A Dream of Life

Author's Note: For Social Studies we had to write a creative piece about child labor during the 1800's. I chose to write in the point of view of one of the child workers. I really wanted to show lots of emotion and depth through the voice. So I hope you enjoy this piece! 

Every day I look out the window, dreaming of the life that I could’ve had. The whole day I work in the factory thinking about the other kids who get to go to school and actually get an education. The other children in the neighborhood have lots of money, so they don’t have to go and work every day. They get new clothes and toys every week. Sometimes when I look at the house we live in and what me and my family go through, my whole day just goes downhill. Why can’t life be fair? It would make everything a whole lot easier…

My family can’t even afford bread on some days. If I want to live happily in some way, then I’m going to have to work. My shifts are usually 14 hours a day.  I get paid $2.00 per week. The only reason I go to this job is so I can support my family. Even if it’s only two dollars, it’s better than nothing. Right?

The entire day, I struggle to get past every minute. Doing the same job every day, every hour, it gets boring. With the restrictions we have it’s almost like we are the factory owners’ puppets. I haven’t lived for the long, but I get so stressed out and depressed every day when thinking about the state of life I’m in right now.

One day, I hope that other children won’t have to suffer like I do. I want them to live a happy life, unlike mine. One day, I want this to change. Just because us kids won’t be able to talk back and we are easy to control doesn’t mean that we won’t fight back. I don’t know when, but someday in the future, children like me won’t work. They will live a life that I can only imagine in my dreams.

I have wanted so many things in my life, and I haven’t gotten them. One day my dream of no child labor will come true. I guess that this is the life I was meant to live. I hope that even if I can’t change my fate, I will be able to reach out the future generations. I believe my story will make it out the world, and kids like me won’t have to suffer. My name is Joy, I am ten years old, and I was one of the kids who was a part of the cruel and unimaginable lifestyle of child labor in the 1800's.