocates. Harrison depicts the whole scene with these few

words, he refers to Mr. Gradgrind as the owner "proprietor of the educational system
 59

that Mr. Gradgrind creates "schoolroom" and he refers to the students who are taught

Utilitarianism as "profitable business". Harrison divides them into two parties, the

masters and working class, and shows the greedy character of Mr. Gradgrind in his

inhuman performance to lead children, giving himself the authority to guide his

students according to his view. The word "exude" that Harrison uses to describe the

actions of the school master might be very accurate and expressive to convey the

deepest reality of Mr. Gradgrind and his philosophy. The implication and semantic

meaning of 'exude" would be very pragmatic if it is combined with the phrase

"reasoning animals "from opening lines that Mr. Gradgrind speaks in Hard Times.

What is interesting and amazing is the use of this imagery which implies that

bringing up children in terms of Utilitarianism would make them like animals which

have no sense or emotions. They just give and produce for the benefits of their

owner, and at the same time they do not receive or take valuable things in return

obviously, it is a gesture to the aggressive style and rational adaptation of Mr.

Gradgrind to enrich himself by the efforts of the school's students.

To create a parallel between what is previously posed and Marxist

understanding for conflict and how it determines the actions and ideological

directions of the upper class in relation with the toiling people, Georg Lukacs, in his

book Marxism and Human Liberation has expounded " A general characterization of

people of "bourgeois society" and its constant self-reproduction in the activity these

individuals. The basis is the personal, private, egoistical activity of individual

people" (Luckas 159). What Marx explains in the preceding quotation touches the

essence of the ideology of Mr. Gradgrind. Marx argues that bourgeois people are

inclined to keep themselves in a high position in the society and tirelessly try to
60

maintain their privilege for generations. The self-creation for the bourgeois stems

from their arrogant perspective where they see poor people as inferior to them. Marx

determines the reasons that makes bourgeoisie strive to exploit people and extract

their right to express their opinions or senses.

Marx uses the phrase "egoistical activity" to show the selfishness and

recklessness of the upper class and how they do not care about the poor people and

their ordeals and suffering. The upper class is indulged in accumulating fortunes at

the expense of confiscating the lower class's will to have their economic

independence in life. Another valuable description for the bourgeois people “constant

self-reproduction” clarifies the permanent ideology which is inherited through their

generations which will never end by the will or desire of bourgeois people. It is

implied that exploiting the poor would continue unless the poor themselves move

and bring about change for their life.

To bring what is explained about Mr. Gradgrind and his school and Marx's

thoughts that are detailed above, the compatibility is obvious, Mr. Gradgrind with his

declared intention to deprive his students from their humanity and mold them in a

frame that matches his benefits. Mr. Gradgrind discloses his egoistical ideas of

exploiting his students at their early ages. Mr. Gradgrind's morbid instincts prevent

him from seeing the fact that these children need to grow up in a traditional way. He

adopts the same concept of the bourgeois people, when he neglects the suffering of

his students, and more significantly he deprives them from enjoying their lives by

imagination and art. In accordance with Marxism, Mr. Gradgrind may stand for the

bourgeoisie and his students possibly represent the oppressed social class.
 61

Utilitarianism is a prevalent thought in the fictional industrial town of

Coketown in which events take place, the remarkable and most proponent of this

ideology is Mr. Gradgrind, who wants to create models of children to follow his own

example in pushing his way when he is a child, when he adopts the factual and

rational path in building himself. The two victims of his theory are his two children

Loisa and Tom, where they grow up away from imagination and joy. One day, Mr.

Gradgrind sees Tom and Loisa attending the circus. He is surprised at seeing them

enjoying the activities performed by the circus's actors. The following quotation

illustrates the reaction of their father:" Dumb with amazement, Mr. Gradgrind

crossed to the spot where his family Was thus disgraced ,laid his hand upon each

erring child, and said: “Loisa, Thomas" Both rose ,red and disconcerted[…] "In the

name of wonder. Idleness and folly Said Mr. Gradgrind […] what do you do here?"

(Dickens 11-12).

