Foreshadowing in Literature

Definition

• Foreshadowing: A narrative device where hints or warnings about future events are suggested or planted in the story.
• Can be obvious or obscure, sometimes only recognizable in hindsight.

Key Concepts

• Plot vs. Narrative:
  • Plot: Order of events in a linear sequence.
  • Narrative: How events are told or related.
• Foreshadowing occurs early in the narrative to hint at events in the plot.

Purposes of Foreshadowing

• Increases suspense or tension.
• Common in genres relying on suspense, such as Gothic novels and horror movies.

Examples of Foreshadowing

"Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley (1818)

• Victor Frankenstein's Childhood:
  • Victor finds mystical texts by Cornelius Agrippa during a vacation.
  • His father's dismissive response foreshadows Victor's future transgression of scientific boundaries.
  • Quote: Victor reflects on how his father's lack of guidance led him to ruin.
• Thunderstorm Scene:
  • Victor recalls witnessing a lightning strike destroy an oak tree.
  • This incident is later connected to his use of electricity in reanimating a creature.
  • Readers recognize the lightning strike as foreshadowing of Victor's experimental power source.

Foreshadowing in Realist Narratives

• Example: A first-person narrator hints at future events, such as missing morning coffee leading to consequences later.
• Commonly used in narrative storytelling to alert readers to anticipate outcomes.

Conclusion

• Foreshadowing serves as a narrative tool to engage readers, generate anticipation, and enrich storytelling by hinting at future events.