Chimney Sweeper

I agree with the editors of the textbook about Blake's poetry being able to enact social change, but i believe to be another reason other tan appealing to the reader's imagination, like appealing to their emotions. In the poem, "The Chimney Sweeper", from Songs of Innocence, Blake brings to live a young boy who lost his mother, and is neglected by his father. By revealing those facts about the young child, the reader automatically feels sympathy for the boy. Then a sense of hope is given after reading about Tom's dream. Whether they relate to the situation the young boys, or that sense of hope, they are still motivated to work hard or in the poem's case rely on religion to get through their challenge. In Songs of Experience, however, that message is not shown. The emotion is more of pity then hope.

The document might have been included by the editors to give us background to the main character of the poem. Its addition reinforces the feelings of pity and sympathy felt for the young boy as he learns about the working conditions and effects of child labor.