Dickens brings into focus the sophisticated traits of Mr. Gradgrind in his

view for the society, Mr. Gradgrind is shocked at finding his children at circus which

is completely contradicts with his educational system. He considers his children to be

mistaken in their violation for his rules of facts, to support the argument above, John

R. Harrison, implies the following: "The first of these patterns invests the whole of

Coketwon with a hard Inflexible, dogmatic character which Gradgrind embodies and

of which He is the intellectual arbiter, his educational system is utilitarian,

aggressive, dictatorial and destructive" (Harrison 2). As is shown in this quotation,

Mr. Gradgrind represents the paradigm of Utilitarianism with his rigid character. His

exploitation of the boys may be seen as a new way of abuse both physically and

mentally. The phrase 'intellectual arbiter " is a clear indication for the control of mind
62

imposed by Mr. Gradgrind on his students. What makes this abuse a little risky is

that the traditional abuse of working class which is in the main part physically may

cure with running out of time. On the contrary, the idea of Mr. Gradgrind that he

wants to implant in the minds of the boys might settle in their minds and then it

would be difficult to extract or remove these ideas from their minds. It requires a

long time to get rid of the abstract ideology when it is enforced in mind. This is the

reason why Harrison describes Mr. Gradgrind’s philosophy as destructive.

Mr. Gradgrind with his deeply rooted ideology thinks that getting out of his

thoughtful rule is some kind of stupidity. He wants all his followers to remain within

his intellectual world so that he would exploit them for his purposes. Moreover, the

word 'idleness" indicates the extremism in his view and how far he goes with his

orientation. He wants people to confine themselves in one aspect of life which is

"fact" and not go beyond this limit. He thinks that it is laziness if people leave his

conception and feel a little bit of joy. Probably, this shows his authoritative mind.

In regard of the matter of Marxism, and to test compatibility between the

argument that is raised above and Marx's ideas, Hugh Collins in his book Marxism

and Law states:

Although Marx did not pursue his analysis into a developed set of

distinctive about social solidarity, he did make a major contribution to

the analysis of estrangement in modern society. He was enabled by his

materialist theory of consciousness to locate the material determinants of

the atomistic quality of bourgeois society in the structural properties of

the capitalist mode of Production (Collins 113).

 63

It is apparent that Marx reaches the point about the upper class and figures

out their ideology practically. He uses the word "estrangement” as a reference of the

disengagement, split, dislike and keeping away of the proletariat from the

bourgeoisie. The working class feels boredom because of the extraction of their

efforts; they work much and get less. Another word which sophisticatedly describes

the merits of the bourgeoisie is "atomistic". This word goes deep into the frame of

the bourgeoisie's philosophy and reaches the tiny part of it. The purpose of this

elaboration is to show how the ideology is firmly settled in their minds. It is also

clear that upper class adopts the materialistic ideas in their relationships with the

lower class.

In an attempt to relate Mr. Gradgrind's behaviour and Marxism together. It

is likely that the connection is valid. Mr. Gradgrind with his destructive and factual

style, who deprives his own children and his students at school from freedom and

confines them within his materialistic philosophy, may represent the bourgeoisie.

Again the word "atomistic "may express Mr. Gradgrind's thoughts because he does

not allow anybody to get away from his ideas. He extremely takes children and puts

them in the farthest point of his philosophy that means he moves them from the

traditional world and puts them in the materialistic world of his own .Going back to

the second part of the society; Mr. Gradgrind's children in addition to the boys of the

school represent the working class. It is very clear how they reject the materialistic

theory and express their dislike and frustration.

Another victim of Mr. Gradgrind's philosophy is a child who is a circus

performer and she is among the students of the school. After her father disappears

from the circus, Mr. Gradgrind takes her home to take care of his children. Sissy is
64

different from other students as she is fond of nature and is inclined to dream. During

a visit by a governmental inspector, Sissy says the following to the gentleman to

express her fondness of flowers "If you please, sir, I am very fond of flowers

"(Dickens 6). Here Sissy behaves naturally and spontaneously, as a child she thinks

that she has the right to express her emotion and imagination. However, the response

comes immediately by the inspector in full objection to what he hears from the girl.

The inspector says "Aye, aye, aye" But you mustn't fancy," cried the gentleman,

quite elated by coming so happily to this point –"That it, you are never to fancy"

(Dickens 6). It is very apparent that the children are considerably deprived from

performing their lives traditionally as should children do. Sissy expresses her love for

flowers which are symbols of beauty, nature and every interesting aspect of life, but

the inspector harshly objects to her notions. This behaviour of the gentleman reflects

the range of abuse and exploitation imposed on children.

