I happened to chance upon a bit of newspaper (The Illustrated London News, mind you) the other day and what a befitting article my eyes fell upon! It was entitled "Education of the People" and did I ever feel my heart stutter a bit! I saved a bit to clip for my commonplace book, and that quote is as follows:
"Another very important part of the Minister's scheme, which is universally approved of, concerns the trust funds devoted in past times by the piety of our ancestors to purposes of education, and which in many cases have been greviously misapplied. A commission appointed in 1837 to inquire into the subject, reported that the public endowments for education in England and Wales reached the large sum of 312,000 [pounds]. Many of these endowments are perverted and wasted..."
Oh, how it makes me ill to think of all that money for education being wasted and used for some unknown purposes! I had to keep this in order to keep that fiery passion for an education within me if I should ever begin to think that just getting a job is enough. No, an education is what matters most to me! I wish our government would quit this scandalous foolishness and help their people to learn! While I may not completely understand politics, I do understand the misuse of money and that is what angers me the most.
Editor's note: While David might be angered at the state's misappropriation of the funding meant for education, four years before the commission of 1837 the state had already started giving limited funding for education to try and get more children an opportunity to learn. In an article on The Victorian Web, Dr. Bruce Rosen goes into a brief summary of what the state was trying to do with the funding. They were giving small bits of money, mostly to religious institutions, in order to try and get the poor educated: "Its significance was that it was the first acceptance by the government of any financial responsibility for the education of the poor." Although England had started feeling responsible for educating their poor as early as 1833, and it attempted to give some money towards achieving this, the obstacles of misusing the money and an overwhelming need for children to go to work in order to save their families from debtors’ prison or destitution were other roadblocks in receiving an education. Perhaps if David had known this aspect, he might not feel so outraged and realize that this battle between children being pulled between school and the workforce is a complicated issue.
Rosen, Bruce, Dr. "State Involvement in Public Education before the 1870 Education Act." The Victorian Web (1995): n. pag. Web. 21 Feb. 2015.
Little, William. "The Education of the People." The Illustrated London News [London] 9 Apr. 1853: 265-66. Print.
- Elizabeth Winks
"Another very important part of the Minister's scheme, which is universally approved of, concerns the trust funds devoted in past times by the piety of our ancestors to purposes of education, and which in many cases have been greviously misapplied. A commission appointed in 1837 to inquire into the subject, reported that the public endowments for education in England and Wales reached the large sum of 312,000 [pounds]. Many of these endowments are perverted and wasted..."
Oh, how it makes me ill to think of all that money for education being wasted and used for some unknown purposes! I had to keep this in order to keep that fiery passion for an education within me if I should ever begin to think that just getting a job is enough. No, an education is what matters most to me! I wish our government would quit this scandalous foolishness and help their people to learn! While I may not completely understand politics, I do understand the misuse of money and that is what angers me the most.
Editor's note: While David might be angered at the state's misappropriation of the funding meant for education, four years before the commission of 1837 the state had already started giving limited funding for education to try and get more children an opportunity to learn. In an article on The Victorian Web, Dr. Bruce Rosen goes into a brief summary of what the state was trying to do with the funding. They were giving small bits of money, mostly to religious institutions, in order to try and get the poor educated: "Its significance was that it was the first acceptance by the government of any financial responsibility for the education of the poor." Although England had started feeling responsible for educating their poor as early as 1833, and it attempted to give some money towards achieving this, the obstacles of misusing the money and an overwhelming need for children to go to work in order to save their families from debtors’ prison or destitution were other roadblocks in receiving an education. Perhaps if David had known this aspect, he might not feel so outraged and realize that this battle between children being pulled between school and the workforce is a complicated issue.
Rosen, Bruce, Dr. "State Involvement in Public Education before the 1870 Education Act." The Victorian Web (1995): n. pag. Web. 21 Feb. 2015.
Little, William. "The Education of the People." The Illustrated London News [London] 9 Apr. 1853: 265-66. Print.
- Elizabeth Winks
As Dora attempts to instruct one of our housekeepers on how to sweep (what a horrid disaster it is!), I remember a crossing-sweep boy I came across once on my way to visit Traddles. I felt so awful for the little man that I could not just offer what pay he asked, but also lent a listening ear for he grew quite excited when I told him I was a writer. What a deplorable, yet strikingly familiar, story that little boy had to tell! I've quoted (paraphrased) it as best as I could remember, for I was unprepared and had no way of logging what he said to me in that exact moment.
"But [my sister] was keeping company with a young man, and one day they went out, and came back and said they'd been and got married. It was him as got rid of me. He was kind to me for the first two or three months, while he was keeping her company; but before he was married he got a little cross, and after he was married he begun to get more cross, and used to send me to play in the streets, and tell me not to come home again till night. One day he hit me, and I said I wouldn't be hit about by him, and then at tea that night sister gave me three shillings, and told me I must go and get my own living."
Oh, how that brings back the nightmare that was brought upon me and my sweet mother by that rude toad of a man, Mr. Murdstone! Although this boy lost his sister and not his mother, I shivered in broad daylight with the echoes of my own experiences abounding around me. It seems as if the Murdstones of the world are more numerous than I had previously thought. I so wished this boy had not experienced this cruelty and forced into the world too young. Luckily, I was saved by my dear Aunt Betsey, but it seemed as if this boy had no saving graces. Oh, to be forced to work and never see inside a school...it brings a tear to my eye right now. It makes my heart stutter and palpitate just thinking about how that could have been me if my circumstance had just been a tad different. What a poor boy!
Editor's note: Although a fictional encounter made up entirely by me, based on Henry Mayhew’s observations in London streets, this account from the sweeper boy does a couple of things for David. It gives him the realization that this household take-over was not just a singular phenomenon that had happened to him. It also provides another example of a type of child labor. While this boy was not condemned to a factory job, he still had a very sketchy, low paying job and more than likely lived on the streets. This brings up another concern for David: the fact that this boy will not receive any type of education. In an article by Edward A. Allen, two different types of boys’ schools are discussed: one for the aristocratic boys and one for the upper middle class. In "Public School Elites in Early-Victorian England: The Boys at Harrow and Merchant Taylors' Schools from 1825 to 1850," Allen discusses how these schools had a couple of functions: they created a social amalgamation by bringing the aristocracy together with the middle-class sons so they could mesh and give the middle class boys a chance to work towards going up a class and also created "Christian gentlemen." This concept was taught by Dr. Thomas Arnold and not only created an elite group of Englishmen, but started changing the social constructs of Victorian England (88). As the boys were schooled, they were preparing to enter into either aristocratic positions (such as the military or Parliament) or focused on meeting the needs of “lower middle class businessmen, quasi-professionals, and tradesmen” for the boys who were upper middle class (90). What strikes David as sad, though, is that the sweeper boy will not have a chance to go to either of these since he is of the lowest class. Not only does he no longer have a family, but he has no chance to get an education. David was very lucky in this regard since he was able to escape the wine merchants’ factory and get into a decent school thanks to his aunt.
Allen, Edward A. "Public School Elites in Early-Victorian England: The Boys at Harrow and Merchant Taylors' Schools from 1825 to 1850." Journal of British Studies 21.2 (1982): 87-117. JSTOR. Web. 15 Mar. 2015.
Mayhew, Henry. London Labour and the London Poor: A Boy Crossing-Sweep. 1851. The Longman Anthology of British Literature. Vol. 2B. 4th Ed. Eds. Heather Henderson and Kenneth J.H. Dettmar. Boston: Longman, 2010. 1108-1112. Print.
-- Elizabeth Winks
"But [my sister] was keeping company with a young man, and one day they went out, and came back and said they'd been and got married. It was him as got rid of me. He was kind to me for the first two or three months, while he was keeping her company; but before he was married he got a little cross, and after he was married he begun to get more cross, and used to send me to play in the streets, and tell me not to come home again till night. One day he hit me, and I said I wouldn't be hit about by him, and then at tea that night sister gave me three shillings, and told me I must go and get my own living."
Oh, how that brings back the nightmare that was brought upon me and my sweet mother by that rude toad of a man, Mr. Murdstone! Although this boy lost his sister and not his mother, I shivered in broad daylight with the echoes of my own experiences abounding around me. It seems as if the Murdstones of the world are more numerous than I had previously thought. I so wished this boy had not experienced this cruelty and forced into the world too young. Luckily, I was saved by my dear Aunt Betsey, but it seemed as if this boy had no saving graces. Oh, to be forced to work and never see inside a school...it brings a tear to my eye right now. It makes my heart stutter and palpitate just thinking about how that could have been me if my circumstance had just been a tad different. What a poor boy!
