A Pregenerative Soul’s Fear of Life William Blake’s poem “Book of Thel” conveys the emotions and ideas that Thel experiences during a process of transformation. While there are a number of images which may suggest that the theme of the poem consists of the transition of a young girl into an adolescent, it seems that a stronger argument could be made for a pregenerative soul on the verge of mortality. Its existence at the precipice between heaven and earth seems to be the cause of a good deal of trepidation; trepidation regarding a purpose in life. The fear of becoming a living being stems both directly and indirectly from a fear of death: “‘Why fade these children of th