examples of foreshadowing in creative writing

20+ Foreshadowing Examples + How to Use it Effectively

• Updated: 03/04/24
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Foreshadowing is a powerful literary technique that writers employ to hint at future events in their storytelling, creating suspense and keeping readers engrossed.

It’s like leaving breadcrumbs that lead your reader through the unfolding narrative, piquing their curiosity and heightening their engagement.

This article will explore over 20 different foreshadowing examples to help you better understand how it can be used in writing to craft compelling and intriguing narratives.

So get ready to uncover the subtle art of foreshadowing to enrich your storytelling skills.

What is Foreshadowing?

Foreshadowing is a literary device used by writers to hint at future events in their storytelling.

They often come in the form of indirect or subtle clues that can be interpreted as a warning or indicator of what’s to come.

When writers foreshadow events without giving away too much information, they can greatly enhance the character development and plot of their story.

It also helps to create suspense and anticipation throughout the narrative.

Types of Foreshadowing With Examples

There are several different types of foreshadowing that authors can employ. The two overarching categories include:

• Direct foreshadowing: This simply states what’s to come in the story by explicitly revealing what’s to come.
• Indirect foreshadowing: This provides subtle hints that readers must decipher by themselves to work out upcoming events.

It’s indirect foreshadowing that is often more effective than direct foreshadowing as it creates suspense and keeps readers engaged as they try to interpret the hints.

Additionally, there are some other, more specific types of foreshadowing, including:

Red Herring

A red herring is a misleading clue that diverts the reader’s attention away from the truth. This is an effective way to throw readers off and create suspense in your writing.

For example, in the classic mystery novel, Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, we are given a red herring when one of the characters is falsely accused of murdering a fellow guest. As readers continue to read, they’ll realize that this accusation was untrue and used as a ploy to misdirect them away from the real killer.

Chekhov’s Gun

Chekhov’s gun is a plot device named after Russian playwright Anton Chekhov, which refers to an important object mentioned early in the story that will eventually become relevant later on. It’s a great way to create tension and anticipation in your writing.

Take the 2015 sci-fi film, Ex Machina, for example. We meet Nathan, a genius programmer who has created an advanced artificial intelligence named Ava. In their interactions, we learn that Nathan has been teaching Ava to dance, which seems irrelevant at first but becomes hugely significant when it’s revealed that she was using this skill as a means of escape.

Flashbacks are a type of foreshadowing that provide insights into past events that are relevant to the current plot. These can help readers to better understand characters, their struggles or motivations, as well as the truth behind certain events in the story.

In J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter series, readers are given flashbacks to Harry’s childhood as well as his parents’ past. This helps us better understand his mission, the backstory behind Voldemort, and why he must defeat him.

Flashforward

A flashforward is a scene set in the future that provides clues about events yet to come in the plot. This can be an effective technique for creating suspense and keeping readers hooked as they anticipate what’s to come.

For example, in the 2008 action movie, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, we’re given a flashforward to Indy and his companion being chased by a giant alien. This serves as an exciting teaser that has readers eagerly awaiting how they will escape this predicament.

Situational Foreshadowing

This type of foreshadowing uses environment or setting to hint at future events. It can be used to create a mood, indicating impending danger or other important aspects about the story.

One classic example of situational foreshadowing is found in the horror movie, The Shining. Throughout the film, we are presented with shots of a lonely and deserted Overlook Hotel which creates an eerie feeling that something sinister is about to occur. This type of foreshadowing helps build suspense as we move towards the climax of the story.

This type of foreshadowing uses symbols to hint at upcoming events in the story. It can be used to invoke certain emotions or feelings, as well as give readers an idea of what will happen later on in the narrative.

In the 2005 fantasy film, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, we are presented with symbols that hint at upcoming events in the plot. For instance, throughout the movie, we’re shown images of Aslan surrounded by snow which foreshadows his eventual resurrection from death.

This type of foreshadowing is the most direct and explicit. It involves predicting or foretelling what will happen in the near future. Prophecies are often used in fantasy and sci-fi stories as a form of plot device to introduce conflict, stakes, and suspense.

One famous example of prophecy being used for storytelling purposes can be found in JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy. Here, readers are presented with a prophecy that tells of a hero who will eventually save Middle-earth from destruction.

This serves as an exciting and suspenseful plot device that keeps readers engaged throughout the series.

