Penelope

Hi. Here is my monologue. It is about child labour and the industrial revolution. I hope you enjoy.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh! Two of my fingers have gotten caught in the big grinder! I wrap my fingers in my torn dress. My name is Ivy Colbanbury. I am eleven years old. I was born in a small country shack in Swinton, 1843. My family was really poor, poorest in my town, probably. My father died of fever when I was 4 and my mother died of hunger when I was 6. That’s when I came here to the factory. Because I am an orphan I don’t get any salary. My fingers are hurting but I am just going to deal with the pain. I hear muttering outside. That would be Natasha leaving the factory. It is her dream come true. I wish my dream would come true. My little cousin, Melody and I off to London, but that won’t happen. Unless Melody’s mother came back for us. No, that won’t happen either. I’m a spinner. I tie the snapped thread as it goes from bobbin to bobbin. My frostbitten toes are sore on the cold floor. Maybe I will just stop for a bit… Oh no! That onlooker has seen me. I run and she runs too. 3 more onlookers have joined the chase and…I am grabbed around the waist and I am pushed through the gate. I have been kicked out of the factory. The only place where I had food and a bed. And what about Melody. She is walking past the gate. She sees me and tears well in her little eyes. She is now trying to slip through the bars of the gate. The onlooker has swung his heavy iron baton at her and... The force of the hit has pushed her through. Now we can be free. Now we can go to London.