Four seasons, spring, summer, fall, and winter. Each define a literal and symbolic meaning in the form of written word. Most cliché symbols include death, rebirth, cleansing, etc. All the seasons invoke certain types of weather that can add to the symbolic themes.
One in particular being rain which is often interpreted as a way to show a clean slate of either a terrain or a character. For me watching rain or experiencing rain outdoors is a tranquil feeling. Both during a light drizzle and a heavy thunderstorm I can seek a sense of peace. At the same time I can also smell what I would describe as a fresh scent which contributes to the rebirth symbolism one might achieve from a sudden downpour of water. In an adjacent season, the weather might include fog and humidity which in my experience is accompanied by a great deal of uncertainty. This is especially true when I'm driving and have such a limited sight distance. The unknown has a mass impact on my daily actions and in most cases you'll see an increase in carefulness. This increase in care is due to the erie and mysterious feelings that are brought on by fog and its unknown aspects. Alternatively, a high intensity heat of an august summer day can cause a series of impacts and actions on a character. A man can be literally caught in the sizzle of the sun causing him to become consumed by delusions. Similar to this, heat can symbolize a drought of many kinds, not just an agricultural loss. In my mind a drought can equal infertility which can effect not only soil, but characters in a story. A woman may be told that she is unable to bear children which can be intensified by a serious drought occurring in the character’s location.
Weather, no matter what season it occurs, adds both a physical and metaphorical meaning to a story. In my opinion it’s biggest influence is on the characters’ mood. Changing something as natural as weather can drastically alter how a character feels at a certain time on a given day. For instance in the novel “And Then There Were None,” by Agatha Christie, an on set of stormy weather completely changed the tone of all the people on the island. The storm morphed the guests into a state of fear and panic. At the time they were merely afraid of the destruction that could be brought on by the storm, but later the characters realize the real danger was the murderous nature of the inhabitants of the island.
Weather doesn’t just occur to prove reality, it happens to shape a story in one way or another. This may be through something as simple as changing a characters means of transportation or something as drastic as allowing the character to experience a life changing epiphany. What ever it is that happens, I know now that a single rain drop can alter even the largest of events in the universe.
