Part B: Poetry
Poem 5: The Little Black Boy
Poet: William Blake
Class 11 – General English | PSEB | A Panorama of Life
Central Idea
The poem “The Little Black Boy” by William Blake deals with racial discrimination and the spiritual equality of all human beings. A black child explains how his mother taught him about God and the meaning of life. She tells him that the sun’s heat is like God’s love and that their dark skin is temporary, like a cloud that will disappear when their souls learn to bear the warmth of divine love. The child hopes that one day racial differences will disappear and that black and white people will live together in love and happiness. The poem criticises racial prejudice and conveys the message that all human beings are equal in the eyes of God.
Q.1 Comprehension
I. Answer the following questions.
1. Why does the black child think that the English child is an angel?
The black child thinks that the English child is like an angel because the English child has white skin, which is traditionally associated with angels and purity. In contrast, the black child believes that his own dark skin makes him appear different. This comparison reflects the racial attitudes of the society in which the poem is set.
2. What does the rising sun give us?
The rising sun gives us light and heat. According to the child’s mother, God lives in the East and gives His light and warmth to all living beings. Flowers, trees, animals and human beings receive comfort in the morning and joy at noon.
3. What are the black bodies compared to?
The black bodies and the sunburnt face are compared to a cloud and a shady grove. The child’s mother explains that these are temporary coverings that will disappear when the soul learns to bear the warmth of divine love.
4. What happens when our souls learn to bear the heat?
When our souls learn to bear the heat of God’s love, the cloud of bodily differences will disappear. The soul will become free from the limitations associated with physical appearance, and people will experience divine love and happiness.
5. When will the black cloud vanish?
The black cloud will vanish when the human soul has learnt to bear the warmth of God’s love. The image suggests that racial differences are temporary and that spiritual equality will ultimately overcome them.
6. What will God’s voice tell them to do?
God’s voice will invite them to come out from the grove and rejoice around His golden tent like lambs. This represents a state of divine love, peace and happiness in which all people are welcome.
7. What does the black boy want to do for the white boy?
The black boy wants to protect the white boy from the heat until he is strong enough to bear it. He hopes to stand beside him, stroke his silver hair and become like him, so that the white boy will love him. His wish expresses his desire for friendship, acceptance and equality.
II. Do you think that the poem is about a child’s acceptance of suffering and injustice? Give reasons for your answer.
Yes, the poem shows how a black child has been taught to accept suffering and racial injustice through his mother’s religious explanation of life. She tells him that his dark skin is like a cloud and that the soul will eventually be freed from physical differences by divine love.
However, the poem also exposes the unfairness of a society that makes the child feel inferior because of his skin colour. The black boy regards the white child as angelic and hopes that the white boy will eventually love him. His words reveal a longing for acceptance in a world affected by racial prejudice.
Thus, the poem presents both the child’s acceptance of suffering and his hope for a future in which racial differences no longer divide people.
III. Match the words given in Column A with their comparisons in Column B.
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| 1. Angel | English child |
| 2. East | God’s Home |
| 3. Sun-burnt face | Black body |
| 4. Cloud | Shady grove |
| 5. Lamb | Innocent child |
IV. Select the correct figure of speech used in the following lines.
1. “White as an angel is the English child.”
Answer: Simile. The English child’s whiteness is compared to an angel using the word “as”.
2. “And these black bodies and this sun-burnt face / Is but a cloud.”
Answer: Metaphor. The black bodies and sunburnt face are directly compared to a cloud without using “like” or “as”.
3. “And round my golden tent like lambs rejoice.”
Answer: Simile. The people rejoicing around God’s golden tent are compared to lambs using the word “like”.