Like most of his other prints , such as Beer Street and Gin Lane , Hogarth wanted The Four Stages of Cruelty to be a warning against cruel and evil acts , and that it was easy for a small bully to become a criminal . In common with other prints by Hogarth , such as Beer Street and Gin Lane , The Four Stages of Cruelty was issued as a warning against immoral behavior , showing the easy path from childish thug to convicted criminal .