What is the author's style in Friend of My Youth: Stories by Alice Munro?

All the stories in this collection are full of symbolism. Nature, particularly weather, is commonly used as a metaphor for the pain and violence that are an inevitable part of life. In Pictures of the Ice, the harsh weather emphasizes the characters' struggles and their feelings of isolation. A snow storm traps Karin in the house when her baby is dying of meningitis, and a snow storm traps Austin inside just days before he is due to leave, threatening his escape.