Sissy's suffering continues, Mr. McChoakumchild is not feeling convenient

towards her, he tells Mr. Gradgrind about her and how she is not good at facts and

does not respond to the philosophy of Mr. Gradgrind. This makes Mr. Gradgrind feel

angry and tells Sissy that she must quit the school. This quotation explains the scene:

I cannot disguise from you ,Jupe, said Mr. Gradgrind, knitting his brow,

That the result of your probation there has disappointed me ,has greatly

Disappointed me .You have not acquired ,under Mr. and Mrs.

McChoakumchild ,anything like the amount of exact knowledge which I

looked for (Dickens 85).

 65

At this point, Mr. Gradgrind reveals his brutality and ruthless aggressiveness

towards the innocent child, simply because she is not able to remember dates and

facts as he wants, he decides to fire her from school. Despite the fact that the school

is already devoted to Mr. Gradgrind's doctrine and it brings up children in a factual

style the scene shows Mr. Gradgrind's persistence to manipulate children.

In a way of extension the argument above and attribute it to Marxist ideas, the next

quotation which is taken from Marxism and Politics, Ralph Miliband writes: Neither

Marx nor any of the classical Marxist writers had any illusion About the massive

obstacles which the working class would have to Overcome on the way to acquiring

this class-consciousness, and about Difficulties that there would be in breaking

through the fog of what Gramsci called "common sense" of the epoch ( Miliband 41).

What is mentioned above contains worthy indications about the class

conflict as Marx views them. The quotation implies that neither Marx nor any of his

proponents have any doubt about the huge hurdles that lie ahead of the poor in their

attempts to have redemption from the grip of the upper class. Moreover, Miliband in

his adoption of Marxist doctrine in the relation of the path of the proletariat and how

to go beyond the hardships that hinder them to reach the freedom. He uses the word

'fog" to refer to the ambiguities and unknown intentions of the bourgeoisie, or in

other words and more accurately the undeclared aim of the bourgeoisie. That is to

say, the upper class claims that they are at the side of the working class and support

them through the employment in their factories or lands. However, the reality is not

what they claim. Gramsci generalizes the doctrine of upper class indicating that it

becomes an acceptable ethics within the specific period "the epoch".

66

In a way of connecting what is raised by Miliband and his view in harmony

with Marx’s belief and what has previously been discussed about Mr. Gradgrind's

creed in his bringing up of the children. The two views may match each other, simply

because Mr. Gradgrind with his untrue nature and unfaithfulness towards his students

and even his own children represents the bourgeois. He is not honest in what he

announces for the students, he tells the students something wrong about facts

depriving them from natural life. The description of Mr. Gradgrind matches the

characteristics of bourgeoisie as being dishonorable and ambiguous, because they do

not declare their real purpose in public. Again the phrase "the massive obstacles”

may be found in Mr. Gradgrind's character because he prevents children from

imagination and grow up spontaneously." the fog "might have something to do with

his persona ,the reason behind this is that he is not sincere at all, he does not disclose

his genuine object. Going back to "the massive obstacles "this phrase is hugely

expressive, it shows the well-established belief that Mr. Gradgrind is trying to insert

into the minds of the students. This is because he implants his tenet in the students'

mind at the early age and this will grow up with them spiritually and then it would be

hard to change such thoughts.

From what is posed, Marxism and orientations of the school have a lot in

common; they share many characteristics and traits, so the whole scene may be

applicable to Marx's theory.

Another example of mistreatment to which the workers are subjected is that

the factory owners treat the workers violently. Workers feel humiliated. The

following quotation reveals to some extent the sense of frustration and the awareness
 67

of the lower class that they are not guilty to be born as poor. Stephen Blackpool

speaks to Mr. Boundereby as follows:

Look how we live ,an'wheer we live,an'in what numbers,an by what

Chances ,an'wi what sameness;and look how the mills is awlus a-goin'

And how they never work us no nigher to onny.Dis'ant object-ceptin

Awlus Death.Look how you considers of us ,and writes of us ,and talk Of

us,and goes up wi' yor deputatios to secretaries o'State'about us ,and how

yo are awlus right, and we are awlus wrong,and never had'n no reason in

us sin ever we were born.[…]tell a man'tis not a muddle?(Dickens140)

