Storm Symbolism in Literature: Examples and Meanings

Symbolism is a literary device involving the usage of symbolic elements—which can be words, people, animals, marks, locations, or abstract ideas—to represent something more profound than their literal meaning. Fairy tales frequently utilize literary symbolism to convey a story’s central idea to young audiences. For instance, the Brothers Grimm often used the forest to symbolize both mystery and peril.

From works of literature to famous paintings to film, artists employ symbolism to implicitly communicate ideas, foreshadow events, contribute to a mood, or grab the reader’s attention.

In literature, storm symbolism involves using extreme weather conditions—rain, thunder and lightning, dark clouds, and strong winds—to represent a deeper meaning. Writers may use stormy weather to hint at the turbulent emotional state of the main character or emphasize a theme. When writers indicate that a storm is on the horizon, they are often foreshadowing that a major plot point—often passionate or unpleasant—will soon occur.

Some writers may also use stormy weather to manufacture a more dramatic mood within the background of the story’s setting.

Whether you want to study storm symbolism in your favorite literary work or are looking to inject deeper meaning into your own story, here’s a breakdown of what extreme weather conditions commonly signify in literature:

1. 1. Change: Clear, sunny skies suddenly turning dark without warning can represent an abrupt and extreme change, either indicating devastation or rejuvenation (similar to the aftermath of a storm).
2. 2. Despair: Like the metaphor of a rain cloud hovering over your head, a rainstorm may symbolize sadness, depression, and hopelessness.
3. 3. Dread: Writers frequently use a storm to foreshadow an unfortunate event (like a death or a major betrayal). With a storm comes darkness and possible destruction, fostering feelings of apprehension, fear, and impending doom.
4. 4. Emotional turmoil: A storm may be a visual representation of a character’s tumultuous inner struggle. For instance, at the beginning of a storm, a character might be holding in lots of negative thoughts and feelings. As the storm's intensity grows, the character will likely act on their thoughts and release their true feelings.
5. 5. Passion: A storm can symbolize a character’s intense passion, either in the form of anger or love.
6. 6. Uncertainty: Due to the unpredictable nature of storms, writers may use them to represent uncertainty, madness, and chaos. A writer may use the metaphor of a storm rolling in when a character has to make a difficult decision with serious consequences.

Take a look at these examples of literary works containing storm symbolism and examine the different meanings in each story.

1. 1. King Lear by William Shakespeare: In act three of this Shakespearean tragedy, the Bard introduces a powerful thunderstorm to serve multiple purposes. Not only does the storm signify Lear’s descent into madness after running away from his daughters, but also the pandemonium of his reign’s tumultuous downfall.
2. 2. Lord of the Flies by William Golding: In William Golding’s classic debut novel, a storm strikes the island immediately after the group of boys murders one of their own. Golding uses the storm to symbolize a drastic change—that the once innocent boys have lost their humanity, solidifying the island as a place of mayhem.
3. 3. The Storm by Kate Chopin: The titular thunderstorm that develops throughout Kate Chopin’s short story represents the deeply passionate sexual desire between ex-lovers Alcée and Calixta. The storm’s progression directly mirrors their romantic encounter, and dark clouds arrive with the initial spark of sexual tension. The pair act on their desires as the storm clouds release hard rain and lightning, finally giving way to clear skies as the two adulterers—now freed of their tension—collapse beside each other, fully relaxed.
4. 4. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë: Correlating with the emotional turmoil of its main characters, storms frequently occur throughout Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights. For example, a wild and stormy wind blows around the farmhouse the night that Catherine’s father passes away. Later in the novel, a devastated Heathcliff runs away after overhearing Catherine say she can’t marry him due to his low social status. Catherine, distraught, proceeds to search outside for Heathcliff but spends the night stuck in a violent storm that nearly kills her.

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