Editor's note: Although a fictional encounter made up entirely by me, based on Henry Mayhew’s observations in London streets, this account from the sweeper boy does a couple of things for David. It gives him the realization that this household take-over was not just a singular phenomenon that had happened to him. It also provides another example of a type of child labor. While this boy was not condemned to a factory job, he still had a very sketchy, low paying job and more than likely lived on the streets. This brings up another concern for David: the fact that this boy will not receive any type of education. In an article by Edward A. Allen, two different types of boys’ schools are discussed: one for the aristocratic boys and one for the upper middle class. In "Public School Elites in Early-Victorian England: The Boys at Harrow and Merchant Taylors' Schools from 1825 to 1850," Allen discusses how these schools had a couple of functions: they created a social amalgamation by bringing the aristocracy together with the middle-class sons so they could mesh and give the middle class boys a chance to work towards going up a class and also created "Christian gentlemen." This concept was taught by Dr. Thomas Arnold and not only created an elite group of Englishmen, but started changing the social constructs of Victorian England (88). As the boys were schooled, they were preparing to enter into either aristocratic positions (such as the military or Parliament) or focused on meeting the needs of “lower middle class businessmen, quasi-professionals, and tradesmen” for the boys who were upper middle class (90). What strikes David as sad, though, is that the sweeper boy will not have a chance to go to either of these since he is of the lowest class. Not only does he no longer have a family, but he has no chance to get an education. David was very lucky in this regard since he was able to escape the wine merchants’ factory and get into a decent school thanks to his aunt.
Allen, Edward A. "Public School Elites in Early-Victorian England: The Boys at Harrow and Merchant Taylors' Schools from 1825 to 1850." Journal of British Studies 21.2 (1982): 87-117. JSTOR. Web. 15 Mar. 2015.
Mayhew, Henry. London Labour and the London Poor: A Boy Crossing-Sweep. 1851. The Longman Anthology of British Literature. Vol. 2B. 4th Ed. Eds. Heather Henderson and Kenneth J.H. Dettmar. Boston: Longman, 2010. 1108-1112. Print.
-- Elizabeth Winks
As I sit with Dr. Strong, as he works on compiling his dictionary, I remember something horrific to me that the vile Mr. Murdstone once said:
"I suppose you know, David, that I am not rich. At any rate, you know it now. You have received some considerable education already. Education is costly; and even if it were not, and I could afford it, I am of opinion that it would not be at all advantageous to you to be kept at school. What is before you, is a fight with the world; and the sooner you begin it, the better."
I could barely breathe as he uttered these words to me! My education was of the highest value to me! I wanted to learn about the world and everything in it, not venture into the workforce yet. In my eyes, I was far too young to begin fighting against the world. I was only a young boy not fit for the working world of adults. I had barely adjusted to this man and his sister usurping our home, let alone him suggesting what was best for me. School, though imperfect at the Salem House, was still enjoyable because of the friends I made there, like Steerforth and Traddles. Mr. Murdstone and his vile sister had been so steadfast in their insistence upon my learning the lessons that I had been too nervous to recite them properly—yet I was to be sent off to work and learn no more? How contradictory!
Editor's Note: Here, Edward Murdstone, David's stepfather, is telling young David that his brief time at the Salem House school for boys was more than enough education for him. More than that, Murdstone doesn't even believe that more schooling beyond this would be beneficial for David. Like many parents in the Victorian era, Murdstone is focusing here on making David a practical, working member of the family. According to an article written by A.C.O Ellis entitled, "Influences on School Attendance in Victorian England," parents were one of the biggest reasons why children were kept from school. In 1861, it was estimated that about 87.5% of children weren't in school and that 66% of that group was estimated to be employed (313). The parents forced the children into jobs as early as possible because of the need for money. The working class was extremely stricken with poverty in Victorian England and "throughout the period, it is evident that the earnings of children preserved many working families from destitution" (317). Without the extra wages, the families would not have been able to scrape by--though they were already barely doing that. It wasn't until 1870 that the government instituted the Education Act in order to get children into school and out of the factories. Even this act took three years to start showing improvement in the number of children in attendance, though (314). With this knowledge, it is evident that Dickens is using young David's fear of not having an education to bring awareness about the crisis of child labor gaining more value over the importance of education. Even after David Copperfield was published in 1850, it took another twenty years for the English legislation to enact the Education Act of 1870 so that children could better themselves by spending time in school rather than in the death traps of factories.
Ellis, A. C. O. "Influences on School Attendance in Victorian England." British Journal of Educational Studies 21.3 (1973): 313-326. JSTOR. Web. 15 Mar. 2015.
Dickens, Charles. David Copperfield. New York: Oxford UP, 2008. 147. Print. Oxford World's Classics.
-- Elizabeth Winks
"I suppose you know, David, that I am not rich. At any rate, you know it now. You have received some considerable education already. Education is costly; and even if it were not, and I could afford it, I am of opinion that it would not be at all advantageous to you to be kept at school. What is before you, is a fight with the world; and the sooner you begin it, the better."
I could barely breathe as he uttered these words to me! My education was of the highest value to me! I wanted to learn about the world and everything in it, not venture into the workforce yet. In my eyes, I was far too young to begin fighting against the world. I was only a young boy not fit for the working world of adults. I had barely adjusted to this man and his sister usurping our home, let alone him suggesting what was best for me. School, though imperfect at the Salem House, was still enjoyable because of the friends I made there, like Steerforth and Traddles. Mr. Murdstone and his vile sister had been so steadfast in their insistence upon my learning the lessons that I had been too nervous to recite them properly—yet I was to be sent off to work and learn no more? How contradictory!
Editor's Note: Here, Edward Murdstone, David's stepfather, is telling young David that his brief time at the Salem House school for boys was more than enough education for him. More than that, Murdstone doesn't even believe that more schooling beyond this would be beneficial for David. Like many parents in the Victorian era, Murdstone is focusing here on making David a practical, working member of the family. According to an article written by A.C.O Ellis entitled, "Influences on School Attendance in Victorian England," parents were one of the biggest reasons why children were kept from school. In 1861, it was estimated that about 87.5% of children weren't in school and that 66% of that group was estimated to be employed (313). The parents forced the children into jobs as early as possible because of the need for money. The working class was extremely stricken with poverty in Victorian England and "throughout the period, it is evident that the earnings of children preserved many working families from destitution" (317). Without the extra wages, the families would not have been able to scrape by--though they were already barely doing that. It wasn't until 1870 that the government instituted the Education Act in order to get children into school and out of the factories. Even this act took three years to start showing improvement in the number of children in attendance, though (314). With this knowledge, it is evident that Dickens is using young David's fear of not having an education to bring awareness about the crisis of child labor gaining more value over the importance of education. Even after David Copperfield was published in 1850, it took another twenty years for the English legislation to enact the Education Act of 1870 so that children could better themselves by spending time in school rather than in the death traps of factories.
Ellis, A. C. O. "Influences on School Attendance in Victorian England." British Journal of Educational Studies 21.3 (1973): 313-326. JSTOR. Web. 15 Mar. 2015.
Dickens, Charles. David Copperfield. New York: Oxford UP, 2008. 147. Print. Oxford World's Classics.
-- Elizabeth Winks
Heaven knows my life was full of great tribulations, and I often found it quite difficult to persevere in those dim times. My work alongside Mealy Potatoes in Mr. Murdstone’s factory was one of my most trying times. But endearing poems such as this one kept my head high and my dreams in perspective. They were my only motivation before I was blessed with my dearest Agnes. This once beloved poem had slipped from my memory during my beginning times of great elation with Agnes, but I recently stumbled across it while passing the time with my gracious wife and children. Now that I have found it once again, I feel as if it is the first moment I read these lines. I was huddled over a desk with Agnes one night before that atrocious Uriah Heep showed his true character, and we were browsing an old book of poems we happened to chance upon.
"Pay goodly heed, all ye who read,
And beware of saying 'I can't;'
'Tis a cowardly word, and apt to lead
To Idleness, Folly, and Want.”
