: What makes a personified force of nature? You guys may have heard this term before. I often see critics talking about it in some Studio Ghibli's movies where the reviewers say that the antagonist

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The traditional "man vs nature" plotline is animated by the struggle of a person or group of people against an implacable, depersonalized force of nature. The flood, or tornado,or hailstorm, or fire can't be reasoned against, it isn't out to get the protagonists, and it cares neither if they live or die. This typically leads to a very different kind of story than one with a human antagonist.

It's possible, however, to have a book with a human antagonist, but a plotline that is closer to the "man vs nature" archetype. There is no reasoning with this antagonist, he or she is implacable, relentless but possibly disinterested (not personally invested in the outcome). There is no meaningful relationship between the protagonist and the antagonist.

Inspector Javert in Les Miserables and the biker from hell in Raising Arizona are two figures that come to mind in this light. Both are clearly human beings that do interact with the protagonists at various points, but in the context of the structure of the plotlines, they arguably operate more as "forces of nature."

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The phrase "force of nature" refers, properly speaking, to a natural phenomenon outside the control of human beings. The key idea here is can't be controlled because, typically, it's too strong.

When referring to people as "forces of nature", that's still the key idea: a strong person that defies societal rules (and, therefore, can't be controlled by human society).

I tend to see characters that are 'forces of nature' more as protagonists than antagonists: they typically identify a social problem and fight against it. Society may try to force them to conform but they still carry on until they manage to reach their goal.

It's not so much about physical powers or strength, but rather inner strength. The power to force one's way against everyone else. It requires a deep faith in the righteousness of one's path (or an incredible level of stubbornness) and the capacity to suffer for a future greater good.

Of course the phrase can also be applied to people who are simply unstoppable: they want something for themselves (or their family / people / country / etc) and will stop at nothing (including atrocities) to get it. Such characters can still be ready to sacrifice themselves for their family's greater good, for example, ot they can be spoilt little brats that will step on anyone who's in their way.

Talking about Studio Ghibli films, I'd say the characters are sometimes less 'forces of nature' as I mentioned above and more 'representations of nature'. In Mononoke Hime, for example, the fight between the animal-gods and the humans can be seen as a fight between nature and humanity and both San and Ashitaka become their representatives, although breaking away from the blind conflict and searching for a balanced end to it.

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