The poem "The Village Blacksmith," by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, strongly emphasizes the values commonly associated with the Protestant work ethic through the character of a blacksmith in a small town. To this end, the blacksmith's Sunday activity is to attend church. At church, his daughter sings in the choir, and his heart rejoices to hear her, especially because her voice reminds him of his mother's voice. We learn that his mother, whom he loved very dearly, has passed on, and when he hears his daughter sing and is reminded of her, he cries. The ending of the poem indicates that this sorrow is part of what fuels his work, and his work is what allows him to rest soundly at night.