Reading Response 3

"The Little Black Boy"

         The Songs of Innocence and of Experience by William Blake express a minority’s thoughts and feelings toward the world’s status-quoi beliefs. Christine Gallant of Georgia State University sheds light on William Blake’s hidden motives and inklings about his beliefs toward the enslaved world in her article “Blake’s Antislavery Designs for Songs of Innocence and of Experience.” Gallant discerns Blake’s concern toward the ironic abolitionists who seek to end slavery yet maintain racist ethos. The depictions and artistry that is seen throughout the songs are at times more powerful than the written word in the poems in suggesting this twisted mindset. Gallant mainly focuses on the art throughout the Songs to interpret and explain Blake’s criticism and opposition to slavery but also the hypocritical evangelical abolitionists. Undisputed as the best works from Blake, the Songs are to be considered a beacon of truth to the world of slavery and the war that occurs inside oneself. Gallant states trying to uncover Blake’s real motives, “over and over, Blake emphasizes the Biblical point that man was created “in the image of God,” a sly reminder to those of a missionary bent that the “divine image” comes in many colors.” Reading Gallant’s article can only spark a person’s interest. As you go along and read her journey of digging and searching and demystifying Blake’s most profound works, you come to realize the truth that can be found in his words. This man was horribly confused, his own faith becoming irresolute. Gallant lays the foundation to Blake’s work by sharing the history of both the Haitian Revolution and the Saint-Domingue revolt. Believed to be Blake’s inspiration, the revolutions are the base for Blake’s poems and artistry. The conflict in England was between the proslavery community, which was clearly the majority, and the evangelical abolitionists. Blake indicates his dilemma in his poetry when the pronounced evangelical groups who insist on sharing the Word of God to the black slaves, yet show no resistance to those who enforce slavery. Overall, Gallant focuses most of her time writing on the irony that can be found within Evangelical Abolitionists and their overall actions toward slavery.

Gallant states in her article, “over and over, Blake emphasizes the Biblical point that man was created “in the image of God,” a sly reminder to those of a missionary bent that the “divine image” comes in many colors." I found myself while reading this article wishing I could have lived along side a man that was so full of truth and understanding of the world around him. I can only imagine his frustration with the entire situation that fell upon his country.  I am a Christian of faith and it would be terrifying to see my fellow Christians ignore what they are seeing with their own eyes.  Gallant states over and over the pain that Blake feels and how it took the two revolutions to ignited his heart and begin voicing for what he thought was right. We cannot continue to let this conflict break us apart. Gallant digs deeper into decoding a specific illustration, one that is found within the poem, “The Little Black Boy.” The image can be described as two young boys, one of white color and one of black, near a savior figure. The young white boy is kneeling considered being in the same posture as the Wedgwood Slave-Seal. The Wedgwood Slave-Seal was simply a symbol created by Josiah Wedgwood in association with the Abolitionists Society. The irony is then displayed as the white boy kneels in the “slave-like” posture, as the black boy tends to the smoothing of the white boy’s hair while standing. The savior focuses all attention on the white boy, excluding the black boy. Gallant makes the astounding interpretation of Blake’s work by stating, “in other words, it is the white boy who is the slave, with the “mind forg’d manacles” that prevent him from loving the black boy so unlike him.” I stand in amazement every time I read this sentence by Gallant. The irony that the many who forced enslavement upon so many black humans were actually the one’s missing out on a wonderful harmonious life. The white race was actually the enslaved race. Gallant all throughout her article expounded Blake’s illustrations and brought to light his underlining thoughts. I believe whole heartedly what Blake was trying to covey through his poetry during that appalling time. I have found a new appreciation for not just what Blake wrote about, but what all romantics believed and transcribed through their poetry.