Foreshadowing

**__Examples:__** " 'But [Mrs. wishnow ] is dead!' Seldon screamed." page 335 This dialogue demonstrates one particular spot in //The Plot Against America// where the author uses hints to foreshadow an upcoming event. Even though Seldon clearly states..."But she is dead" refering to his mother. While Seldon's mother did die, it is not known until later in the chapter that she ineed did die. This is important becuase Roth's particular style often includes characters clearly presenting an issue, while the other characters (Mrs. Roth in this example) deny it, or make themselves believe it isn't true. This form of writing Roth uses comes up throughout the book. As a result, the audience has a chance to pick up the style and start interpreting the book early on...thanks to, what appears to be a simple style of forsehadowing.
 * __Foreshadowing__** is the author’s use of hints to direct the audience to a conclusion or future event before verified in the text.

“But I had only my one concern from the time we entered Washington until we left-preserving my stamp collection from harm.” Page61. “There was one thing I couldn’t leave behind – my stamp album. Perhaps if I could have [left it there if he had] been sure that it would be preserved undisturbed after I was gone...but it was intolerable to think of my album ever being broken up or thrown out or, worst of all, given away wholly to another boy.  à The author’s repetition of Philip’s treasured stamp collection makes it a significant part of the story. The emphasis he puts on the fear Philip has for losing the stamp collection furthers the thought that maybe he will lose it. As verified later in the text Philip does lose his stamp collection. When running away to the orphanage, stamp collection in hand due to his fear of losing it, he is knocked unconcious and loses the collection. This device that Roth uses is pretty basic but is a great example none the less. We are trying to avoid the youtube video cliché by taking an example from another text, //The Outsiders//. In the book two boys flee to an old church after committing a murder. "We were careful with out cigarettes- it that old church ever caught fire there'd be no stopping it," page 79. After this passage the church does burn to the ground because of the boys careless cigarette smoking. This passage, in hindsight, is a pretty obvious foreshadow. Although it is very simple to see it is a great way to start an understanding for the term. Even though this foreshadow is pretty straight forward, in more challenge texts it may be harder to spot such foreshadows.
 * __Outside Example:__**

Edited by Steven R. Grosskreutz and Melissa Malloy