The Chimney Sniper

In William Blake’s poem, “the Chimney Sweeper,” paradox, understatements, overstatements, and different forms of irony take place to tell the story of the young chimney sweeper. The speaker contradicts his placement as the chimney sweeper and how it affects his health if he were to or not to perform the task, “So if all do their duty the need not fear harm.” (24) The excerpt proposes paradox in that if the children were to not clean the chimneys, their masters would harm them but if they were to clean them without the master becoming upset with them, their health is jeopardized. Both situations of cleaning or not cleaning the chimneys lead to harmful outcomes for the young sweeper. Furthermore, the speaker identifies cleaning the chimney as