The dialogue between Stephen and Mr. Bounderby functions on many levels

to depict the whole situation in which workers live. First the use of broken and ill-

structured language is to show the essential trait of the poor which is the lack of

education that is because of the upper class domination seizing all resources and not

giving the chance to receive a better education. The second level, Stephen talks about

the miserable conditions in which they live. In the factory they work for long time,

but they receive little. Another part which seems to be very accurate and expressive

in the portrayal of the fact that the upper class always see themselves on the right

path, while their views on the workers are always on the wrong track" yo are awlus

right" "we are alwus wrong"(Dickens 140) . This displays the arrogance and tyranny

of the bourgeoisie

The phrase 'dis'ant object" symbolizes the hope of salvation for the

oppressed class, but it seems beyond horizons at least at the time of Stephen’s

speech. Despite his lack of education Stephen is able to communicate with his master
68

in delivering his purpose." Muddle" or the turmoil in which the whole community

lives, what is meant by turmoil is the injustice in which the society lives so the upper

class allow themselves to exploit the working class and the poor are keeping silent

for the suffering and humiliation imposed by upper class. Therefore, it is difficult to

determine whom to be blamed or assumed responsible, is it the greed of the ruling

class or the silence of the proletariat.

Connecting Marxism and how Marx sees the relationship between the

struggling classes, the explanation comes from Hugh Collins in his book Marxism

and Law. "The theory of alienation […] this fundamental assumption is evidenced by

Marx's view that alienated style of work entails the worst form of degradation. […]

In his early works Marx assumes that the essence of man is based upon Search for

self-affirmation". (Collins117).

Marx diagnoses the problem of the working class through his theory of

alienation which shows the relation between the worker and what he produces. The

production of the proletariat is under the control of the bourgeoisie, so the worker is

completely deprived from his production he has only to produce the commodity and

his role is over at this stage. The worker cannot make use of his production, he

should always stay away from what he produces, and this is what is meant by

alienation. Marx believes that such styles lead to the worst damage on society “worst

form of degradation "(117), the reason that lies in this assumption is that many

workers are exerting their efforts to produce as much as they can, but the beneficiary

is the master of the work. In other words, the majority of people are working hard,

and the very little minority will make use of this production. This injustice in
 69

distributing the outcome may lead to the poverty that hits the wide range of society

and as Marx claims the result will be "degradation ".

Indeed, Marx is absolutely right in his assessment of the situation, because

starving people have no choice else either to die or to transform themselves into

criminal. Marx probably goes beyond this limit and he may warn the ruling class and

government and reminds the working class from a hazardous chaos when things

become upside down and out of control. The last prominent idea in this quotation is

the focus of the self-identity; the lower class feels their lost identity as a result of the

oppression imposed by their bosses. Marx feels the pains and agonies of the poor.

Marx thinks that man should not lose hope in life, and ought to persist on his or her

looking for independence or as Marx calls it self-affirmation. Furthermore, Marx is

likely to point out that human beings without freedom and dignity are no longer

human in the eyes of the whole world. Marx addresses both the bourgeoisie and the

proletariat implying that when the bourgeoisie enslave the proletariat they make

horrible mistake and at the same time the silence of the proletariat for this

humiliation is another mistake. The only solution comes through the social justice by

removing the capitalism.

Going back to the speech of Stephen Blackpool in which he says to Mr.

Bounderby and link the two together in terms of ideas. It is evident that they are

similar in the content. That is Marxism which may be found in Stephen's notions

about relations of working class with the factory owners. Stephen is a model of the

poor who is inquiring about the way he lives under the miserable conditions, where

the factory owner does not feel Stephen's suffering. The phrase "yo are awlusright”

and how we are awlus wrong"(Dickens 140)may be interpreted as if Stephen says

70

that he has no identity as compared to Mr. Bounderby. This agrees with what Marx

argues about "self-affirmation "it means Stephen is looking for reclamation from

slavery and perhaps it comes through rebellion. On the other hand, Mr. Bounderby

with his oppressive style represents the bourgeoisie, the word "degradation "by

Marx is possibly related to the behaviour of Mr. Bounderby as he exploits his

workers and seizes their production. This results in very negative reactions by the

workers that may affect civil co-existence.