Oh how I wanted nothing more than to simply give up and waste away to nothing. I would have too if it hadn’t been for the courageous Micawbers and my caring Aunt Betsey.
“Whenever you find your heart despair
Of doing some goodly thing;
Con over this strain, try bravely again,
And remember the Spider and King!"
These lines make my heart ring out so! If it hadn’t been for these encouraging words and for my dear family and friends, I would not be the man that I am today. It would have been so simple to never try again and be with my lovely mother once again. But, just like the spider, I never gave up in the most difficult of times. Now I have such a caring and wonderful family, vocation, and home; I could never ask for anything more.
Editor’s note: Because this poem by Eliza Cook was not published until after David Copperfield, the dates had to be smudged a tad in order for David to have read this when he was a child. Despite this though, David could have used these words to help him overcome the troubles he faced, especially as a young child. His small time at the factory may have been light compared to other child laborers of the time facing the potential of losing fingers or other appendages like those George R. Sims met while writing his “How the Poor Live.” Not to mention the other diseases and other various illnesses like Ann Haley MacKenzie discusses in her article as well; problems such as the malnutrition, numerous cancers, depression, severe punishment, and the potential for suicide were all worrisome areas for any Victorian child laborer. Even though David's childhood with Mr. Murdstone at home and at the factory was often difficult for such a young boy, David at least never experienced any of these horrific moments like the majority of his peers. But David still had to endure difficult times by himself as a young naïve boy. This poem also could have been used to help David through his brief time at Mr. Creakle’s school as well. Any moment in David’s childhood where he felt abandoned and wanted to give up, Cook’s words could have inspired David to persevere and try again.
Cook, Eliza. The Poetical Works of Eliza Cook. London: Frederick Warne, 1870. Google Books. <http://books.google.com/books?id=QasVAAAAYAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=eliza+Cook’s+potical+works+&hl=en&ei=EPuCTNesFsLbnAeLseRx&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1ved=0CCoQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false>.
MacKenzie, Ann Haley. “An Analysis of Environmental Issues in 19th Century England Using the Writings of Charles Dickens.” The American Biology Teacher 70.4 (Apr. 2008): 202-204. JSTOR. Web. 26 Feb. 2015.
Sims, George R. How the Poor Live. London: Chatto & Windus, Piccadilly, 1883. 43-47. Print.
-- Brittany Ulman
"Pay goodly heed, all ye who read,
And beware of saying 'I can't;'
'Tis a cowardly word, and apt to lead
To Idleness, Folly, and Want.”
Oh how I wanted nothing more than to simply give up and waste away to nothing. I would have too if it hadn’t been for the courageous Micawbers and my caring Aunt Betsey.
“Whenever you find your heart despair
Of doing some goodly thing;
Con over this strain, try bravely again,
And remember the Spider and King!"
These lines make my heart ring out so! If it hadn’t been for these encouraging words and for my dear family and friends, I would not be the man that I am today. It would have been so simple to never try again and be with my lovely mother once again. But, just like the spider, I never gave up in the most difficult of times. Now I have such a caring and wonderful family, vocation, and home; I could never ask for anything more.
Editor’s note: Because this poem by Eliza Cook was not published until after David Copperfield, the dates had to be smudged a tad in order for David to have read this when he was a child. Despite this though, David could have used these words to help him overcome the troubles he faced, especially as a young child. His small time at the factory may have been light compared to other child laborers of the time facing the potential of losing fingers or other appendages like those George R. Sims met while writing his “How the Poor Live.” Not to mention the other diseases and other various illnesses like Ann Haley MacKenzie discusses in her article as well; problems such as the malnutrition, numerous cancers, depression, severe punishment, and the potential for suicide were all worrisome areas for any Victorian child laborer. Even though David's childhood with Mr. Murdstone at home and at the factory was often difficult for such a young boy, David at least never experienced any of these horrific moments like the majority of his peers. But David still had to endure difficult times by himself as a young naïve boy. This poem also could have been used to help David through his brief time at Mr. Creakle’s school as well. Any moment in David’s childhood where he felt abandoned and wanted to give up, Cook’s words could have inspired David to persevere and try again.
Cook, Eliza. The Poetical Works of Eliza Cook. London: Frederick Warne, 1870. Google Books. <http://books.google.com/books?id=QasVAAAAYAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=eliza+Cook’s+potical+works+&hl=en&ei=EPuCTNesFsLbnAeLseRx&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1ved=0CCoQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false>.
MacKenzie, Ann Haley. “An Analysis of Environmental Issues in 19th Century England Using the Writings of Charles Dickens.” The American Biology Teacher 70.4 (Apr. 2008): 202-204. JSTOR. Web. 26 Feb. 2015.
Sims, George R. How the Poor Live. London: Chatto & Windus, Piccadilly, 1883. 43-47. Print.
-- Brittany Ulman
As I sit here and write of my past acquaintances, I cannot help but remember those blessed Micawbers who took me in during a dark time in my life. Oh, how they so willingly expressed their love towards me while forever showing me their gratitude! Despite all of the terrible troubles they had to endure, they always kept me in mind. One moment in particular sticks out to me the most at present, the time when my life seemed oh so gray and dreary during my time working for that dreadful Mr. Murdstone.
“I shall never, Master Copperfield,” said the lovely Mrs. Micawber, “revert to the period when Mr. Micawber was in difficulties, without thinking of you. Your conduct has always been of the most delicate and obliging description. You have never been a lodger. You have been a friend.” Oh how my heart swelled as she spoke these words so lovingly towards me! It was as if she were filling the void in my life where my mother and Peggotty once were.
“My dear,” said Mr. Micawber, “Copperfield, has a heart to feel for the distresses of his fellow creatures when they are behind a cloud, and a head to plan, and a head to—in short, a general ability to dispose of such available property as could be made away with.” Tears began to sting at the corner of my eyes. If only these dear people knew how grateful I was to them at the time and am still currently! They did so much more for me than I may ever thank them for, and they will always be with me. Those marvelous Micawbers will forever be one with my heart, and one with my family no matter the great distance betwixt us!
Editor’s note: At this moment in David’s life, he is at a crossroads concerning what will happen to him in the future. Still mourning the death of his beloved mother, David feels more alone than ever. He is beginning to feel the pressure of this “new” life of his, while also being terrified of what he is becoming. David’s main concern is that he will lose all of his knowledge—what he treasures most at this moment—if he maintains this lifestyle. David’s life was full of terrible moments as he faced being a child laborer in an industry that was often dangerous if not fatal for most of the young workers. According to an article by Ann Haley MacKenzie, children often worked between 14 to 16 hours each day in environments that were breeding grounds for cancer and other diseases (203). Along with these poor conditions, the children who did not die of a work-related disease/injury, often committed suicide—a large amount of children between the ages of eight and ten often ended their lives so they would not have to return to work (203). And if by chance these children managed to escape cancer or depression, they additionally had to face malnutrition and severe punishment at the hands of supervisors or parents (203). These facts were all something David had to endure during his time at Murdstone and Grinby’s. However, during this time, he finds unexpected consolation with the Micawber family. They seemed to take David in and treat him as a family member when David had no one else in his life that could support him. Despite their economic hardships, the Micawbers remain by David’s side for the remainder of his life. Even if Mr. Micawber was not the best example for David to follow, he almost always seemed to have David's best interests in mind. Whenever David and the Micawbers would cross paths, Wilkins made sure David's well-being was a top priority of the conversations. Also, it was Mr. Micawber himself who helped put an end to the horrible reign of Uriah Heep—an action that eventually led to David’s marriage to Agnes. Not only did this action benefit several other characters, Mr. Micawber once again showed his alliance with David by ending Uriah's reign of terror.
Dickens, Charles. David Copperfield. New York: Oxford UP, 2008. Print.
MacKenzie, Ann Haley. “An Analysis of Environmental Issues in 19th Century England Using the Writings of Charles Dickens.” The American Biology Teacher 70.4 (Apr. 2008): 202-4. JSTOR. Web. 26 Feb. 2015.
-- Brittany Ulman
“I shall never, Master Copperfield,” said the lovely Mrs. Micawber, “revert to the period when Mr. Micawber was in difficulties, without thinking of you. Your conduct has always been of the most delicate and obliging description. You have never been a lodger. You have been a friend.” Oh how my heart swelled as she spoke these words so lovingly towards me! It was as if she were filling the void in my life where my mother and Peggotty once were.
