How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
Broken heads were as common as hunger in that place. Yet little Tom was not unhappy. He had a hard time of it, but did not know it. It was the sort of time that all the Offal Court boys had, therefore he supposed it was the correct and comfortable thing. (2.4)
This is obviously before celebrity reality TV shows, because otherwise Tom would know that he's missing out on sprawling McMansions and million-dollar Sweet 16s. Do you think more people in Tom's class would want things to be different if they knew that things could be different?
Quote #2
He often read the priest's old books and got him to explain and enlarge upon them. His dreamings and readings worked certain changes in him, by and by. His dream-people were so fine that he grew to lament his shabby clothing and his dirt, and to wish to be clean and better clad. (2.6)
It's only after Tom gets a glimpse of what it's like to be in another, seemingly better position that he starts to hate his life. It's hard to be envious if everyone you know is in the same situation as you are. Is this one of the reason the royal court wants to keep everybody from seeing how they live at the palace?
Quote #3
Look you: do thy sisters forbid their servants to smile, lest the sin destroy their souls?"
"They? Oh, dost think, sir, that they have servants?" (3.36)
Turns out this ignorance about other classes works both ways; because the rich people are surrounded only by rich people, they don't understand what it's like to be poor: they assume the poor people are just like them... just maybe not quite as good. Do you think that you can see examples of this today?