The image of a "black" child suggests that it is covered in filth and soot because he is forced by society to do his or her duty as a chimneysweeper. ... The images of "clothes of death"(7) and "notes of woe" suggest that it is humans who direct the children into a life of oppression. ... The boy's father sold him before he could even say the words sweep. ... They were forced to shave their heads, as it is shown in the lines about the boy Tom. ...

• Word Count: 1046
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

When reading poem 1, I was left with the impression that the speaker was innocent, nave and a good-natured little boy. ... from poem 1, and the line: "Crying " 'weep, 'weep," in notes of woe" from poem 2. ... They would simply be replaced by another and possibly even younger boy. ... Blackness has devoured all parts of the chimney sweepers lives. The third line in the second stanza in poem 2 is one example of how the colour black functions as a destructive element: "They clothed me in the clothes of death, And taught me to sing the notes of woe.". ...

• Word Count: 2076
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

In The Chimney Sweeper (Innocence), the persona, a young boy chimney sweeper, expresses how and when he became a chimney sweeper. ... Tom's initially frightening dream, "That thousands of sweepers, Dick, Joe, Ned, and Jack, Were all locked up in coffins of black... The boy accepts what the angel says. ... "A little black thing among the snow-(1), the young chimney sweeper, wonders where his parents are. " They are both gone up to the church to pray' -(4). ... "They clothed me in the clothes of death, And taught me to sing the notes of woe-(7-8), as they continue in their happy, joyf...

• Word Count: 1280
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

In this particular poem the speaker is "a little black thing among the snow". One reason this poem is not an "all may read" poem is because if the reader is not familiar with Blake's work he or she may not understand why this boy is being called "a little black thing"; this is not to construe the thought of a racial slur or anything of the nature. The little boy is black because he is covered in soot from the chimney, but how are we to know unless we are familiar with "Innocence". ... For example, in "The Chimney Sweeper" the little boy cries, "because I am happy, and dance and sing". ....

• Word Count: 2002
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

Further, the visual impact of a musical note (&) and God's own beauty is portrayed and ca ptured in the rhythm of the lamb playing in the meads. ... Powell, "The author notes that the perfect, beautiful, symmetrical, work of art (the tyger) is such a destructive animal: here Blake is identifying the idea that there, in fact, is evil in such a beautiful world but he cannot understand why". ... An angel is releasing the soot-covered boys from their "coffins of black," and they are dancing away as they are released. The sky above them is blue, not black, and healthy, green vegetat...

• Word Count: 2556
• Approx Pages: 10
• Grade Level: High School

The Little Black Boy is the next poem. This poem is about a little black child and his mother. ... He doesn't care if you are black or white, when he comes to take you up to heaven with him it makes no difference. ... It is of a young child that is happy, but those that were watching over him did not want this, they clothed him in clothes of death and taught him to sing the notes of woe. ...

• Word Count: 1008
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School