How has the ‘little black thing among the snow’ lost its innocence? 

1. Overview of the text/poem – context, content, theme.

2. Thesis Statement – a direct answer to the question + mention of main ideas to be discussed.

Task: Highlight with different colors the overview and thesis statement

Blake was a Romantic poet who used his work to express political ideas. He was against industrialisation and the Church. In The Chimney Sweeper, he talks about children, dreams, heaven, and sadness. This shows that life was hard and Blake wanted things to change.

• Too much background at the start – loses focus from the essay question

• Doesn’t clearly connect context to the loss of innocence

• No thesis statement to outline how the poem will be analysed

• Lacks literary focus (no mention of devices or structure)

• Summarise the main ideas without repeating the intro

• Reinforce the thesis

• Leave the reader with something memorable or reflective

Refer to your previous planning for the question:
How does Blake present the loss of innocence in The Chimney Sweeper?

• Write introduction introduction and conclusion

• Use sentence starters or structure prompts if needed:

  • “In the poem…”

  • “Blake presents…”

  • “This is shown through…”

  • “In conclusion, Blake…”

Peer Review:
Swap with a partner and highlight:

• Overview (yellow)

• Thesis statement (blue)

• Final reflection in conclusion (green)

Blake presents the loss of innocence through the image of a child whose joy has been taken by forced labour and neglect. The child recalls being “happy upon the heath,” a phrase that evokes the natural freedom and joy associated with childhood. However, this is quickly contrasted with his new life as a chimney sweep, where he wears “clothes of death.” Blake’s use of this metaphor highlights how the child’s innocence has been replaced by danger, suffering, and even the threat of mortality. This stark contrast between the past and present reflects not only personal loss, but also societal failure to protect children. Furthermore, Blake critiques religious hypocrisy, showing that the child’s parents “are gone to praise God and his priest and king,” while he is left to suffer. The irony here intensifies the emotional impact on the reader, who sees how institutions meant to uphold morality actually support injustice. Blake therefore uses both metaphor and irony to deepen the theme of innocence lost—not just through suffering, but through betrayal by those meant to care.

Each group identifies:

• Meaning

• Tone

• Any figurative language or poetic technique

• Effect on the reader

Write an introduction and one body paragraph responding to the question: How does Katherine Philips use tone and imagery to convey her message in A Married State?