Discuss the symbolism of snow in snow falling on cedars
In ‘Snow Falling on Cedars’, the snow symbolizes many relationships, many themes and Guterson has used the weather very masterfully to in effect create a significant atmosphere. The snow’s behavior seems to run in parallel with the emotions flaring at that time. ... Guterson has used symbolism and consciously used poetic language as a device to heighten the emotional effect on the reader. In the novel the snow is used both literally, to project this poetic language, and metaphorically to relate the weather with the trial. ... Ishmael also takes a moment to reflect on the snow when with Hatsue, saying that ‘the snow is beautiful’ even though it had caused Hatsue ‘trouble’. The snow brings out many emotions in the characters, thus Guterson has used it as a link between characters in the way of their expression of it, which then reflects on the way we perceive them. Hatsue reflects on the trial when Ishmael talks about the snow, saying that the ‘trial is unfair’ and it was ‘just prejudice’ that Kabuo was put on trial in the first place. I believe that Guterson uses the snow as an indicator of what the characters are like, as we see the difference in how they treat the snow. Kabuo is content at the presence of the snow, after being isolated in his cell for so long, it is a relief for him. The community are distraught as they have had to adjust their lives around the snow. Ishmael holds the snow as a piece of memento of the past that brings many emotions to the surface, some of which he wants to remember (ones associated with his intimacy with Hatsue) and some of which he wants to forget, for example, the war in which he lost his arm.