After he explains the involvements into Utilitarianism, Dickens approves the

collapse of such ideology and in the beginning of Hard Times he gives a hint about

its failure through Sissy. Mr. Gradgrind loses his own children and they become

victims of his restricted view of life. Tom, who is deprived of imagination and joy,

turns into a very corrupted person, he becomes dissipated and hypocritical. He is

fond of gambling and he steals Bounderby's bank. The following quotation shows the

effect of his father's educational system:

It was very remarkable that a young gentleman who had been brought Up

under one continuous system of unnatural restrain should be a hypocrite

But it was certainly the case with Tom. It was very strange that a young

Gentleman who had never been left to his own guidance for five

Consecutive minutes should be incapable at last of governing himself but

so it was with Tom. (Dickens124).

As John R. Harrison, mentions "Gradgrind embodies the educational and

philosophical framework of the Coketwon” (120). Harrison summarizes Tom's

attitude and how his father's system affects him. Tom is not able to control himself
 71

because of his father's thoughts. As is stated in the quotation "had never been left to

his own guidance” it explains this harshness of the educational system and how it

makes Tom immoral and insincere. Tom's failure in his life approves the failure and

collapse of Mr. Gradgrind's philosophy which aims at manipulating and exploiting

his students.

The second example of Mr.Gradgrind's failure is his own daughter Loisa. She

is brought up according to her father's ideology. This bringing up makes her loses the

ability to communicate with her surroundings. Furthermore, she loses her own power

of imagination, emotions, and thoughts. She agrees to get married to Mr. Bounderby

just to satisfy her father; despite she does not love him. However, her marriage is a

failure as her father's doctrine fails. The following quotation explains Loisa's agony

through her experience when she is forced to follow up factual and materialistic

thoughts.

How could you give me life, and take from me all the inappreciable

things that raise it from the state of conscious death? Where are the

graces of my Soul? Where are sentiments of my heart? What here you

done, oh father, what have you done, with the garden that should have

bloomed once, In this great wilderness here? (Dickens 201).

Loisa details her problem and figures it out that her father takes her life and

deprives her of her right to feel like an ordinary girl. She confesses that she is

spiritually destroyed as a result of the very confined educational system of her father.

Loisa uses two amazing words to convey her deprivation and ordeal "garden"

"wilderness". She symbolizes herself with a garden that needs to grow up and
72

become green and full of flowers. However, "wilderness" refers to her father's school

and his doctrine where no plants can grow up because it is barren and there is no

chance for life in such a world. The failure of Loisa is the failure of her father's

ideology.

The final and the most evident example about the uselessness of factual

thoughts is Mr. Gradgrind who himself finds this ideology. The fall down of the

founder of any theory or the collapse of the top of any establishment whether it is

intellectual or political means the falseness and emptiness of such ideology or

enterprise. The decline of Mr. Gradgrind means the hollowness of his doctrine. The

following quotation illustrates how Mr. Gradgrind loses his capacity to communicate

with his own daughter and is unable to comprehend and he follows superficial

formalities.

Removing her eyes from him, she sat so long looking silently toward the

town that he said at length: ‘Are you consulting the chimneys of the

Coketown works, Loisa? “There seems to be nothing there but languid

and monotonous smoke" .Yet when the night comes, Fire bursts out

Father “.she answered, turning quickly. “Of course I know that, Loisa. I

do not see the application of the remark. "To do him justice he did not, at

all. (Dickens 93).

The conversation between Loisa and her father elaborates the attitude of her

father and how he is considerably separated from her spiritually. Her father does not

recognize what his daughter is talking about; she is trying to express her inner

emotions and what lies in her heart. However, her father understands her remarks in
 73

relation with his own factual comprehension of things. Mr.Gradgrind with his

misunderstanding the crisis of his daughter and his total blindness and unawareness

of conceiving the sense of Loisa, declares the rigidity and senselessness of his

intellectual school and sentences it to death.

Reaching the end of the alleged useful philosophy and to move to its

uselessness in accordance with Marxist belief Hugh Collins clarifies:

What were the material determinants for collapse of capitalism

according To Marx? He recognizes that capitalism permitted a greater

development of the forces of production than any previous mode of

production and that Accounted for the success of the bourgeoisie in

overthrowing the fetters of feudalism for all time. Capitalism itself,

however, suffers from the problem that it cannot continue to exploit as

fully as possible the available technologies and natural resources (Collins

101).