“My dear,” said Mr. Micawber, “Copperfield, has a heart to feel for the distresses of his fellow creatures when they are behind a cloud, and a head to plan, and a head to—in short, a general ability to dispose of such available property as could be made away with.” Tears began to sting at the corner of my eyes. If only these dear people knew how grateful I was to them at the time and am still currently! They did so much more for me than I may ever thank them for, and they will always be with me. Those marvelous Micawbers will forever be one with my heart, and one with my family no matter the great distance betwixt us!
Editor’s note: At this moment in David’s life, he is at a crossroads concerning what will happen to him in the future. Still mourning the death of his beloved mother, David feels more alone than ever. He is beginning to feel the pressure of this “new” life of his, while also being terrified of what he is becoming. David’s main concern is that he will lose all of his knowledge—what he treasures most at this moment—if he maintains this lifestyle. David’s life was full of terrible moments as he faced being a child laborer in an industry that was often dangerous if not fatal for most of the young workers. According to an article by Ann Haley MacKenzie, children often worked between 14 to 16 hours each day in environments that were breeding grounds for cancer and other diseases (203). Along with these poor conditions, the children who did not die of a work-related disease/injury, often committed suicide—a large amount of children between the ages of eight and ten often ended their lives so they would not have to return to work (203). And if by chance these children managed to escape cancer or depression, they additionally had to face malnutrition and severe punishment at the hands of supervisors or parents (203). These facts were all something David had to endure during his time at Murdstone and Grinby’s. However, during this time, he finds unexpected consolation with the Micawber family. They seemed to take David in and treat him as a family member when David had no one else in his life that could support him. Despite their economic hardships, the Micawbers remain by David’s side for the remainder of his life. Even if Mr. Micawber was not the best example for David to follow, he almost always seemed to have David's best interests in mind. Whenever David and the Micawbers would cross paths, Wilkins made sure David's well-being was a top priority of the conversations. Also, it was Mr. Micawber himself who helped put an end to the horrible reign of Uriah Heep—an action that eventually led to David’s marriage to Agnes. Not only did this action benefit several other characters, Mr. Micawber once again showed his alliance with David by ending Uriah's reign of terror.
Dickens, Charles. David Copperfield. New York: Oxford UP, 2008. Print.
MacKenzie, Ann Haley. “An Analysis of Environmental Issues in 19th Century England Using the Writings of Charles Dickens.” The American Biology Teacher 70.4 (Apr. 2008): 202-4. JSTOR. Web. 26 Feb. 2015.
-- Brittany Ulman
I often find myself pondering over what my childhood was like after mother was suddenly taken away from me and Peggotty. The times when Mr. Murdstone used to beat me seemed like the worst thing that could happen at the moment, but then I fell under Mr. Creakle’s thumb. Only then did I realize life would never be like it was with only mother and my dearest Peggotty—before those wretched Murdstones entered my home. My life became full of anguish and turmoil, and I no longer wanted to live. My experience at Murdstone and Grinby’s may have been horrific at the time, but I now wonder how truly terrible it was when I read accounts like these. I cannot help but wonder what I would have done had something this horrifying had happened to me in the factory.
“Saw-mills, and places where steam and circular saws are used, employ a large number of boys. If you were to give a tea-patty to saw-mill boys, the thing that would astonish you would be the difficulty of finding half-a-dozen of your guests with the proper number of fingers.”
I can almost hear Mr. Murdstone hissing in my ear how blessed my life was in comparison to these unfortunate boys. He would have told me I was blessed such things did not happen to me, and I should be eternally grateful for the things he once did for me.
“I know one little lad who is employed at pulling out the planks which have been pushed through the machine by men, and he has one hand now on which only the thumb is left. Then there is the lemonade-bottling, which is another industry largely employing the lads of poor neighbourhoods. The bottles are liable to burst, and cases of maiming are almost of daily occurrence. The bottlers are obliged to wear masks to protect their faces, but their hands are bound to be exposed to the danger.”
Only one thumb left! The terrors that these children had to endure are simply unimaginable! Hearing such tragic stories only forces me to mourn these boys, while also recalling my own time working in the factory. It is immensely difficult not to imagine what would have happened to me had I chosen to stay instead of fleeing to my Aunt Betsey.
Editor’s note: Here David reflects on a story published by George R. Sims describing in detail some of the work environments the child laborers of Victorian England had to face. David may feel some relief after reading such tragic stories, but that relief only lasts for a brief time. He cannot help but remember the way Mr. Murdstone treated him during his childhood. To David, Mr. Murdstone was the reason for all of his losses and grief. But there is also a part of David that is thankful he made it out of Murdstone and Grinby’s without suffering like the children Sims describes. Even though it may not have seemed like it at the time, David’s life could have been much worse and far less fortunate because at least he escaped the turmoil of child labor. David could have had the life of the child laborers Henry Mayhew discussed in his writing of “London Labour and the London Poor.” David was among the minority of these working children when it came to having the ability to read and write, or not being responsible for the rest of the family’s well-being (1111). He also did not have to face potential time in prison because of strict officials like the street sweepers did whenever they were caught with money in their hand since their work was often looked down upon and not considered appropriate employment (1113).
Mayhew, Henry. “London Labour and the London Poor.” The Longman Anthology of British Literature. Vol. 2B. 4th ed. Eds. Heather Henderson and Kenneth J.H. Dettmar. Boston: Longman, 2010. 1108-1113. Print.
Sims, George R. How the Poor Live. London: Chatto & Windus, Piccadilly, 1883. 43-47. Print.
-- Brittany Ulman
“Saw-mills, and places where steam and circular saws are used, employ a large number of boys. If you were to give a tea-patty to saw-mill boys, the thing that would astonish you would be the difficulty of finding half-a-dozen of your guests with the proper number of fingers.”
I can almost hear Mr. Murdstone hissing in my ear how blessed my life was in comparison to these unfortunate boys. He would have told me I was blessed such things did not happen to me, and I should be eternally grateful for the things he once did for me.
“I know one little lad who is employed at pulling out the planks which have been pushed through the machine by men, and he has one hand now on which only the thumb is left. Then there is the lemonade-bottling, which is another industry largely employing the lads of poor neighbourhoods. The bottles are liable to burst, and cases of maiming are almost of daily occurrence. The bottlers are obliged to wear masks to protect their faces, but their hands are bound to be exposed to the danger.”
Only one thumb left! The terrors that these children had to endure are simply unimaginable! Hearing such tragic stories only forces me to mourn these boys, while also recalling my own time working in the factory. It is immensely difficult not to imagine what would have happened to me had I chosen to stay instead of fleeing to my Aunt Betsey.
Editor’s note: Here David reflects on a story published by George R. Sims describing in detail some of the work environments the child laborers of Victorian England had to face. David may feel some relief after reading such tragic stories, but that relief only lasts for a brief time. He cannot help but remember the way Mr. Murdstone treated him during his childhood. To David, Mr. Murdstone was the reason for all of his losses and grief. But there is also a part of David that is thankful he made it out of Murdstone and Grinby’s without suffering like the children Sims describes. Even though it may not have seemed like it at the time, David’s life could have been much worse and far less fortunate because at least he escaped the turmoil of child labor. David could have had the life of the child laborers Henry Mayhew discussed in his writing of “London Labour and the London Poor.” David was among the minority of these working children when it came to having the ability to read and write, or not being responsible for the rest of the family’s well-being (1111). He also did not have to face potential time in prison because of strict officials like the street sweepers did whenever they were caught with money in their hand since their work was often looked down upon and not considered appropriate employment (1113).
Mayhew, Henry. “London Labour and the London Poor.” The Longman Anthology of British Literature. Vol. 2B. 4th ed. Eds. Heather Henderson and Kenneth J.H. Dettmar. Boston: Longman, 2010. 1108-1113. Print.
Sims, George R. How the Poor Live. London: Chatto & Windus, Piccadilly, 1883. 43-47. Print.
-- Brittany Ulman
"How doth the little crocodile
Improve his shining tail,
And pour the waters of the Nile
On every golden scale!
How cheerfully he seems to grin,
How neatly spreads his claws,
And welcomes little fishes in,
With gently smiling jaws!"