15 Foreshadowing Examples

Now that you understand what foreshadowing is and how it works, let’s look at a few examples of how this technique has been used in a variety of contexts and mediums.

Foreshadowing Examples in Literature

Here are a few of the most iconic examples of foreshadowing in literature in some of the world’s classic works:

1. Macbeth by William Shakespeare

In Macbeth, there are multiple instances of foreshadowing to indicate the tragedy that’s unfolding.

At the very beginning, the three witches’ predictions foreshadow the future events in the play: Macbeth’s eventual kingship, his death, and Banquo’s cursed lineage.

Additionally, we’re also given several warnings from other characters about Macbeth’s ambition and thirst for power that come back later in the story.

2. The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald

In The Great Gatsby, the protagonist visits a man named Meyer Wolfsheim who runs a shady business operation that involves illegal gambling and racketeering.

This visit foreshadows Gatsby’s eventual involvement in criminal activity later in the novel.

3. Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen

In the beginning of Pride and Prejudice, the plot is set in motion when Mr. Darcy proposes marriage to Elizabeth Bennet despite his initial dislike of her.

This foreshadows their eventual reconciliation and marriage. It also shows that, despite their differences and initial impressions of each other, they eventually fall in love.

4. Hamlet by William Shakespeare

In the first scene of Hamlet, Horatio warns another character that something horrible is about to happen: “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.”

This foreshadows all of the tragedy and horror that follows later in the play. Not only does it point to specific events such as Hamlet’s father’s murder and subsequent revenge, but it also hints at larger themes of corruption and decay that run throughout the play.

Foreshadowing Examples in Film

Examples of foreshadowing can also be found frequently in films. Let’s take a look at some of the most iconic examples:

1. Psycho (1960)

In Alfred Hitchcock’s classic horror film, Psycho, we are presented with a number of scenes that foreshadow the eventual murder of Marion Crane.

One example is when Marion steals money from her boss and heads out on the run; at one point, she passes a highway sign that reads “No Vacancy.” This is a stark reminder of the vacancy at the Bates Motel where Marion will eventually meet her demise.

2. The Wizard of Oz (1939)

In the beginning of The Wizard of Oz, we meet three characters who foreshadow what’s to come in the story.

The Scarecrow is an obvious metaphor for Dorothy’s quest for knowledge and understanding, while the Tin Man represents her need for a heart and compassion. Finally, the Cowardly Lion symbolizes her courage as she takes on adventures and obstacles in her journey.

3. The Godfather (1972)

In The Godfather, multiple scenes are used to foreshadow Michael Corleone’s transition from a reluctant outsider to a powerful Mafia Don.

In the beginning of the movie, he is seen playing with his younger brother’s toy soldiers which foreshadows his eventual involvement in organized crime and leadership role within the Corleone family.

4. The Sixth Sense (1999)

In The Sixth Sense, we are presented with a number of clues that foreshadow the reveal at the end of the movie.

When Cole Sear (the main character) is talking to Malcolm Crowe (a child psychologist trying to help him), he mentions that he sees “dead people.” This line of dialogue foreshadows the reveal that Malcolm is actually dead himself.

5. The Matrix

Early on in the movie, we’re given a clue that Neo is the chosen one when Trinity tells him “The answer is out there, Neo. It’s looking for you and it will find you if you want it to.”

This foreshadows his eventual discovery of the truth about reality and hints at what lies ahead for him on his journey.

Foreshadowing Examples in Television

Foreshadowing can also be found frequently in television shows, such as:

1. Breaking Bad

Throughout the show, there are several scenes and plot points that foreshadow the eventual downfall of Walter White.

In one scene, he’s seen playing a game of chess with his son which is symbolic of him trying to outwit those around him in order to achieve his goals. This hints at the fact that his reckless actions will eventually catch up with him.

2. Game of Thrones

In the first season of Game of Thrones, there is a scene where Ned Stark warns his children not to trust anyone – especially those closest to them.

This foreshadows the events that unfold as the series progresses and we learn just how treacherous and dangerous the political landscape can be.

It shows that Ned’s warnings were correct and illuminates one of the major themes in the show – that no one is to be trusted.

3. The Sopranos

Throughout the show, Tony Soprano is shown to be on edge and paranoid about his safety – a feeling that’s reinforced by his nightmares.