Marx states that nothing can last forever, especially when it is premised on

weak base and its core is unfair. The Capitalism defeats the Feudalism by toppling its

bonds. At the same time, capitalism faces many threats, one of them is the huge

growth of production, of course, and this growth means increasing the numbers of

workers. Such explosion in working class means the enlargement of exploitation for

more natural resources and technologies. That matter will make it hard for the

bourgeoisie to keep control over massive population, wide lands and technologies.

This expansion would weaken the upper class and give the chance for the proletariat
74

to break 'fetters' or chains or in other words, bourgeoisie's bonds that curb the poor

and get their redemption from slavery.

Keeping the concept of downfall in discussion, and attributes it to the two

who come under its effect, first Mr. Gradgrind and his philosophy of rationalism and

the second one is the bourgeoisie with their conception of exploitation, specifically

bourgeoisie and Mr. Grandrind are likely to fall in the same way because they follow

the same ideology. The two sides may match each other in sharing the same ideas.

On the first hand, Mr. Gradgrind faces his failure in his educational system and all he

brings up and used to control them, they break the barriers and free themselves. The

models for that are Loisa, Tom, Sissy and even Mr. Gradgrind fails to catch up with

his own mind. Mr. Gradgrind represents the bourgeoisie. On the other hand, Tom,

Loisa, Sissy and students of the school with their rejection and rebellion against Mr.

Gradgrind stand for the working class or the proletariat. Very briefly, the bourgeoisie

and Mr. Gradgrind's collapse is due to their injustice.

In conclusion, Hard Times, in its great part is a fundamental critique of the

rationalism or Utilitarianism that dominates over the Industrial Revolution in

Victorian England. It also highlights the suffering of the working class in general.

Hard Times presents a model of a man, Mr. Gradgrind, who imposes his own tough

beliefs on innocent children in his school where he deprives them of feeling joy or

expressing their emotions. He confines that life is only a factual thing no more no

less. His purpose is to raise a generation that is completely subservient to his

commands so that he may exploit them. With running out of time deficiencies and

foibles of his ideas begin to come into light, his own children in addition to the others

feel frustrated about the way they are brought up. All his followers realize the barren
 75

concept of such ideology. As a result, they fail in their lives. Towards the end Mr.

Gradgrind is aware of his failure. The Marxist ideas match the main themes in Hard

Times, and applying Marx's doctrine to it sounds reasonable.

 77

CONCLUSION

Marxist approach to child labor in Oliver Twist, David Copperfield and Hard

Times is highlighted in this study. As is known Marx creates his theory about class

conflict. Marx and Engels develop an ideology in the mid-19th century. The theory

consists of three major parts, the philosophical anthropology, the theory of history,

and the economic and political program. In general, Marx sees the society as two

parts, the bourgeoisie and proletariat. Marx's ideology gives a very accurate image of

the exploitation and abuse practiced by the upper class against the poor people. Marx

thinks that the upper class is extracting all kinds of productions that the working

class produces. Marx believes that the only way to have social justice depends on

toppling capitalism. He openly calls for a revolution to reach redemption and achieve

social justice. According to Marx, capitalism represented by bourgeoisie seizes all

resources of productions whether it is natural or industrial. The proletariat suffers for

a long time under the oppressors of the upper class .The workers feel alienated

because they do not have control over what they produce. Surplus is the difference

between the amount of money each worker receives and the price in which his

production is sold. Marx has a true view of society, he argues that nothing is

continuous and everything is changeable. According to this idea, Feudalism is

defeated by capitalism by shattering or smashing its bonds. The same fate would

happen to capitalism and it will be brought into fall down. The collapse is achieved

by breaking its roots and shatters its bonds or fetters as Marx names them, this action

may be achieved by the revolution of proletariat. Many aspects of Marxism are

applied to the three works of Dickens that are mentioned in advance, the connection

between Marxism and Dickens's works is clear and evident.

