- This poem by William Blake describes the harsh conditions faced by young chimney sweepers in 18th century England. It tells the story of a young boy named Tom Dacre who was sold into chimney sweeping at a young age after his mother died. The poem depicts the grim reality of Tom's life, from crying as his head was shaved to getting covered in soot. It also references other sweepers being locked in "black coffins," representing their difficult situation. However, Tom finds hope in a dream of an angel freeing the sweepers, representing the possibility of escaping their oppression. The poem critiques the unjust social system that allowed child labor and highlights the innocence of the children subjected to it.

1. THE CHIMNEY SWEEPER
(SONGS OF INNOCENCE)
BY WILLIAM BLAKE

2. GROUP MEMBERS :
TAN VI LER
YOUNG POH PING
TING NGIIK YING
YII WAN JIUN

3. BACKGROUND OF POET

4. William Blake
28 November
175712 August
1827
A boldly
imaginative
rebel in both
his thought and
art.
An English
poet, painter
and printmaker.
He combined
poetic and
pictorial genius
to explore life.

5. BRIEF
OVERVIEW

6. This poem is narrated by the poet
himself. First of all, he tells us a little bit
about his childhood. When his mother
passed away, his father sold him for
money to become a labour who swept
the chimneys.
Next, he introduces a fellow called Tom
Dacre who was also a chimney
sweeper. Tom cried because his hair
was shaved to prevent soot from
infesting it. He felt depressed of his job.

7. At night, Tom dreamed that
thousands of chimney
sweepers were locked up in
black coffins (symbolize the
hardship they faced).
However, an Angel succeeded
to set them free. The Angel told
Tom to be a good boy so as to
become the child of God. The
following day of his dream, he
became optimistic towards what
he had to suffer.

9. Symbolism
lamb
• Innocence
• Hardship faced by
coffin of black
sweepers
Angel who had • Person who gives hope to
a bright key
the sweepers

10. Green
• Growth, fertility and spring
Wash in a
river
• Clean away the sin
Rise upon
cloud
• A lift from lower class positions
to upper-class
Bags
• Figurative emotional baggage
of their soot-filled experiences

11. Metaphor
As Tom was a-sleeping
Tom was having a moment
of peace, disconnected for
a while with the real and
chaotic world.

12. Simile
That curl’d like a lamb’s back
Comparing the curly hair of Tom with the
back of a lamb.
Both of the two objects share the same
form (the back of a lamb is compound by
lots of curls which are curved in shape).

13. Alliteration
• So your chimneys I sweep & in soot I sleep
• As Tom was a sleeping he had such a sight
Alliteration of words beginning with the letter ‘s’
 Makes the words sound fun and energetic.

15. Onomatopoeia
• “cry weep, weep ,weep, weep”
deepen the impression of the mother's
death and the crying chimney sweeper.
• “So your chimneys I sweep & in soot I sleep”
represent the sound like a brush
repetitiously scraping a chimney wall.
• “Then down a green plain leaping, laughing,
they run”
represent happiness and joyfulness

16. TONE AND MOOD

18. TONES
Helpless
• The poet was
sold to be a
chimney
sweeper when he
could merely
speak.
Critical
• The children
were too young
to sweep the
chimneys.

20. Theme of Innocence
• Represented by Tom and other sweepers.
• They are unaware of the oppression.
• They believe that if they are obedient and do
their duty, everything will be well.
• Tom tends to dream that other sweepers are
being locked in black coffins but an Angel
succeeds to set them free.

21. Theme of Social Injustice