This foreshadows the dangers that he will face later in the series, as well as the consequences of living a life of crime. It also underlines one of the major themes in the show – that nothing good comes from a life of crime.

Foreshadowing Examples in Video Games

Video games offer a unique opportunity for incorporating foreshadowing techniques into their narratives. Here are a few examples of how this has been used effectively:

1. The Last of Us

Throughout The Last of Us, there is an obvious example of direct foreshadowing when we are introduced to Ellie, who tells us that she is immune to a virus that has devastated humanity.

This foreshadows her importance later on in the story as she works with Joel to save mankind.

2. Red Dead Redemption 2

In Red Dead Redemption 2, there are numerous scenes with dialogue foreshadowing that give players a hint at the events of the game’s ending.

For instance, there’s a scene in which Dutch talks about how he never wanted to hurt anyone, hinting at his eventual downfall and death. Additionally, Arthur and other characters are constantly talking about their own mortality and the consequences of their actions.

These scenes foreshadow both the game’s ending as well as its major themes – that even the most hardened criminals are not immune to their own mortality.

3. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

In the game, Uncharted 4, Nathan Drake’s journey leads him to an island where he discovers information about his ancestor, Sir Francis Drake.

This foreshadows the revelation that Nathan and his brother Sam are descended from a long line of adventurers.

5 Tips to Use Foreshadowing Effectively

Now that you understand what foreshadowing is, let’s discuss how it can be used effectively in your writing. Here are a few tips to get started:

• Start off with subtle hints. If the reader notices the hidden clues too early, it can ruin the surprise and dampen the suspense.
• Increase intensity gradually. Start off with hints that are barely noticeable to later reveal more concrete evidence. This gives your readers a chance to piece together their own theories while still leaving room for surprises.
• Make sure it’s relevant. Foreshadowing should be used sparingly and only when necessary. If it has no impact on the story, it should be avoided because it can feel like a distraction to your readers.
• Leave some things unknown. Don’t give away too much information when foreshadowing events. This will keep your readers guessing and ensure that they stay engaged in the story.
• Pay attention to details. The clues you use should be subtle, but relevant to the story. Even small details can have a big impact on your readers if they are used effectively.

Other Popular Literary Devices

Foreshadowing is just one of the many literary devices used in writing. Here are some other popular ones:

• Chiasmus : This is a figure of speech that inverts the order of words in two parallel phrases.
• Alliteration : This is the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of multiple words or syllables.
• Anadiplosis : This is when a phrase or word from the end of one sentence is repeated at the beginning of the next.
• Colloquialism : This is the use of informal words or phrases that are commonly used in everyday speech.
• Imagery : This is the use of vivid language to describe a scene or person and evoke certain emotions in the reader.
• Personification: This is when an inanimate object or idea is given human traits or characteristics.
• Hyperbole : This is an extreme exaggeration that is used to create emphasis and draw attention to a point.
• Juxtaposition : This is when two contrasting ideas are placed side by side to emphasize their differences.
• Anaphora: This is the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses.
• Synecdoche: This is when a part of something is used to represent the whole.

By understanding and mastering these literary devices, you can effectively create compelling stories that pull your readers in and leave them wanting more!

FAQs on Foreshadowing Examples

Foreshadowing is a literary device that hints at what is to come later in the story. Here are 5 examples of foreshadowing:

• In the TV series “Breaking Bad”, Walter White’s nightmares foreshadow his later dangers and consequences of crime.
• In the game “The Last of Us”, Ellie’s immunity to a virus hints at her future importance.
• In the film “The Wizard of Oz”, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion foreshadow Dorothy’s journey.
• In “Psycho”, Marion Crane passing a highway sign that says “No Vacancy” foreshadows her eventual fate at the Bates Motel.
• In “The Matrix”, Trinity telling Neo that the answer is looking for him foreshadows his discovery of the truth about reality.

An example of foreshadowing in a sentence could be: “As she left the house, a chill ran down her spine, leaving an ominous feeling that something bad was about to happen.” This sentence suggests an upcoming event or circumstance that may be unfavorable or dangerous, thereby creating an atmosphere of suspense and anticipation.

Foreshadowing is a literary device applied by authors to hint at what’s to come later in the story. An example for students could be taken from J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone”. In the beginning, Harry’s scar hurts when Prof. Quirrell, possessed by Voldemort, is near.

