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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 clearly played with pathetic fallacy to in conclusion create a real atmosphere. This novel is poetic fiction. 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. The storm is described in great detail, clearly a mirror of the turmoil of the events taking place concurrently. The destructiveness and power of the storm would probably suggest to a reader the destructive power of war, hate, and especially the effect of the trial on the small community of San Piedro Island. More personally, these descriptions echo the passionate feelings of Ishmael, buffeted in his mind by the events as much as the force of nature buffets the land and sea. Nature seems to act in tune with human moods and actions. As the inhabitants must respond effectively and