The Chimney Sweeper Symbolism

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Recommended: An essay on william Blake

Pranit Singh
Professor Kym Snelling
Introduction to Literature
27 April 2014
While many believe that William Blake’s “The Chimney Sweeper” is about religion, I believe that its main message is to highlight the innocence being taken away of children at a very young age. Throughout the poem, Blake uses symbolism to capture reader’s attention by leading us in a journey to highlight the life of a young boy. Blake uses a melancholy and somber tone to address the innocence that is being taken away from the chimney sweepers.
In The Chimney Sweeper by William Blake, there are continuous signs of symbolism that adds to the depressing tone of the poem. To further add to this dark and mysterious tone, Blake uses words such as cry, died, and s¬¬oot. In the first two lines of the poem, he states, “When my mother died I was very young. And my father sold me while yet my tongue” (Blake 1-2). Right off the bat, Blake presents the situation of a child who was sold by his father which could be a sign that the child is a slave. The image of the child never having a role model in his life gives the fee...

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