This serves to foreshadow that Quirrell is not what he appears to be, and is in some way linked to the pain in Harry’s scar, thus foreshadowing the reveal of Quirrell as the antagonist at the end of the book.

Three popular types of foreshadowing are:

• Chekov’s Gun: This refers to a narrative element that is introduced early in the story but becomes significant only later on. It’s a suspense-building device.
• Red Herring: This is a type of foreshadowing that misleads the reader, diverting their attention from important plot developments.
• Prophecy: This is a clear hint about what is going to happen, usually in the form of a prophetic statement or vision.

Each type serves a different purpose in storytelling, depending on the intended effect on the reader’s experience.

Foreshadowing is a literary device that offers hints about events to come in a story, and it’s not just for adult literature – children’s stories are rich with examples too. Some famous foreshadowing examples for kids include:

• “Charlotte’s Web” by E.B. White: Early on, the goose informs Wilbur that Charlotte is spinning a new web, which foreshadows Charlotte’s plan to save Wilbur by writing messages in her web.
• “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” by J.K. Rowling: When Harry’s scar hurts in the presence of Professor Snape, it hints at a connection to Voldemort, foreshadowing Snape’s complex relationship with Harry and his parents.
• “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” by C.S. Lewis: When Lucy first discovers the lamp post in the snowy woods, it foreshadows the lamppost’s role as a beacon for finding one’s way back to the wardrobe and the real world.
• “Matilda” by Roald Dahl: Early mentions of Matilda’s extraordinary intellect and powers of concentration hint at her later discovery of telekinetic abilities.
• “The Tale of Despereaux” by Kate DiCamillo: The narrator’s early hints about Despereaux’s unusually small size and big ears foreshadow his bravery and the important role he will play in the kingdom.

These examples illustrate how foreshadowing in children’s stories subtly prepares the reader for future events and highlights the importance of small details, making the narrative more engaging and immersive.

Summary for Examples of Foreshadowing

Writers foreshadow future events to create suspense, dramatic tension, character development, and intrigue in their stories.

You can do this through direct and indirect foreshadowing.

By understanding the different types of foreshadowing, you can start to identify foreshadowing and predit plot twists before they happen.

Being able to use the tips in this article will help you effectively use this literary device to craft compelling narratives that captivate your readers.

Keep these tips and examples of foreshadowing in mind when writing your own stories – they will be sure to keep your audience engaged and wanting more!

Foreshadowing

Definition of foreshadowing.

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. This can heighten a reader’s enjoyment of a literary work, enhance the work’s meaning, and help the reader make connections with other literature and literary themes.

nathaniel hawthorne utilizes foreshadowing effectively in his short story “Young Goodman Brown.” The title character’s rendezvous with the devil is foreshadowed by many plot elements, including the example that his nighttime companion carries a crooked staff that resembles a “great black snake .” This foreshadowing indicates for the reader not only that the devil is Goodman Brown’s companion, but a sense of the impending temptation and test of faith to follow in the story. The serpent-like staff used by the devil in the story allows the reader to connect Hawthorne’s tale and themes with those of the book of Genesis and the Garden of Eden.

Common Examples of Foreshadowing

Writers and storytellers utilize recurring symbols , motifs , and other elements as foreshadowing. Readers and audiences often recognize these elements as hints of what might be to come in a story. Here are some common examples of elements used 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
• Omens, such as prophecies or broken mirror
• 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

Examples of Titles with Foreshadowing

The title of a literary work can be used to foreshadow its plot events. Here are some examples of titles that contain foreshadowing:

• The Fall of the House of Usher
• Murder on the Orient Express
• Love in the Time of Cholera
• The Story of an Hour
• Roger Malvin’s Burial
• The Crying of Lot 49
• A Telephone Call
• As I Lay Dying
• A Romantic Weekend
• The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Famous Examples of Foreshadowing

Foreshadowing is an effective device for nearly any type of literary work and most forms of storytelling media. This includes poetry, short fiction , drama , novels, television, and movies. Here are some famous examples of foreshadowing from these forms of narrative :

• The killing of the albatross in “ The Rime of the Ancient Mariner ”
• The dark, bleak, midnight setting in “ The Raven ”

