What social criticism does Dickens' make in Oliver Twist?This is an essay question, and I have no idea what thesis statement I can use to answer...

Dickens was commenting on the plight of the poor in urban
England during the 1800's. It was a common complaint after the industrial revolution where many
poor were living in unsanitary and crowded conditions. Employees were seen as disposable tools
and were forced to work in unsafe and dangerous conditions. Many people died or became ill or
injured and unable to work due to the deplorable conditions. Children were often left to fend for
themselves working at adult jobs for less wage. Children might have worked 12-16 hr days, seven
days a week. Many were injured due to the heavy industrial equipment they were often required to
work with. Many children (as well as adults) turned to crime as a way of making a living. Dickens
criticism was primarily of the public treatment of the child as a criminal rather than addressing
the reason the child had to become a criminal. While Dickens did not condone the criminal
behavior, it was pointedly obvious that he wanted the middle class or upper class societies to
take notice to the plight of the young, poor and uneducated.