The murder of Joe St. George takes place during the solar eclipse, which provides Dolores with a cover for her violent deed. Additionally, the eclipse functions as a link between Dolores and Jessie (the protagonist of a later Stephen King novel, Gerald’s Game, which takes place during the same solar eclipse) who are united by not only the path of totality but also by their shared traumatic experiences. Eclipses are frequently viewed as powerful symbols of transformation, and harbingers of danger. Early myths about eclipses often involved beasts swallowing the sun and threatening the lives of humans. These myths foreground the eclipse as simultaneously dangerous and redeeming. While most of Dolores Claiborne’s plot is grounded and realistic, the eclipse functions as a supernatural element that highlights the horror of Dolores’s and Jessie’s experiences.

For the people of Little Tall Island, the eclipse is a time of celebration. Vera Donovan hires a boat and hosts a party for eclipse viewers; the hotel holds festivities on the roof for tourists and locals. Despite these joyous events, King notes in the foreword that the eclipse caused chaos in the land as birds roosted in confusion and nocturnal animals awakened.