From Alice in Wonderland, p. 16
Oh my! Peggotty would love this poem, and I much prefer it to the original myself. It would go so well with her Crocodile book! I will learn it as quick as possible; I bet she and Mother will love to listen to it! I still don’t know why Peggotty is so fixed on that book, but I do quite like it myself, so I’ll do my best to find anything to go with it! Besides, my reading is so much better if it is something I like, and I’ve grown rather fond of crocodiles myself. I cannot start to count the number of times I’ve read it aloud, but I suppose I was bound to enjoy it sooner or later. Maybe if they like the poem enough, I can add it to that book as well!
Editor's note: While Alice is a bit late for David, the poem fit all too well with the recurring crocodile book of Peggotty’s that he reads as a child. As he often remembers that book later on in life, a poem such as this would have been one that I can see David immediately setting to memorize. With the lack of formalized schooling in England at the time of David’s childhood, his schooling would’ve been entirely based upon whatever was on hand for the family, with no real standard to match (Long). The original version of the poem would’ve been in time for the Copperfields to have it, making the parody something young David would welcome. While the original version of the poem would have been old enough for David to know, hard work was not a concept he had until the Murdstones arrived. Something else that is more conjecture on my part is David’s affinity for/tendency to drift towards ‘crocodiles’ later in life. He seems to have a knack for running into people whose smiles are all teeth, and while he eventually learns to navigate around them, people like Steerforth still manage to get the better of him at the most unexpected of times (at least to David). Still, in his youth David definitely does have a streak for taking people at face value and only reevaluating them later on in life.
Carroll, Lewis. Alice in Wonderland. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2013. Print.
Dickens, Charles. David Copperfield. 1981. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. Print.
Long, Jason. "The Socioeconomic Return to Primary Schooling in Victorian England." The Journal of Economic History 66.4 (2006): 1026-1053. JSTOR. Web. 15 Mar. 2015.
--Katie Norman
Improve his shining tail,
And pour the waters of the Nile
On every golden scale!
How cheerfully he seems to grin,
How neatly spreads his claws,
And welcomes little fishes in,
With gently smiling jaws!"
From Alice in Wonderland, p. 16
Oh my! Peggotty would love this poem, and I much prefer it to the original myself. It would go so well with her Crocodile book! I will learn it as quick as possible; I bet she and Mother will love to listen to it! I still don’t know why Peggotty is so fixed on that book, but I do quite like it myself, so I’ll do my best to find anything to go with it! Besides, my reading is so much better if it is something I like, and I’ve grown rather fond of crocodiles myself. I cannot start to count the number of times I’ve read it aloud, but I suppose I was bound to enjoy it sooner or later. Maybe if they like the poem enough, I can add it to that book as well!
Editor's note: While Alice is a bit late for David, the poem fit all too well with the recurring crocodile book of Peggotty’s that he reads as a child. As he often remembers that book later on in life, a poem such as this would have been one that I can see David immediately setting to memorize. With the lack of formalized schooling in England at the time of David’s childhood, his schooling would’ve been entirely based upon whatever was on hand for the family, with no real standard to match (Long). The original version of the poem would’ve been in time for the Copperfields to have it, making the parody something young David would welcome. While the original version of the poem would have been old enough for David to know, hard work was not a concept he had until the Murdstones arrived. Something else that is more conjecture on my part is David’s affinity for/tendency to drift towards ‘crocodiles’ later in life. He seems to have a knack for running into people whose smiles are all teeth, and while he eventually learns to navigate around them, people like Steerforth still manage to get the better of him at the most unexpected of times (at least to David). Still, in his youth David definitely does have a streak for taking people at face value and only reevaluating them later on in life.
Carroll, Lewis. Alice in Wonderland. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2013. Print.
Dickens, Charles. David Copperfield. 1981. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. Print.
Long, Jason. "The Socioeconomic Return to Primary Schooling in Victorian England." The Journal of Economic History 66.4 (2006): 1026-1053. JSTOR. Web. 15 Mar. 2015.
--Katie Norman
I remember well the time I first had to think of Mr. Murdstone as a permanent fixture to the house. I was distraught from the change of circumstances and had cried myself to sleep, but when faced with Mr. Murdstone himself I knew enough to know I should do my best to hide any distrust towards him. When I refused to admit I had been crying, he almost gave me credit.
“You have a good deal of intelligence for a little fellow,” he said, with a grave smile that belonged to him, “and you understand me very well, I see. Wash that face, sir, and come down with me.”
I knew it was too good to think he would actually praise me, especially later, when he began to oversee my studies at home. It was a nice thought for the scarce seconds it lasted, though. I dread to think how that even then, he was going to never take my intelligence seriously.
David Copperfield, ch. IV p. 44
Editor's note: This is an interesting bit of conversation because it set the stage for Murdstone to be a looming authority figure for David, especially with regards to David's perceived intelligence. David at the time would have been educated at home, or would have been on the cusp of being sent away to a boarding school should his mother have wished it. Children of the middle class had no required schooling in the first half of the 19th century, and it fell to the parents or household staff to oversee any book learning the children would do. Before education reform, making schooling mandatory in the 1850s, boys would often be sent to boarding school before the age of ten, and girls would remain at home. If the family was well enough off, the household might hire in a governess to tutor the daughter in specific subjects like music or foreign language. Otherwise, the mother would oversee her learning of household chores and occasionally the odd book-based subject. David had probably been held at home longer than most boys his age by his mother, making him a bit behind his peers, but there is no way to gauge what he should have been learning. Once his new family moved in, his lessons quickly become a point of contention and high scrutiny to both Mr. and Miss Murdstone. Eager to point out any flaw and each with their own idea, they essentially have free reign until he is sent away.
Dickens, Charles. David Copperfield. 1981. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. Print.
Mitchell, Sally. “Childhood” Daily Life in Victorian England. Westport: Greenwood Press, 1996. 146-8. Print.
-- Katie Norman
“You have a good deal of intelligence for a little fellow,” he said, with a grave smile that belonged to him, “and you understand me very well, I see. Wash that face, sir, and come down with me.”
I knew it was too good to think he would actually praise me, especially later, when he began to oversee my studies at home. It was a nice thought for the scarce seconds it lasted, though. I dread to think how that even then, he was going to never take my intelligence seriously.
David Copperfield, ch. IV p. 44
Editor's note: This is an interesting bit of conversation because it set the stage for Murdstone to be a looming authority figure for David, especially with regards to David's perceived intelligence. David at the time would have been educated at home, or would have been on the cusp of being sent away to a boarding school should his mother have wished it. Children of the middle class had no required schooling in the first half of the 19th century, and it fell to the parents or household staff to oversee any book learning the children would do. Before education reform, making schooling mandatory in the 1850s, boys would often be sent to boarding school before the age of ten, and girls would remain at home. If the family was well enough off, the household might hire in a governess to tutor the daughter in specific subjects like music or foreign language. Otherwise, the mother would oversee her learning of household chores and occasionally the odd book-based subject. David had probably been held at home longer than most boys his age by his mother, making him a bit behind his peers, but there is no way to gauge what he should have been learning. Once his new family moved in, his lessons quickly become a point of contention and high scrutiny to both Mr. and Miss Murdstone. Eager to point out any flaw and each with their own idea, they essentially have free reign until he is sent away.
Dickens, Charles. David Copperfield. 1981. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. Print.
Mitchell, Sally. “Childhood” Daily Life in Victorian England. Westport: Greenwood Press, 1996. 146-8. Print.
-- Katie Norman
"Clean Clara" by William Brighty Rands
What! not know our Clean Clara?
Why, the hot folks in the Sahara
And the cold Esquimaux,
Our little Clara know!
Clean Clara, the poet sings,
Cleaned a hundred, thousand things!
She cleaned the keys of the harpsichord,
She cleaned the hilt of the family sword,
She cleaned my lady, she cleaned my lord;
All the pictures in their frames,
Knights with daggers and stomachered dames --
Cecils, Godfreys, Montforts, Graemes,
Winifreds — all those nice old names!
She cleaned the works of the eight-day clock,
She cleaned the spring of a secret lock,
She cleaned the mirror, she cleaned the cupboard;
All the books she India-rubbered!
…
The eyebrows all had a twirl reflective,
Just like an eel; to spare invective,
There was plenty of colour, but no perspective.
However, Clara cleaned it all,
With a curious lamp, that hangs in the hall!
She cleaned the drops of the chandeliers, --
Madame in mittens was moved to tears!
