I have selected the poem “The Chimney Sweeper” on page 337. As soon as the poem begins, there is a story behind it with having lost a parent and having to work at such a young age, which is what drew me most into the poem because it had an interesting plotline. From lines 10-14 of this poem, it says how little Tom had a dream in which many of the sweepers were locked up in black coffins as an angel arrived with a special key that opened this coffin and the children were set free. These specific lines had a meaningful meaning to me since it is a dream which can be represented as a deep feeling little Tom was feeling of wanting to be set free alongside those children. “So if all do their duty, they need not fear harm” is the very last line of this poem in which I interpret as a set of mind being taught in which they will be maintained safe as long as they do what they are supposed to. Therefore, it can be argued that a very important theme of this poem is the desire for freedom from these children since they are put to work at such a young age when they should be enjoying their childhood instead of being Chimney Sweeps.
Yessenia, I’m glad you zeroed in on the last line of the poem. Is it really the case that “…if all do their duty, they need not fear harm”? Are these children responsible for their own suffering?