Taylor Bosse

English 100
Patrides
Literary Analysis
3/4/16
Parallels between The Tyger by William Blake and The child by Tiger by Thomas
Wolfe

The poem The Tyger is written by William Blake and its five stanzas proposing
multiple questions about this animal, or thing, trying to understand it in various ways.
Blake posed many questions such as: where were you made, how were you made,
what tools were used to make you, how did your creator react to you? Thomas Wolfe
uses The Tyger to help create a change in his main character Dick Prosser in his short
story The Child by Tiger. He uses the answers to these questions to define his
character and carry out the plot in his story.
The first stanza of the poem:
Tyger Tyger, burning bright,
In the forests of the night;
What immortal hand or eye,
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
and the last stanza of the poem:
Tyger Tyger, burning bright,
In the forests of the night;
What immortal hand or eye,
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

are very important because they are identical except for a one word change.
In the last sentence of the stanzas the word could changes to dare, this is because
Wolfes tone of the tyger has changed. In these stanzas the question Blake is posing is
who made you? and in the beginning his tone is curiosity, but after the poem continues
and the tyger is perceived in a more harmful or dangerous light and his connotation
becomes more negative and cautious saying who dare make you? and not who could
make you?
In regards to the first stanza Wolfe includes support for this question creating an
image for his man character, Dick Prosser. He includes He went too softly, at too swift a
pace. He was there upon you sometimes like a catsuddenly we felt a shadow at our
backs and, looking up, would find that Dick was there(726). This quote speaks to how
Wolfe is comparing Dick to the tyger in Blakes poem by referring to him as a cat. This
also is a good connecting point to show that Dick is not so good or pure by creating a
mysterious aurora for him by saying too soft, too swift, and comparing him to a
shadow. At the end of the story Wolfe gives a more detailed explanation as to who Dick
Prosser is. Wolfe starts off with explaining the contrast of Dick in the beginning of the
story and at the end saying the hard thud of the kicked ball, and dick moving, moving
steadily, moving silently, a storm-white world and silence, and something moving,
moving in the night. Then I would hear the furious bell, the crowd a-clamor and the
baying of the dogs, and feel the shadow coming that would never disappear(741). This
is in reference to Blake using the word immortal in his poem, so Wolfe shows how the
actions of Dick and the fear he instilled in the towns people didnt die with him. Wolfe
then expands on his description of Dick from the first stanza with He came by night,

just as he passed by night. He was nights child and partner, a token of the other side of
mans dark soul, a symbol of those things that pass by darkness and that still remain, a
symbol of mans evil innocencea friend, a brother, and a mortal enemy, an unknown
demon, two worlds togethera tiger and a child(742). This is how Wolfe expresses the
change in his story that Blake did with changing could to dare in his poem; taking a
mysterious tone and turning it into a fearful concerned tone.

The second stanza of the poem:

In what distant deeps of skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?
is posing the question where were you made? Wolfe starts off Men debated and
discussed these things a thousand timeswho and what he had been, what he had
done, where he had come from(742). At the end Wolfe includes Some said that Dick
had come from Texas, other said he had been in Georgiahe killed a man while there
and served a term at Leavenworthhe had received an honorable discharge, but had
later killed a man and had served a term in in a state prison in LouisianaHe came
from darkness. He came out of the heart of darkness, from the dark heart of the secret
and undiscovered south.(742). Wolf avoided answering this answer in a cookie cutter
fashion because a big part of Dick Prosser is his mysterious character. Wolfe still uses
Blakes poem to further his story but in this case he didnt do it by providing an answer
to the question, he just used it as a guideline to create a vague vibe for his character.

The third stanza of the poem:

And what shoulder & what art,
Could twist the sinews of they heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand? & what dread feet?
is Blake asking how were you made? Wolfes starts off saying Dick had served a long
enlistment in the United States Armythe stamp of a military man was evident in
everything he did(724). At the end of the story Wolfe adds There were a dozen stories,
a hundred clues and rumors; all came to nothing(742). Again Wolfe doesnt exactly
answer the question Blake poses but still uses it to create a sketchy feeling by using a
mysterious and questionable tone.
The fourth stanza:
What the hammer? What the chain,
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? What dread grasp,
Dare its deadly terrors clasp!
is Blake asking what tools were used to create you? When referencing this stanza
Wolfe actually uses Blakes words to attest to this question; what the hammer? What
the chain? No one ever knew. It was a mystery and a wonder(742). Wolfe ignores this
question to exaggerate Dicks mysterious characteristics.
The fifth stanza:
When stars threw down their spears
And waterd heaven with their tears:

Did he smile his work to see?

Did he who made the lamb make thee?
Blake is asking how did your creator react to you? In the beginning of the story Wolf
hints at Dicks good work and upstanding character in instances like the Sheppertons
were delighted with him(724) and we were all so proud of him. Mr. Sheperton himself
declared that Dick was the best man hed ever had, the smartest darky he had ever
known(726). Wolfe ends off saying we saw it, tried wretchedly to make ourselves
believe that once this thing had spoken to us gently, had been partner to our
confidence, object to our affection and respect. And we were sick with nausea and fear,
for something had come into our lives we could not understand(739). The difference in
these two quotes show that the realization of what Dick had and done and the kind of
person he was had instilled fear and shock in the Sheppertons. It really helps to
highlight the change in mood and perception of the story and of Dick Prosser himself.
Wolfe answered all of the questions put forth in Blakes poem in his short story,
not necessarily in order or answered clearly, or at all for that matter, but none the less
referenced to create progression in his story. Wolfe does a beautiful job of crafting his
story to adhere to the outline of Blakes poem.

Work cited page

The Tyger by William Blake
The child by Tiger by Thomas Wolfe
http://www.shmoop.com/tyger/summary.html