The Woman in the Rain

How grief shaped summer blockbusters’ heroines

I recently treated myself to a double feature at the local cinema: A Quiet Place: Day One followed by Twisters. The order was deliberate: I knew A Quiet Place would be distressing and wanted a nostalgic palate cleanse for afterward. And while Twisters was indeed a delightful throwback to one of my favorite ‘90s adventure thrillers, it was also surprisingly smart — and emotional.

In A Quiet Place: Day One, poet Sam (Lupita Nyong’o) urges Eric (Joseph Quinn) to seek safety, whispering sage advice under the cover of a gentle rain. In Twisters, meteorologist Kate yells over the roar of a tornado, drenched by rainwater. In both, the rain is a sign of their personal revelation, if not their power.

Battling the Elements

Women have long been linked with nature — compared to storms, flowers, fires, and so on. We are seen as nature’s caregivers, the ones who raise children, cultivate growth, and get cranky when the moon is full.

Throughout history, those associations spurred claims of witchcraft and heresy. After all, Eve was the one who sampled a truly delicious fruit, while Adam and his descendants built A Society™️. Women have been both cherished and punished for their alleged power to ensure a good harvest, prevent (or…