Blake’s Plead for Social Justice

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in tone on Tom’s conditions that Blake does not want us to forget. If the last stanza was to rhyme, it would probably cause a good handful of readers to conclude that the outcome and/or promise is going to be guaranteed/fulfilled and an overall a positive message.

The lack of rhyme reflects the common theme in life that appearances often don’t portray reality. Although the message of the angel brings comfort, is the messenger truly an angel and is Tom truly understanding how to conquer the trials in life? There is only a matter of time before he suffers the effects of his condition, especially in societies that crush the poor and neglect helpless children. Will Tom be able to continue to stay warm in long term? The situation is appears pleasant temporarily because of the promise and Tom’s naive hope, in reality the consequences are sober and full of grief.

The lack of rhyme also purposefully and effectively creates a huge disconnect from the rest of "The Chimney Sweeper" in the Songs of Innocence. In a sense this last stanza is not just a conclusion but a separate stanza of its own. Because of the last stanza the readers are confirmed in their uncomfortable feelings about the promise and Tom’s desperate desire for freedom and life. The optimistic outlook, although comforting and real to Tom, is revealed to be unrealistic on earth. Tom may not wholeheartedly understand however, William Blake does comprehend the grim conditions and is appealing for social change.

Although Blake considers himself a Christian, it is commonly known that Blake disliked the church itself and did not view church as a necessity. With a short poem, Blake is able to masterfully construct satire in the form of poetry, stabbing at the wrong doings of society, along with modern morals of his time. Questioning how the morals of the church could support the disrespect, neglect and flat out crimes committed upon the lower class and their children. Yet, he does so in a subtle and elegant way leaving the reader to take the time to understand his true meaning behind the story. The story, although written in the late 1800’s, can still be applicable to many religious institutions today. The analyses of his society and criticism of upper class led to a brave step towards self-introspection for many. Children, because of their inherent innocence, help in the story to draw more contrast throughout; contrast drives everything. Therefore, whether it is black and white, soot or feathers, it is always the time to call out societal inequality.