Tornado in "The Light Will Pour in"

The tornado mentioned at the end of "The Light Will Pour in" is a symbol of Trish and the narrator's destructive and dysfunctional relationship. The narrator explains that, after their cross-country trip, the couple settled down in a small town and Trish began drinking again. One night, they watched from the window as a tornado hit their porch and carried off their wind chimes, and they could "hear the music of them tinkling around up there, spinning in the dark sky" (127). This description is meant to evoke Trish's beautiful singing voice—a talent she has seemingly squandered by running away with the narrator and engaging in self-destructive behavior.