She cleaned the cage of the cockatoo,
The oldest bird that ever grew;
I should say a thousand years old would do --
I'm sure he looked it, but nobody knew;
She cleaned the china, she cleaned the delf,
She cleaned the baby, she cleaned herself!
Tomorrow morning she means to try
To clean the cobwebs from the sky.
Some people say the girl will rue it,
But my belief is she will do it.
So I've made up my mind to be there to see:
There's a beautiful place in the walnut tree;
The bough is as firm as the solid rock.
She brings out her broom at six o'clock.
I know this poem is about a servant, but my mother’s name is Clara as well, and even she helps out about with Peggotty sometimes, so it fits them both! Although Peggotty usually seems rather cross when she does try to help, but mother desperately wants to try! Maybe if I can show her this poem, it will cheer her up? Or at least make her laugh more. She’s seemed rather un-Mother like, lately…
Editor's note: The date of this poem is a bit late for David’s childhood years, but I thought it would have still appealed to a young David. In the interest of space and relevance, I have cut some of the middle stanzas that I feel would not be necessary for David to hold on to. In a household that was just David, his mother, and Peggotty, it would make sense to me that at least one or two household duties would fall to Clara, ill-prepared to care for the house or not. Clara is often described as helpless, and that was something I found as a funny coincidence after coming across this poem. However, she does act as David’s teacher, which means that she fulfills part of her household role according to Sally Mitchell in Daily Life in Victorian England (Mitchell 148). Names usually hold recurring themes, and I thought it also made an interesting contrast for the same name across two different works of the era. It also might have been something that (while David held good intentions) could have upset his mother but flattered Peggotty (who were both named Clara). There are times when his mother seems to feel badly about being unable to help more, and David's eagerness to recite a poem for his school work could easily backfire, in this case. Still, with both motherly figures having the name, I thought the poem doubly apt.
Brighty Rands, William. “Clean Clara”. The Victorian Web. Web. 30 Mar. 2015. http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/rands/11.html
Dickens, Charles. David Copperfield. 1981. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. Print.
Mitchell, Sally. “Childhood” Daily Life in Victorian England. Westport: Greenwood Press, 1996. 146-148. Print.
--Katie Norman
What! not know our Clean Clara?
Why, the hot folks in the Sahara
And the cold Esquimaux,
Our little Clara know!
Clean Clara, the poet sings,
Cleaned a hundred, thousand things!
She cleaned the keys of the harpsichord,
She cleaned the hilt of the family sword,
She cleaned my lady, she cleaned my lord;
All the pictures in their frames,
Knights with daggers and stomachered dames --
Cecils, Godfreys, Montforts, Graemes,
Winifreds — all those nice old names!
She cleaned the works of the eight-day clock,
She cleaned the spring of a secret lock,
She cleaned the mirror, she cleaned the cupboard;
All the books she India-rubbered!
…
The eyebrows all had a twirl reflective,
Just like an eel; to spare invective,
There was plenty of colour, but no perspective.
However, Clara cleaned it all,
With a curious lamp, that hangs in the hall!
She cleaned the drops of the chandeliers, --
Madame in mittens was moved to tears!
She cleaned the cage of the cockatoo,
The oldest bird that ever grew;
I should say a thousand years old would do --
I'm sure he looked it, but nobody knew;
She cleaned the china, she cleaned the delf,
She cleaned the baby, she cleaned herself!
Tomorrow morning she means to try
To clean the cobwebs from the sky.
Some people say the girl will rue it,
But my belief is she will do it.
So I've made up my mind to be there to see:
There's a beautiful place in the walnut tree;
The bough is as firm as the solid rock.
She brings out her broom at six o'clock.
I know this poem is about a servant, but my mother’s name is Clara as well, and even she helps out about with Peggotty sometimes, so it fits them both! Although Peggotty usually seems rather cross when she does try to help, but mother desperately wants to try! Maybe if I can show her this poem, it will cheer her up? Or at least make her laugh more. She’s seemed rather un-Mother like, lately…
Editor's note: The date of this poem is a bit late for David’s childhood years, but I thought it would have still appealed to a young David. In the interest of space and relevance, I have cut some of the middle stanzas that I feel would not be necessary for David to hold on to. In a household that was just David, his mother, and Peggotty, it would make sense to me that at least one or two household duties would fall to Clara, ill-prepared to care for the house or not. Clara is often described as helpless, and that was something I found as a funny coincidence after coming across this poem. However, she does act as David’s teacher, which means that she fulfills part of her household role according to Sally Mitchell in Daily Life in Victorian England (Mitchell 148). Names usually hold recurring themes, and I thought it also made an interesting contrast for the same name across two different works of the era. It also might have been something that (while David held good intentions) could have upset his mother but flattered Peggotty (who were both named Clara). There are times when his mother seems to feel badly about being unable to help more, and David's eagerness to recite a poem for his school work could easily backfire, in this case. Still, with both motherly figures having the name, I thought the poem doubly apt.
Brighty Rands, William. “Clean Clara”. The Victorian Web. Web. 30 Mar. 2015. http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/rands/11.html
Dickens, Charles. David Copperfield. 1981. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. Print.
Mitchell, Sally. “Childhood” Daily Life in Victorian England. Westport: Greenwood Press, 1996. 146-148. Print.
--Katie Norman
“There is something strange to me, even now, in the reflection that he never saw me; in something stranger yet in the shadowy remembrance that I have of my first childish occasions with his white grave stone in the churchyard, and his indefinable compassion I used to feel for it lying alone there in the dark night, when our little parlor was warm and bright with fire and candle, and the doors of our house were-almost cruelly, it seemed to me sometimes-bolted and locked against it” (Dickens 2).
Dickens, Charles. David Copperfield. New York: Oxford University Press, 1981. Print.
Editor’s Note: David had a truly odd childhood in that he had no father. There was no male head of the house, and he was raised alone by his mother until the time that she remarried. In these lines, David is reflecting upon the fact that he never got to know his father, that he never met the man who his mother was first married to, and whose grave gave him mild comfort. Naturally, David himself sees the fact that his father is gone and that he had no father figure to raise him as strange, and knows how odd his childhood was for not having this influence in his life. In Victorian times, the male was the one who ran everything. They were in charge of the house and were supposed to be the dominant force. In this time, only men had the right to own property and had various duties, such as maintaining the accounts and family matters. To not have this representation meant that everything was left for Clara, his mother, to keep up. However, women themselves had very few rights in this time and Clara, according to the laws and customs of the time, wasn't able to do much with her strange, precarious position in life. Women were not allowed to own their own property, and anything that they had before marriage became their husband's right, as marriage meant the man and woman were seen as one entity in the eyes of the law. Women were not even able to make a will in that time. So to have a woman managing things, meant that David was raised in a very singular way compared to that of other children of the time. Divorce was another issue that might have brought about a lack in the father figure, though generally, according to old laws, the children went to the father. It wasn't until years later that laws and rights were finally enacted that gave woman the liberty and ability to do more in their station. There were even laws created that allowed a woman to claim custody of her children, and most children ended up with their mothers due to this.
Shanley, Mary Lyndon. "Feminism, Marriage and the Law in Victorian England, 1850-1895.” Sage Publications 19 (1991): 115-117. JSTOR. Web.
Allen, Christopher. "The Law of Evidence in Victorian England." The Modern Law Review 62 (1999): 483-485. JSTOR. Web.
--Aly Ingermann
Dickens, Charles. David Copperfield. New York: Oxford University Press, 1981. Print.
Editor’s Note: David had a truly odd childhood in that he had no father. There was no male head of the house, and he was raised alone by his mother until the time that she remarried. In these lines, David is reflecting upon the fact that he never got to know his father, that he never met the man who his mother was first married to, and whose grave gave him mild comfort. Naturally, David himself sees the fact that his father is gone and that he had no father figure to raise him as strange, and knows how odd his childhood was for not having this influence in his life. In Victorian times, the male was the one who ran everything. They were in charge of the house and were supposed to be the dominant force. In this time, only men had the right to own property and had various duties, such as maintaining the accounts and family matters. To not have this representation meant that everything was left for Clara, his mother, to keep up. However, women themselves had very few rights in this time and Clara, according to the laws and customs of the time, wasn't able to do much with her strange, precarious position in life. Women were not allowed to own their own property, and anything that they had before marriage became their husband's right, as marriage meant the man and woman were seen as one entity in the eyes of the law. Women were not even able to make a will in that time. So to have a woman managing things, meant that David was raised in a very singular way compared to that of other children of the time. Divorce was another issue that might have brought about a lack in the father figure, though generally, according to old laws, the children went to the father. It wasn't until years later that laws and rights were finally enacted that gave woman the liberty and ability to do more in their station. There were even laws created that allowed a woman to claim custody of her children, and most children ended up with their mothers due to this.