Short Fiction

• Apprehension felt by the townspeople in “The Lottery”
• Purchase of arsenic by Emily Grierson in “A Rose for Emily”
• Romeo’s statement “My life were better ended by their hate, than death prorogued, wanting of thy love” in  Romeo and Juliet
• The hint of expectation in the title of Waiting for Godot
• “the leaves fell early that year” (foreshadowing death) in A Farewell to Arms
• The symbolic pain of Harry’s scar in the  Harry Potter series
• House of Stark words “Winter Is Coming” in  Game of Thrones
• The appearance of Kenny’s character in  South Park
• Dorothy singing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” in  The Wizard of Oz
• The only person who replies to the therapist is the boy who “sees” dead people in  The Sixth Sense

Difference Between Foreshadowing, Flashback, and Flashforward

Foreshadow indicates the future through a seamless narrative happening. A flashback is a memory recall device that occasionally brings some happenings into the narrative having no chronological order or sequence. Foreshadowing just describes what is going to happen in the story, while flashback presents what has happened in the story and has just come into the mind of the narrator .

Some readers may confuse foreshadowing and flashbacks as literary devices . Both techniques are designed to enhance the narrative of a literary work. However, foreshadowing is intended to provide readers with just a hint or sense of what is to come in a story. Flashback is intended to directly provide readers with exposition , or background information in terms of plot and/or character development.

Flashback interrupts a narrative plotline to present an earlier scene or episode in order to provide clarification or information for the reader. This works as a means of promoting and enhancing reader understanding of a literary work by setting forth context and exposition cues. Foreshadowing also enhances the reader’s understanding of a literary work. Foreshadowing is generally more subtle than flashback and is not intended for expository or clarification purposes. Rather than interrupting the narrative, proper foreshadowing is artfully woven into the story when done properly.

Flashforward, otherwise known as prolepsis, is mostly used to narrate possible events or a storyline that is expected or imagined to happen in the near or distant future. Unlike flashbacks, they reveal significant parts of the story that did not happen yet. Flashforwards are written in greater detail. While it is similar to foreshadowing, in which future events are not shown but somewhat hinted and readers are left to understand it.

Writing Foreshadowing

Overall, as a literary device, foreshadowing functions as a means of focusing a reader’s attention and/or setting up anticipation of a narrative revelation or plot twist . This is effective for readers in that foreshadowing primes their emotions and expectations for something to be revealed. This can enhance the enjoyment, meaning, and understanding of a literary work when foreshadowing is properly used.

Writers tend to utilize one of two forms of foreshadowing in their work:

• Direct foreshadowing : This form of literary device is used by writers who wish to directly and pointedly hint at or indicate a particular outcome for readers. At times, it benefits writers to explicitly reveal what happens in a story through direct foreshadowing. This allows the reader to focus on other aspects of the narrative besides plot outcomes.
• Indirect foreshadowing : This form of literary device is used by writers who wish to indirectly and subtly hint at or indicate a particular outcome for readers. When it comes to indirect foreshadowing, it is often so effective that it may not be apparent to readers until after the outcome has taken place. In addition, readers may not realize the significance or meaning of indirect foreshadowing until the outcome reveals it.

Unfortunately, when foreshadowing is used poorly, inadequately, or improperly, it can leave readers feeling disappointed and/or confused. This can undermine the effectiveness of a story’s plot, character development, theme , and artistic quality. Therefore, writers must consider the use of foreshadowing carefully and artfully, so that it is not misconstrued, too overt, or too subtle to be recognized.

Examples of Foreshadowing in Literature

Foreshadowing is an effective literary device in terms of preparing readers for events to come or narrative reveals. This device is valuable, as it allows readers to make connections between themes, characters, symbols, and more–both within a literary work and between works of literature. Here are some examples of foreshadowing and how it adds to the significance of well-known literary works:

Example 1:  Of Mice and Men (John Steinbeck)

You seen what they done to my dog tonight?  They says he wasn’t no good to himself nor nobody else.  When they can me here I wisht somebody’d shoot me.  But they won’t do nothing like that.  I won’t have no place to go, an’ I get no more jobs.”

