The Little Black Boy

Also relevant to this poem is Blake's use of politically neutral colours such as gold and silver, in his other works, when describing things of moral value.

The most valuable things in life, in terms of spirituality and wisdom, are anointed with colours that are indifferent to race and social class, yet are related to financial status, as gold and silver evoke images of precious metals.

Cultural historian and literary scholar Jonathan Perris has also suggested that the poem is an ironic and critical representation of Christian evangelism.

The little black boy undergoes partial Christianisation, placing him in a liminal position between African religiosity and institutional Protestantism.

[1] Scholars agree that "The Little Black Boy" is the ninth object in the order of the original printings of the Songs of Innocence and Experience.