Shanley, Mary Lyndon. "Feminism, Marriage and the Law in Victorian England, 1850-1895.” Sage Publications 19 (1991): 115-117. JSTOR. Web.
Allen, Christopher. "The Law of Evidence in Victorian England." The Modern Law Review 62 (1999): 483-485. JSTOR. Web.
--Aly Ingermann
“Jabberwocky” by Lewis Carroll
" 'Twas brillig and the slithey toves did gyre and gimble in the wabe; all mimsy were the borogoves and the mome raths outgrabe.
"Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite and the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun the frumious Banersnatch!
He took his vorpal sword in hand: Long time the manxome foe he sought-So rested he by the Tumtum tree, and stood a while in thought. And, as in uffish thought he stood, the Jabberwock, with eyes of flame, came whilffling through the tulgey wood, And burbled as it came!
One, two! One, two! And through and through the vorpal blade went snicker-snack! he left it dead, and with its head he went galumphing back.
And Hast thought slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! o frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!" he chortled in his joy. 'Twas brillig and the slithy toves did gyre and gimeble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves and the mome raths outgrabe."
I always enjoyed adventure stories when I was a child. I remember times of my past when I would run up to my trove of books - hoping to ignore the terrors of the Muderstones' - to forget the painful, humiliating lesson, and the sorrow I saw daily growing within my mother. I wanted to forget the troubles that I knew and sought relief in the books which my father must have left behind. Looking upon this poem, I remember times when I was younger, when books were my comfort and I liked fun, light things such as this.
Editor’s Note: Though I know that this poem “Jabberwocky” is a little off time, considering when it came out and when David Copperfield was published, I couldn't help but use it. I feel like Lewis Carrol is an author that David would have liked when he was younger, if he had been given the chance to know him. I can imagine that David would have taken comfort in his works and would have liked the characters that Carroll created, considering the pain and struggle that his life was after his mother remarried and the painful life that he knew due to his stepfather. To me, he would see the poem “Jabberwocky,” and be reminded of his youth, when he used to read for solace and comfort, something that would make him appreciate the poem and enjoy it simply for what it is.
--Aly Ingermann
" 'Twas brillig and the slithey toves did gyre and gimble in the wabe; all mimsy were the borogoves and the mome raths outgrabe.
"Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite and the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun the frumious Banersnatch!
He took his vorpal sword in hand: Long time the manxome foe he sought-So rested he by the Tumtum tree, and stood a while in thought. And, as in uffish thought he stood, the Jabberwock, with eyes of flame, came whilffling through the tulgey wood, And burbled as it came!
One, two! One, two! And through and through the vorpal blade went snicker-snack! he left it dead, and with its head he went galumphing back.
And Hast thought slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! o frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!" he chortled in his joy. 'Twas brillig and the slithy toves did gyre and gimeble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves and the mome raths outgrabe."
I always enjoyed adventure stories when I was a child. I remember times of my past when I would run up to my trove of books - hoping to ignore the terrors of the Muderstones' - to forget the painful, humiliating lesson, and the sorrow I saw daily growing within my mother. I wanted to forget the troubles that I knew and sought relief in the books which my father must have left behind. Looking upon this poem, I remember times when I was younger, when books were my comfort and I liked fun, light things such as this.
Editor’s Note: Though I know that this poem “Jabberwocky” is a little off time, considering when it came out and when David Copperfield was published, I couldn't help but use it. I feel like Lewis Carrol is an author that David would have liked when he was younger, if he had been given the chance to know him. I can imagine that David would have taken comfort in his works and would have liked the characters that Carroll created, considering the pain and struggle that his life was after his mother remarried and the painful life that he knew due to his stepfather. To me, he would see the poem “Jabberwocky,” and be reminded of his youth, when he used to read for solace and comfort, something that would make him appreciate the poem and enjoy it simply for what it is.
--Aly Ingermann
“The Forsaken Merman” by Matthew Arnold
Call her once before you go--
Call once yet!
In a voice that she will know:
"Margaret! Margaret!"
Children's voices should be dear
(Call once more) to a mother's ear;
Children's voices, wild with pain--
Surely she will come again!
Call her once and come away;
This way, this way!
Mother dear, we cannot stay!
The wild white horses foam and fret.
"Margaret! Margaret!"
I look at these lines and think sadly of my poor, tragic mother. She died so young and there are times when I seem at a distance from memories of her. Upon reading this, I was reminded of how I lost her, my dear mother, to that horrid Murdstone: how he tore her down and stole her away from me. These lines speak very dearly to me and I am left with my last image of my mother, standing proudly with the babe in her arms, smiling one last time at me as I rode away from her, never to see her alive and in such a way again.
Editor’s Note: Here, David has come across a poem that reminds him of his mother. This poem, at least the lines written above, speak of children being separated from their mother, the sorrow and hardship that causes, and the children's reluctance to go. I feel like this poem would speak very closely to David, even as a young child, for the simple fact that Murdstone stole his mother from him. Though it took him a time to see it fully and come to terms with how intensely his mother was lost to him, David knew that things were changing when Murdstone came into his life. Something presented itself as miserable at first and got even more terrible for him near the end. David was impacted deeply by these events and would have seen significance in anything that reminded him of such times. Though he was sad and lonely in those times, he also had his mother.
--Aly Ingermann
My heart is pounding. What did Mr. Murdstone mean by “a fight with the world”? All seemed at a standstill. What is he going to do next? I have a bad feeling about this….
“You have heard the ‘counting-house’ mentioned sometimes,” said Mr. Murdstone.
“The counting-house, sir?” I repeated.
“Of Murdstone and Grinby, in the wine trade,” he replied.
I supposed I looked uncertain, for he went on hastily:
“You have heard of the ‘counting-house’ mentioned, or the business, or the cellars, or the wharf, or something about it.”
“I think I heard of the business mentioned, sir,” I said, remembering what I vaguely knew of his and his sister’s resources.
“But I don’t know when.”
“It doesn’t matter when,” he returned. “Mr. Quinion manages that business.” I glanced at the latter deferentially as he stood looking out of window.
“Mr. Quinion suggests that it gives employment to some other boys, and that he sees no reason why it shouldn’t, on the same terms, give employment to you” (148).
My heart drops. Oh, this is why he brought me here to this place; he wants me to work for him. Despair and gloom grew in my heart. I will have to work with adults and no longer go to school. He will keep me here as a prisoner, and I may never see my friends again.
Editor’s note: In this scene, Mr. Murdstone, David Copperfield’s stepfather, just finished telling David that he no longer needs an education. Mr. Murdstone then takes him to the factory that he owns, and he tells David that he will be working there instead of going to school. The threat of extreme poverty drove many Victorian children into the workforce: “The stimulus for child labour was, in essence, family poverty, and only when this eased in the middle decades of the nineteenth century did child labour begin to decline” (Cunningham 811-812).
According to a book review by Henry Cunningham, in the year 1870, there was a sharp decline in child labor. Emma Griffin discusses child labor in Victorian Era England and the laws that were enacted as a response to all the children in the workforce: “The Factory Act prohibited the employment of children younger than nine years of age and limited the hours that children between nine and 13 could work. The Mines Act raised the starting age of colliery workers to 10 years.” Both of these acts were passed before 1850, so these were the laws that David Copperfield worked under as a child (Griffin). Even though David suffered terribly as a child laborer, he was actually more fortunate than the children in the workforce before his time. Those children worked long hours because there were few laws or regulations, and they were forced to work in terrible conditions. At least with the new laws, age restrictions were added, and there was a new maximum amount of work hours for children in some fields.
Dickens, Charles. David Copperfield. New York: Oxford UP, 2008. 148.
Cunningham, Hugh. "Review: Child Labour in Britain, 1750-1870." The English Historical Review 119.482 (2004): 811-13. JSTOR. Web. 18 Mar. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/3489576?ref=no-x-route:ed74ed35e1722544fe289a6752715e74>.