Steinbeck utilizes foreshadowing in  Of Mice and Men is very subtle. Most readers are shocked by the ending of the novel . However, Steinbeck incorporates an earlier scene in the story that mirrors and hints at the final outcome. This foreshadowing takes place when the character Candy’s dog is shot as a “mercy killing.” Like Candy himself, his dog is growing old and has outlived his usefulness in the eyes of the ranch hands. Candy confesses to George the agony of his decision to let Carlson kill his dog, the regret of not having done so himself, and his fear that he will have nobody to put him out of his own misery when the time comes. This scene foreshadows the decision George must make regarding Lennie at the end of the novel.

Example 2:  Macbeth  (William Shakespeare)

By the pricking of my thumb, Something wicked this way comes.

In Shakespeare’s play , the second witch makes this pronouncement at Macbeth ’s approach. Her statement indicates an intuitive sense of foreboding, symbolized by the witch’s physical sensation in her thumb. This is foreshadowing for the reader of the events to come in the story and Macbeth’s true nature as someone who is capable of betrayal and murder as a means of keeping his power as king.

Shakespeare’s use of direct foreshadowing in this scene confirms for the reader Macbeth’s guilt and corruption. Throughout the play, the witches speak “indirectly” through their prophecies and veiled predictions, all of which are subtle examples of foreshadowing that must be deciphered and interpreted by the reader. However, with this pointed and direct statement of foreshadowing, there is no doubt for Shakespeare’s audience that Macbeth deserves his outcome in the play.

Example 3:  A Good Man Is Hard to Find (Flannery O’Connor)

‘[I]t would have been better for all of you, lady, if you hadn’t of reckernized me.’ Bailey turned his head sharply and said something to his mother that shocked even the children. The old lady began to cry and The Misfit reddened.

In O’Connor’s short story, the news of a recently escaped murderer called “The Misfit” is mentioned many times by several characters, before and during the family’s vacation journey. In fact, the grandmother’s character seems preoccupied with The Misfit’s story, which calls the reader’s attention to it as well. This is a clever use of foreshadowing on the part of O’Connor in the sense that it appears to be almost too direct of a hint for the reader that the family will encounter this criminal.

As a result, the reader is simultaneously prepared for yet surprised by the plot reveal that the family does meet The Misfit and that he is recognized and acknowledged by the grandmother. The resulting violence in the story, however, remains a shock despite the fact that the grandmother and her entire family, as well as O’Connor’s readers, are familiar with The Misfit’s background and his crimes. O’Connor’s foreshadowing of The Misfit as a murderer has an almost opposite effect on the reader’s expectations for the outcome of the story.

Synonyms of Foreshadowing

Foreshadow, similar to many literary devices, does not have direct meaning. The closest synonyms include augur, presage, portend, prognosticate, foreshow, foretell, indicate, suggest, herald, signal, forewarn, forebode, anticipate, warn of, and harbinger.

Related posts:

• Romeo and Juliet Foreshadowing
• Under the Spreading Chestnut Tree

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Foreshadowing Definition and 10 Techniques for Effective Plot Twists

by Joslyn Chase | 0 comments

Do you love a good murder mystery or thriller? Do you dream of creating a captivating and suspenseful book that will pull readers to the end and leave them tingling? Then you need to master foreshadowing. Foreshadowing is key for believable plot twists. Here's a foreshadowing definition and 10 techniques for clever plot twists.

Foreshadowing is no easy task. More than most any other genre, mystery novels, thrillers, and suspense stories invite the reader to actively participate in plot elements and developments, using certain cues to predict outcomes.

That can be tough to accomplish.

The path to a finished product is full of pitfalls, but you can learn techniques to help carry you safely over them and complete a thrilling story you can be proud of.

Foreshadowing Definition

Foreshadowing is the weaving of hints and subtle clues into a work of fiction for the purpose of making future plot events feel natural and consistent.

It’s the antidote to coincidence and, skillfully done, prepares the reader for an upcoming plot twist without giving it away.

Readers are savvy people. They understand that everything in a story is there on a need-to-know basis and will thus figure in at some point.

Every significant object, person, or fact needs to be planted in the story before it can be credibly used. And all of these plot points must come into play or they buzz at the corner of a reader’s subconscious like an annoying housefly.

Remember Chekhov’s sage counsel when you think about effective foreshadowing:

Foreshadowing vs. Coincidence

When navigating the twisted path involved in writing a mystery , thriller, or suspense, one of the biggest challenges you’ll face is making everything that happens feel natural and inevitable.

