Foreshadowing

Foreshadowing

1. FORESHADOWING

2. Foreshadowing is a literary device that writers utilize as a means to indicate or hint to readers something that is to follow or appear later in a story. Foreshadowing, when done properly, is an excellent device in terms of creating suspense and dramatic tension for readers. It can set up emotional expectations of character behaviors and/or plot outcomes.

3. Common Examples of Foreshadowing Writers and storytellers utilize recurring symbols, motifs, and other elements as foreshadowing. Dialogue , such as “I have a bad feeling about this” Symbols , such as blood, certain colors, types of birds, weapons Weather motifs , such as storm clouds, wind, rain, clearing skies Character reactions , such as apprehension, curiosity, secrecy Time and/or season , such as midnight, dawn, spring, winter Settings , such as graveyard, battlefield, isolated path, river

4. EXAMPLE OF FORESHADOWING : In the fairy tale, Little Red Riding Hood, the mother is concerned for her daughter's safety. Her concern foreshadows the appearance of the big bad wolf. In Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade, when Donavan says that they are a few steps away from the Grail, Indy says, "that's usually where the ground falls out from underneath your feet." Later, there is an earthquake when they find the Grail. Foreshadowing as a storytelling motif started from the very first star wars film. In a NEW HOPE, Lucas uses light and dark colors to signify the good and bad guys.

5. TYPES OF FORESHADOWING: Direct foreshadowing: Sometimes a narrator or character makes an explicit declaration about what will happen later in the text. For example , when the prologue of Romeo and Juliet reveals that two lovers will end up taking their lives, that is an example of very direct foreshadowing. INDIRECT FORESHADOWING: readers likely won’t realize the meaning of the clues until they witness the foreshadowed event. A great example of indirect foreshadowing occurs in The Empire Strikes Back : In a mysterious vision, Luke Skywalker sees that the face behind Darth Vader’s mask is his own.

6. Significance of Foreshadowing in Literature Foreshadowing has been used as a literary device for many centuries, and can be found everywhere from ancient Greek tragedies and old English epics to contemporary novels and plays. Authors might use foreshadowing so as to prepare the reader for some sort of shock or twist in the story. Foreshadowing can also subtly shift the mood of a piece of literature by introducing either some optimism in a dark piece or hinting at a tragic outcome in what otherwise seems to be a happy story. This usage of foreshadowing adds tension and leads to certain expectations on the part of the reader that the author can either satisfy.