Figures of Speech

• Alliteration: Hopkins repeats the same consonant sounds at the beginning of words to give the poem a musical rhythm. Example: “With swift, slow; sweet, sour” — the repeated ‘s’ sounds make the line smooth and musical. It also shows the contrast in nature in a flowing way.
• Imagery: Hopkins uses vivid and descriptive words to help us see and feel the beauty in nature. Example: “Fresh-firecoal chestnut-falls” — we can imagine the reddish-brown chestnuts falling like burning coals. This strong image makes us feel the beauty in even small, simple things.
• Oxymoron: Hopkins places opposite words together to show contrast and variety in nature. Example: “Swift, slow; sweet, sour” — these opposite pairs show how nature is full of differences, and yet all are beautiful. This makes us appreciate the mixed and opposite qualities of the world.
• Symbols:
• Dappled Things: Symbolize variety, imperfection, and beauty in diversity. These include spotted animals, mixed-colored skies, and patterned fish—all showing that not everything has to be perfect to be beautiful.
• Sky and Clouds: Symbolize the ever-changing nature of life and God’s creativity. 
• Fish with Fins: Symbolize uniqueness and detail in creation. 
• Landscape and Farmland: Symbolize human interaction with nature. 
• God (at the end): Symbolizes the eternal and unchanging beauty behind all changing things. Though nature is full of variety, God’s glory is everlasting and perfect.

• God made all things beautiful.
• Even strange things are full of beauty.