Whether the Weather Matters

   

     Weather, like many things in literature, can be packed with symbolism. But at times, it is trickier to figure out than other disputed symbols. Thomas C. Foster has shown us that rain can have more than one meaning in a story, which makes it crucial to pinpoint the one that the author intended to use. For instance, rain can cleanse and ring new life, but it can also cause sickness and death.
    I once read a story in which a man was cast from his ship into the ocean during a massive storm. Seeking refuge, he came across a large manor on an otherwise deserted island, and he was invited in by the butler. All the while, it was raining. Now the most immediate use of this rain was to set an eerie mood for the reader. But because the man later discovers that the owner of the manor plans to hunt down any guests and kill them, eventually sealing his fate by falling to the mercy of his own dogs, I believe that there is more to this rain than meets the eye. It could be a symbol of the foreboding deaths in the novel. he death of the protagonist's ship mates could've been one event that the rain was emphasizing, or possibly the oncoming death of the manor owner.
       Then again, this weather could have a completely different meaning than originally expected. Maybe it is the healing type of rain, the kind that brings new starts. You see, from the death of the deranged, human hunting rich man, his evil ways were expunged, and our hero is free of the terror that was placed upon him. The rain could mean either of these things, or perhaps both. But I may never know, for I did not write the tale. I do know, however, that rain is very versatile in story writing , and the same goes for most types of weather.
      I got to thinking about snow because it can also be versatile. It can be pure, deadly, and disgusting. I recall reading the first Septimus Heap novel, "Magyk". It begins with a man trudging through a blizzard, struggling to make it back to where he lives, when he comes across a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths laying in the snow.In this particular example, the snow was for purity. The man found a pure, innocent child in the pure, white snow. However, that is but one side of the uses of snow. Another differing example is found in "The Lord of the Rings, The fellowship of the Ring". The bold party is attempting to make their way across the mountain side, when they are hit by a terrible snow storm. On the wind, they believe they hear a voice beckoning the snow to surround them and freeze them to death. In this case, the snow was used for it's deathly capabilities. The poor hobbits almost became icicles!
       With the help of Foster, I was able to guess at, if not determine the underlying meaning of weather when used in these three stories. The most significant thought that I took away from this chapter was the fact that a single storm could have various meanings for different authors. We grow up with the knowledge of rain, sunshine, snow, etc., but how we interpret each occurrence in our lives has a huge impact on what every one of us thinks about those natural events. It's all reflected in the stories we tell, and the connotations we inflict upon them. You just have to be able to look deeper when an author writes about a light shower or a freezing burst of wind. It may tell you all you need to know.

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