Examples of Foreshadowing

Introduction

Foreshadowing is used in a write-up or movie, among others, to give a clue about an event that will occur sooner or later. It uses people, events or information that indicate that something good or bad will happen later in the story.

Foreshadowing puts readers in suspense. Foreshadowing arouses a reader’s curiosity to want to read on, because of the suspense and surprises that come from foreshadowing.

A novel or movie that doesn’t contain foreshadowing is always boring to read or watch; it gives the reader nothing to expect, which makes it uninteresting.

What you need to consider when foreshadowing

Don’t Let your foreshadowing be too obvious

Portray the fact that something spectacular is about to happen, be sure to keep the nature of the event hidden to arouse your audience’s anticipation, yet keep them imagining what will happen next. You can also use foreshadowing to lead your audience astray by making them think that A is going to happen, but Y happens.

If you made a promise at the outset of your story, be sure to fulfil it

Assuming at the beginning of your novel, for example, you foreshadowed the death of a character and yet at the end of your novel the character survived death, this will make your audience to be disappointed that you raised their hopes and then failed to deliver.

In storytelling, we usually use a device in storytelling called the two-shoe contract. This is where a first shoe drops to the floor in a room, the second should also be anticipated to drop later.

• The event being foreshadowed is the first shoe.

• The second is the main event.

• In simple English, this implies that every promise made in the novel must be delivered.

• A promise should be made in advance regarding any big event.

• Never promise that a character will die if the character will not die.

Planning and writing a novel is a complicated process. it’s easy to find yourself in a hopeless jumble when you are not organized or disciplined.

Examples of Foreshadowing -How to Foreshadow Events

While plotting your novel, focus on foreshadowing the novel’s key events.

To know which events were foreshadowed and which weren’t, you need to revise your novel to know this and then make the necessary adjustment.

Examples of Foreshadowing

We are going to consider nine examples of Foreshadowing in this article;

Foreshadow by Naming an Approaching Event

Just naming the event and also showing why the event is probably going to be significant is one of the easiest ways of Foreshadowing. Hence you could start a chapter of your novel with these…

Roland drove out of the house at ten o’clock to meet his dad for lunch at a renowned restaurant. Of course, they both knew that Roland required money again and not a small amount this time.

Looking at the foreshadowed event above, Roland’s meeting with his dad was going to be uneasy. As the reader, you look forward to seeing how events unfold before meeting the two characters at the restaurant.

You can create additional impact by foreshadowing the launch date before now, maybe a night before the actual meeting, or you could engage Roland with various tasks to carry out before meeting with his father.

By so doing, your readers will be left anticipating the turnout of the meeting as they flip through the pages of your story.

Examples of Foreshadowing -USE IRRATIONAL CONCERN

Let’s picture a girl in her early teens leaving the house in the evening to hang out with her friends; before leaving, she promises her mother that she will return home before midnight. She assures the mother that she will be fine and shouldn’t be worried while kissing her mother on her forehead. Of course, we know as readers that she won’t be fine.

If a character is excessively anxious, readers expect that these anxieties are for a reason.

At this point, you can misdirect your audience this way ….

It is now midnight, and the daughter is not yet back. The mother is anxiously watching from the window to see if her daughter will return, only for her to hear a knock on the door; as she opens the door, she hopes it’s her daughter and boom!!! It’s a masked man with a dagger in his hand.

The reader was hoping to see what must have happened to the daughter but to his or her greatest surprise, the mother was the victim instead.

So you see, foreshadowing has helped you to create both surprise and suspense.

Foreshadowing with a “pre-scene.”

This form of Foreshadowing shows an event that will later reoccur.

Example, imagine a guy walking into a bar, in a Western movie for instance, the guy buys a drink and after he is done drinking, leaves the bar. Sitting at a corner in the bar is another guy, the bad guy. He spits on the ground while frowning. At this point, the reader expects something unpleasant to happen at their next meeting.

Showing the Reader a loaded

As a reader sees a loaded gun hidden in a glove or drawer, he begins to anticipate events that will involve using a gun.

Apprehension of character

The apprehension of character can also be used to foreshadow. This can involve gestures, facial expressions, words. Here the reader is expecting to discover what will result from such gestures or expressions.

Use of Narration to Foreshadow

You can use narration to foreshadow, by telling readers that something is about to happen while leaving details out, to keep the readers in suspense to maintain their interest.

Foreshadowing using predictions

Predictions can be used to foreshadow in a story. Examples are where a character reads his or her horoscope or lose his talisman.

Use of symbols to foreshadow

Storm clouds, animals or birds can be used as symbols to arouse readers’ expectations, which is a good example of Foreshadowing.

Use of character‘s thoughts to foreshadow.

Character’s thoughts like: “ I already promised myself that I will shed blood again, kettle did I know that I will go back on my promise”. This type of Foreshadowing puts the reader on suspense.

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