The Chimney Sweeper (Songs of Innocence) Symbolism, Imagery & Wordplay

In a poem called "The Chimney Sweeper" we expect to meet a sweeper. In fact, we meet several (at least five) specific ones, thousands of other nameless ones, and we also get a pretty close look at...

Soot is black, and the chimney sweepers are black because of all that sooty soot they schlep around in. They are also black, however, in a different sense. Their innocence has been stolen, and they...

Little Tom Dacre used to have white hair (before it was shaved), the naked children in the dream are white, and clouds are white. Whiteness in this poem is a symbol of innocence and childhood and c...