ipl-logo

Slavery In Literature: Poem Analysis

1498 Words6 Pages

A slave is classified as someone who is obligated to obey the rights and wishes of someone else, typically in an unpleasingful manner, making it degraded upon. When the majority hears the word “slave”, they think of African American enslavement and abuse. But there are many forms of slavery within many forms of individuals, all flawed in their own means. Writers of all time periods have been composing pieces depicted on literal and metaphorical slavery to use their platform of literature to give insight on the wrongdoings for centuries. Literal slavery is the term used to describe forced labor to a person or group of people, where they are typically underpaid, or not paid at all, and given harsh work with no sympathy. Metaphorical slavery is …show more content…

The speaker is trying to say “sweep” as depicted in line 3, which was “...the chimney-sweeper’s street cry”(p.44), but has yet to acquire a great basis of being able to speak clearly, like that of a child who is young. The child is assumed to be a boy, although it is never stated, because the young boys of the family were typically the ones to be sold into the business, like the speakers father sold him.
The speaker continues to talk about a boy named Tom Dacre, who is another young boy within the place that the speaker is working. The speaker announces how Tom is sad and crying because his head has to get shaved, but the speaker assures him it is for the best. Tom stops crying and goes to sleep, but has a dream of other chimney sweeper boys who are locked in coffins, probably foreshadowing to Tom that he is going to die in this place he is in. But an angel then comes and sets them all free and tells Tom to be good and that if he is good that he will have God as his father(p.44).
“Tho’ the morning was cold, Tom was happy &

Open Document