ENGL 2240 Chapter Notes - Chapter 5 (anthology): Indentured Servant, Deeper Understanding, The Chimney Sweeper
Document Summary
-the catechism is an educational tool in the anglican church used to teach children. Bible verses, parables, and hymns; usually in the form of a question/answer game . -the child is catechizing the lamb; in other words, playing church. -even though the poem is full of questions, there are no question marks present. The lamb is unable to answer the child"s questions, necessitating the child to both pose the questions and provide the answers. -while the fact that the child attempts to teach the lamb the catechism demonstrates the speaker"s sweetness and innocence, it also exposes the limits of the child"s mind. -the child is simply regurgitating the information he has learned in church, apparently without truly understanding the meaning of the exercise. It can be deduced from the poem that the speaker considers the catechism merely a game; success is achieved when he can repeat it, but the subject matter is lost on him.
