Set at the height of industrial revolution where child labor flourished, the story

takes place in a chimney- a popular site of work for children that time who were
needed to back up shortfalls in labor. The writer makes use of rhetorical devices as
well as informative language to both persuade and put across carefully chosen
details.
As this is a public audience, the writer utilizes passive verb ‘The fire had been
lighted’ to add to the impersonal tone of the text. This enhances the text’s overall
appeal and creates a level of authority required for this kind of writing that is
designed to invoke certain responses in the audience.
There is also the use of formal lexis ‘ascertained at the inquest’ which besides
resonating with the audience in the text is highly informative. The word ‘inquest’
is redolent of legal practice which in the case of parliamentarians, suits the purpose
of writing. The author believes child labor is unacceptable and should be halted
though a legal process.