Griffin, Emma. "Child Labour." The British Library. The British Library Board, n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2015. <http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bl.uk%2Fromantics-and-victorians%2Farticles%2Fchild-labour>.
-- Katrina Shoemaker
“You have heard the ‘counting-house’ mentioned sometimes,” said Mr. Murdstone.
“The counting-house, sir?” I repeated.
“Of Murdstone and Grinby, in the wine trade,” he replied.
I supposed I looked uncertain, for he went on hastily:
“You have heard of the ‘counting-house’ mentioned, or the business, or the cellars, or the wharf, or something about it.”
“I think I heard of the business mentioned, sir,” I said, remembering what I vaguely knew of his and his sister’s resources.
“But I don’t know when.”
“It doesn’t matter when,” he returned. “Mr. Quinion manages that business.” I glanced at the latter deferentially as he stood looking out of window.
“Mr. Quinion suggests that it gives employment to some other boys, and that he sees no reason why it shouldn’t, on the same terms, give employment to you” (148).
My heart drops. Oh, this is why he brought me here to this place; he wants me to work for him. Despair and gloom grew in my heart. I will have to work with adults and no longer go to school. He will keep me here as a prisoner, and I may never see my friends again.
Editor’s note: In this scene, Mr. Murdstone, David Copperfield’s stepfather, just finished telling David that he no longer needs an education. Mr. Murdstone then takes him to the factory that he owns, and he tells David that he will be working there instead of going to school. The threat of extreme poverty drove many Victorian children into the workforce: “The stimulus for child labour was, in essence, family poverty, and only when this eased in the middle decades of the nineteenth century did child labour begin to decline” (Cunningham 811-812).
According to a book review by Henry Cunningham, in the year 1870, there was a sharp decline in child labor. Emma Griffin discusses child labor in Victorian Era England and the laws that were enacted as a response to all the children in the workforce: “The Factory Act prohibited the employment of children younger than nine years of age and limited the hours that children between nine and 13 could work. The Mines Act raised the starting age of colliery workers to 10 years.” Both of these acts were passed before 1850, so these were the laws that David Copperfield worked under as a child (Griffin). Even though David suffered terribly as a child laborer, he was actually more fortunate than the children in the workforce before his time. Those children worked long hours because there were few laws or regulations, and they were forced to work in terrible conditions. At least with the new laws, age restrictions were added, and there was a new maximum amount of work hours for children in some fields.
Dickens, Charles. David Copperfield. New York: Oxford UP, 2008. 148.
Cunningham, Hugh. "Review: Child Labour in Britain, 1750-1870." The English Historical Review 119.482 (2004): 811-13. JSTOR. Web. 18 Mar. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/3489576?ref=no-x-route:ed74ed35e1722544fe289a6752715e74>.
Griffin, Emma. "Child Labour." The British Library. The British Library Board, n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2015. <http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bl.uk%2Fromantics-and-victorians%2Farticles%2Fchild-labour>.
-- Katrina Shoemaker
I was on my way to the work when I saw a rather dull-looking gentleman interrogating a young girl, who was around the age of twelve to thirteen. This young girl had no fingers on her hand, and thus I became curious. I recorded what I little I overheard.
"Date of Accident
Monday August. 8th 1859
Nature of Accident
Loss of all the fingers of the left hand
Statement made to me by the injured person as to the cause of Accident, the hour of the day when it happened, and how that person was employed at the time
About 6.45 a.m. on Monday last I was at the back of the wheel house putting some bobbins in, when a giddiness came over me, and my hand slipped between the driving and the man douser wheels of the self acting Mules."
How terrible! This girl was around my age, and she lost all of her fingers because of a job. I wish that the adults would let kids like me and that girl go to school instead of working in horrible conditions under horrible men. I hate seeing people getting hurt and being forced to work because of the situations many families are in. I wish Murdsone never existed and that I was still at home with my mother. If Murdsone never existed, I wouldn't be in such a terrible place! That poor girl. I hope she gets taken care of and is able to go home, and I hope that her family can afford her not being able to work due to the accident. I am worried about her.
Editor's note: I tried to put this in young David's perspective as a boy when he was working under Mr. Quinion. I pictured this as a scene where David would observe people's injuries being documented on the streets going to work. He would probably have seen this sort of accident in the factory that he worked in as well. I tried to make this moment as practical and realistic as possible. This also shows the terrible things that were happening to young children in factories and mills in the Victorian Era.
Baker, Robert. Report of Martha Appleton's accident, 1859. Digital image.The National Archives. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Mar. 2015. <http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/pathways/citizenship/struggle_democracy/childlabour.htm>.
-- Katrina Shoemaker
From London Labour and the London Poor:
“The little watercress girl who gave me the following statement, although only eight years of age, had entirely lost all childish ways, and was, indeed, in all thoughts and manner, a woman… I asked her about her toys and her games with her companions, but the look of amazement that answered me soon put an end to any attempt at fun on my part. I then talked to her about the parks, and whether she ever went to them. ‘The parks!’ she replied in wonder, ‘where are they?’”
Oh, how I sympathize with this poor girl. I too had a rough childhood working in a factory. I remember feeling exhausted, constantly working in order to get money. There was no time to play or be a child; there was only work and more work. However, I at least knew the pleasure of reading books and playing with toys. This poor child did not even know those pleasures nor know what a park is! How dreadful! Why must life be so cruel to so many children? They need love, affection, and an education, not worrying about getting their parents out of debtor’s prison or getting food on the table.
Editor’s note: I can imagine David Copperfield finding this article and mourning over the children who had to go through similar life experiences that he went through. I can see him deeply disturbed by the conditions that these children had to face, and I can see him trying to do something to stop child labor and abuse. In Victorian England, many people were put into debtor’s prison. The rest of the family would have to be responsible for repaying a family member’s debt in order to get that person out of prison. Sometimes, the children had to work too in order to get their family out of debtor’s prison. Thus, some children were forced into work to help someone they loved (Debt Prisons).
Mayhew, Henry. "London Labour and London Poor." The Longman Anthology of British Literature. 4th ed. Vol. 2B. Eds. Damrosch, David, Kevin J. H. Dettmar, Susan J. Wolfson, and Peter J. Manning. Boston: Longman, 2010. 1108. Print.
"Debt Prisons of Victorian Era England." Victorian Era England Debt Prisons History: Debtor's Prisons Living Conditions. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Apr. 2015. <http://www.victorian-era.org/debt-prisons-of-victorian-era-england.html>.
-- Katrina Shoemaker
“The little watercress girl who gave me the following statement, although only eight years of age, had entirely lost all childish ways, and was, indeed, in all thoughts and manner, a woman… I asked her about her toys and her games with her companions, but the look of amazement that answered me soon put an end to any attempt at fun on my part. I then talked to her about the parks, and whether she ever went to them. ‘The parks!’ she replied in wonder, ‘where are they?’”
Oh, how I sympathize with this poor girl. I too had a rough childhood working in a factory. I remember feeling exhausted, constantly working in order to get money. There was no time to play or be a child; there was only work and more work. However, I at least knew the pleasure of reading books and playing with toys. This poor child did not even know those pleasures nor know what a park is! How dreadful! Why must life be so cruel to so many children? They need love, affection, and an education, not worrying about getting their parents out of debtor’s prison or getting food on the table.
Editor’s note: I can imagine David Copperfield finding this article and mourning over the children who had to go through similar life experiences that he went through. I can see him deeply disturbed by the conditions that these children had to face, and I can see him trying to do something to stop child labor and abuse. In Victorian England, many people were put into debtor’s prison. The rest of the family would have to be responsible for repaying a family member’s debt in order to get that person out of prison. Sometimes, the children had to work too in order to get their family out of debtor’s prison. Thus, some children were forced into work to help someone they loved (Debt Prisons).
Mayhew, Henry. "London Labour and London Poor." The Longman Anthology of British Literature. 4th ed. Vol. 2B. Eds. Damrosch, David, Kevin J. H. Dettmar, Susan J. Wolfson, and Peter J. Manning. Boston: Longman, 2010. 1108. Print.
"Debt Prisons of Victorian Era England." Victorian Era England Debt Prisons History: Debtor's Prisons Living Conditions. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Apr. 2015. <http://www.victorian-era.org/debt-prisons-of-victorian-era-england.html>.
-- Katrina Shoemaker