78

In Oliver Twist, Dickens presents moral condemnation for the Poor Law of

1834. During the Victorian era, workers live in miserable conditions. The poor

families that are not able to support themselves go to the workhouse to find shelter

and food to avoid starving. On the contrary, the workhouse, instead of providing

shelter and service for the needy, changes into a prison. At the time when Dickens

writes Oliver Twist children are forced to work for long hours to support their

families, and the main reason for this is poverty. The two jobs children are practicing

at their early ages are prostitution for girls and pocket picking for boys. In the

workhouse, the mistreatment of boys inside the workhouse is obvious through Mr.

Bumble and other officials. They give the boys a very little food just to keep them

alive.

The insult and exploitation of children are evident in Oliver Twist, Oliver

himself suffers much during his childhood, and he is punished and abused for asking

for more food. An example of prostitution, Nancy is a victim of poverty and she is

exploited by Fagan's gang to rob people and works as a prostitute in streets of

London. If Nancy receive the care and finds the shelter, she may be in a better

situation and be a moral girl, but and she is neglected by community and government

the matter that forces her to slide into a shameful job. Concerning the pocket picking

Oliver himself is an example of this criminal activity when he is trained how to pick

pocket in Fagin's gang, despite the fact that he fails in this task.

David Copperfield focuses on many social issues. The most important

themes may be listed as follows: the child labour and abuse in factory. Another

notable idea is the class distinction and how it determines the behavior and destiny of

people, and the vivid model is the quarrel between Mr. Mell and Steerforth. David
 79

Copperfield in its great part is a reflection of the biography of Dickens himself when

he is apprenticed in a factory. The depiction of suffering and abuse in David

Copperfield might be accurate and originally expressive because Dickens has been

through such horrible experience when he was a child. The ordeals of innocent

children are present in David Copperfield. The punishment that David receives from

his stepfather shows the brutish behaviours of human beings against their

counterparts. In a way of generalization, Dickens sheds light on the fallouts of the

Industrial Revolution and how it affects the whole England. He also focuses on the

cheap labor whose greater losers are children. Dickens implies a criticism of

governmental institutions for not protecting the poor. In spite of the bleak and

gloomy atmosphere that overwhelms David's life at the beginning. Dickens gives

hope for those who are struggling and toiling to get their respectable position in

society. For instance, David achieves success after his suffering and appalling

conditions. Eventually, human tendency to exploit and insult the inferior might cause

pain for sufferers, but the suffering would definitely come to an end and the offended

people would have their freedom.

In Hard Times, Dickens presents a critique of a relatively new concept of

exploitation which prepares the people mentally to follow up abstract thoughts. This

new doctrine is Utilitarianism which absolutely depends on material and factual

understanding of life. At the time of Industrial Revolution, Utilitarianism or

rationalism is prevailing in the economic scene. The main dilemma of Utilitarianism

is that it makes the individual achieve his target and abandon the public. Dickens

uses a romantic technique or perception to approve the negative aspects of

Utilitarianism,
80

when Loisa agrees to marry Mr. Bounderby under the effect of her father, where he

adopts reason to choose her husband. After marriage, Loisa leads a terrible life with

her husband the implication is the failure of her marriage. She realizes that

depending on reason gives evidence about the falseness of her father's philosophy.

Dickens creates this model to argue that Utilitarianism has no fertile ground to grow

up. What is remarkable is the deep frustration the working class feels towards their

masters. The working class gets out of their silence and speaks openly in the face of

their exploiters. Stephen Blackpool, tells his master about the humiliation they feel

under the disgusting conditions. Workers go further and organize unions to revolt

against oppression. Hard Times, assumes that upper class is inclined to insult and

exploit the poor by imposing their ideology on them to achieve their interests.

However, at the end of the day, things are not fixed and social justice will prevail in

the social scene. The Marxist perspective flows in one direction along with events of

Hard Times concerning child labour and humiliation. All in all, in Hard Times,

Dickens depicts the severity of the masters of works in factory and stiffness of

Mr.Creakle towards the school's students. Mr. Creakle and Mr. Gradgrind show their

arrogance and exploitation of all people under their control depriving them from any

chance of feeling like human beings. Mr.Creakle and Mr. Gradgrind impose and

insert their thoughts on the helpless people. Mr. Creakle and Mr. Gradgrind mistreat

the powerless people who are under their commands, but this pressure comes to an

end when the poor and powerless people revolt against the injustice. Mr. Creakle's

philosophy collapses, and workers in Mr. Gradgrind's factory prepare a union to

revolt against him. What is argued in the previous lines comes in harmony with

Marxism, because Marx believes that humiliation and exploitation must be finished
 81

by the working class. Towards the end of the thesis, the three novels that are

highlighted in accordance with Marxist perspective have a lot in common. However,

some themes may be found in one novel, but may be not found in the other. For

instance, the conditions in the workhouse in Oliver Twist are unique in their bleak

atmosphere, yet the suffering and abuse are the same in terms of humanity. Another

idea which is available in David Copperfield, this idea is caning and whipping the

students in the school, in this case the theme of humiliation is the same, but the way

of carrying it out is different. In Hard Times, a new ideology is implemented by Mr.

