Imagery in "The Chimney Sweepers"
             In the poem "The Chimney Sweepers" William Blake illustrates through striking imagery the mistreatment and awful working conditions of the children. Blake emphasizes many literary techniques within the poem. The emphasis of similes and symbolism helps reveal the significance of imagery reflected in the poem. Setting the mood with illustration of very dark, vivid pictures it becomes evident the mistreatment of the children is the poems theme.
             At the beginning of the poem the use of repetition immediately establishes a mood of sadness.
             "When my mother died I was very young,
             And my father sold me while yet my tongue,
             Could scarcely cry " 'weep! 'weep! 'weep! 'weep!"
             So your chimneys I sweep and in soot I sleep."
             In addition to illustrating the sweeping of chimneys repetition of the word " 'weep!" gives the impression of a child crying. The use of imagery in showing a child crying reveals a dark, sad mood which reflects upon the children's sleeping conditions, "and in soot I sleep." Children are vulnerable, and images of a child alone, crying and sleeping in soot sets a very dark, depressed mood.
             Extremely important to "The Chimney Sweeper" is the use of similes to create images of mistreatment. For instance, when Tom Dacre got his head shaved and it "curl'd like a lambs back." Blake was implying similarity of the children's treatment to that of animals. However the mood does slightly change when the narrator gives comfort to Tom allowing him to sleep. Subsequently the images of Tom's dream have great significance in relation to the theme.
             "And so he was quiet that very night
             As Tom was a-sleeping, he had such a sight!
             Thousands of sweepers, Dick, Joe, Ned and Jack,
             Were all of them lock'd up in coffins of black."
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