Alexis Kenney

The poem The Chimney Sweeper compares and contrasts in its two different versions of songs of innocence and the other being songs of experience. They compare because they both are about chimneysweepers and they both have the common theme of church. They contrast because one is more detailed and they are different in their stories. They both have different plots and different stories to tell. They have more contrasting factors then comparing factors.

They contrast because in The Chimney Sweeper of songs of innocence the poem is lengthier along with being more detailed. It talks more about the background of the life Tom Dacre. The poem tells us that his mom was dead and his dad had sold him to chimneysweepers. In this version it also shows Tom as upset and crying. In this first version it also has two stanzas dedicated to Toms dream of him being free and how even when he woke up and realized it was a dream his was still happy because he realized if the all do their duties they shouldnt fear harm. In the second version of songs of experience it is quit shorter. This version isnt very detailed and it doesnt provide a name for the character and it doesnt provide background info on the character. In this version both of the parents are alive, it also shows the character as happy. These two versions have many differing factors.

These two poems compare in several ways. They both have the theme of church. They both also talk about heaven or reference heaven and mention God.

Both also are about chimneysweepers and their feeling toward what they do. They both talk about the characters parents in one way or another. They also both reference death in some way where it be talking about death or inferring it by mentioning coffins. Both poems exemplifies commonalties.