Gradgrind which prepares children mentally to behave according to Utilitarianism.

The new ideology might not be seen in the other two novels. The three novels show

the same core of human abuse and exploitation, but in various ways. The analysis of

these three novels is considerably suitable for Marxism and does not contradict with

Marxist approach.
82
 83

WORKS CITED

Ackroyd, Peter: Dickens' London .London: Headline Book Publishing Plc., 1987.

Collins, Hugh: Marxism and Law, oxford University Press, 2001.

Dickens, Charles: David Copperfield, Penguin Popular Classic, Penguin Books,

1994.

Dickens, Charles: Oliver Twist, Wordsworth Classics, Hertfordshire, 2000.

Dickens, Charles: Hard Times, Bantam Book, Bantam Classic Edition, 1981.

Epstein, Norrie: The Friendly Dickens .New York: Viking Penguin, 1998.

Frost, Ginger Suzanne: Victorian Childhood, Praeger, Westport, 2009.

Higgin, John: Literature Marxism and Cultural Materialism, University of Wales,

Cardiff, 1999.

Harrison, John R.: Dickens's Literary Architecture: Patterns of Ideas and Imagery in

Hard Times, 2000.

Holt, Shari Hogdes: Clive Donner's Marxist Adoptation of "Oliver Twist" Salisbury
University, 2010.
John, Edgar: Charles Dickens His Tragedy and Truimph. Vol. I, New York: Simon
Schuster, 1952.

Kautsky, Karl: Karl Marx's Oekonomische Lehren, Kindle Edition, 1887.

Korsch, Karl: Three Essay on Marxism, Pluto Press London, 1971.

Kirby, Peter: Child labour in Britain, 1750-1870, Palgrave Macmillan, New York,

2003.

Lukacs, Georg: Marxism and Human Liberation, A Delta Book, Dag hanmarskjold

Plaza, 1973.

Levin, Richard: Rearming the Revolution: The Task Of Theory for Hard Times,

Socialism and Democracy, Routledge, 2007.

84

Locke, Richard: Critical Children The Use of Childhood in Ten Great Novels, eBook

Collection, Colombia University Press 2011.

Meyer, Alfred G.: Marxism The Unity Of Theory and Practice, Harvard University
Press, Cambridge, 1954.
Miller, J. Hillis: Charles Dickens The world of His Novels. Cambridge, MA: Harvard
University. Press,1958.
Milliband, Ralph: Marxism and Politics, Oxford University Press, 1977.

Paroissien, David (Hg.): A Companion to Charles Dickens, Blackwell Publishing.

Malden Mass, 2008.

Paroissien, David; Dickens, Charles: The Companion to Oliver Twist, Edinburgh

University Press, Edinburgh,1992.

Plekhanov, George V.: Fundamental Problems of Marxism, International Publisher,
New York, 1975.
Roemer, John E.: Foundation of Analytical Marxism, The International Library of
Critical Writings in Economics, An Elgar Reference Collection, 1994.
Seline, Schuster: An Analysis of Childhood of Child Labour in Charles Dickens'
works; Anchor Academic Publishing, Habirg, 2014.
 85

Curriculum Vitae

Name and Surname: Yahia Haroon

Place and Date of Birth: Baghdad: 01/06/1970

Education

Degree Field University Year

Undergraduate Bachelor of Al-Mustansirya 2002

translation University
Graduate MA English Atilim University 2018
Literature

Work Experience

Work place Position Year

Office Translation Translator and Interpreter 2003-2005
Office Translation Scientific books translator 2005-2007
High school in Baghdad Teacher 2008 up to now

E-mail: yahiaharoon70@gmail.com

Phone: +964 783 273 4434

Date: 29/05/2018