Problems with Hurricanes

The campesino in “Problems with Hurricanes” argues that appearances can be deceptive, especially when it comes to what humans tend to worry about most or interpret as the greatest dangers to themselves. The figure of the campesino embodies the unexpected power in seemingly simple people or things. The campesino is humble and appears to be a simple man of the countryside, but he shares some unexpected wisdom and is highly cognizant of the unpredictability of nature. He provides the speaker with new knowledge that could potentially be lifesaving.

However, even more surprising than the character of the campesino is the characterization of hurricanes. To most people, a hurricane is to be feared because of its awesome natural powers. The campesino acknowledges that the more obvious powers of nature—the winds, waves, and even the “noise” of a natural disaster—tend to be what attracts the most attention (and fear) during a hurricane. Nevertheless, he argues that it is not the hurricane itself that is to be feared most, but a byproduct of it: the fruit that flies like projectiles. This demonstrates that while most people will notice and worry about the largest and most obvious dangers, things that are seemingly small, simple, and unexpected might be the most dangerous things of all.