A few days ago, my husband and I drove with a large group of friends to Frankfurt, Germany. After spending time together, we broke into carloads, each leaving at different times and taking different routes. As we passed an autobahn entrance close to home, a car merged directly behind us—a car filled with friends we’d parted from hours earlier.

I love when this kind of thing happens in real life, a coincidence.

But when it happens in a book, it feels contrived and unrealistic—like Toto pulled back the curtain to reveal the man pushing buttons. I don’t want my readers to feel manipulated, and I’ll bet you feel the same way about yours.

To avoid this kind of story pitfall, I needed to master the literary device of foreshadowing and learn to write subtle foreshadowing to leave my hints in stories for readers. 

Activate your reader

The more a reader puts into a story, the more they’ll get out of it. You pull your reader into your book and make them an active participant by raising a major dramatic question and delaying the answer until the end, while threading in intermediate questions along the way.

In addition, you activate your reader by using all the techniques needed to accomplish strong elements of suspense :

• You pull the reader deep into the point of view character
• You make the reader care about your protagonist
• You progressively raise the stakes
• You deliver information in the proper order
• You create cliffhangers to bridge the gaps between chapters
• You pace your story correctly
• You use action to drive the story forward

These are the techniques that build suspense and hold a reader's attention. Foreshadowing, clues, and red herrings are the breadcrumbs they’ll pick up along the way to feed and stimulate mental activity.

Why Does Foreshadowing Matter?

The key to avoiding readers who feel manipulated, is to build foreshadowing into your storyline.

For example, consider the movie Die Hard.

Screenplay writers chose to show John McClane moving in a logical pathway to the Nakatomi Plaza to meet his wife for a Christmas party. They interspersed these scenes with cuts of a truck driving through LA traffic accompanied by menacing music. When these two paths cross, it doesn’t strike us as coincidence that McClane just happens to be in the same building the villainous gang hits because it was foreshadowed that they would meet.

Also, did you notice how McClane’s being barefoot has significant impact on story events? See how this increases the complications and heightens the risk? He didn’t just coincidentally happen to take his shoes off. It was foreshadowed from the very first scene of the movie, making it feel like a logical occurrence.

Take a closer look at some of the types of foreshadowing you can use to build suspense and hold readers in your story.

10 Key Foreshadowing Techniques to Use When Writing

There are dozens of writing techniques and many forms of foreshadowing you might use to foreshadow events in your story.

I've found that these ten clever foreshadowing methods work well when writing, and Suzanne Collins's book The Hunger Games is a great case study to prove them.

Foreshadowing in The Hunger Games: Case Study

Caution: spoilers abound! If you don't want to read about spoilers in The Hunger Games , go read the book and then come back to this guide.

1. Emphasize Important Elements

Spend a bit more time on describing something that will later figure into the story's plot. Readers will subconsciously understand that it will become important and they’ll anticipate seeing it pop up again.

For example, if your climactic scene will take place at a mill pond with a water wheel, when you introduce this setting earlier in the story, describe it—through your character’s viewpoint—with more detail than you would normally give in your descriptions. This sends a signal to your reader that the setting will play an important role in the story.

This also helps facilitate a faster pace at the climax because you’ve laid the groundwork ahead of time.

In The Hunger Games, the first time Katniss encounters the mockingjay pin is when she and Gale deliver strawberries to the mayor’s house on the day of the reaping. They speak with Madge, the mayor’s daughter, who wears the pin on her dress.

Collins doesn’t overdo the detail. Everything here is stark and sparse, imparting a bleak flavor to the day of the reaping. But she spends enough time on the pin to let us know it’s significant.

Referring to Gale, she writes:

“His eyes land on a small, circular pin that adorns her dress. Real gold. Beautifully crafted. It could keep a family in bread for months.”

The pin comes in again and again throughout the story. This use of foreshadowing lays down groundwork not only for The Hunger Games, but sets up theme and future events for the entire trilogy.

Naming an important detail up front makes the reader wonder about it. Which means they pay attention to it and probably will recognize it when it comes up again.

The key to this technique is balancing the mystery of the named object or event with more matter-of-fact detail, allowing it to stand out and spark curiosity without burying the reader under an exasperating mountain of enigma.

For example, here’s the opening paragraph of Shirley Jackson’s story, “The Lottery:”

The morning of June 27th was clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full ­summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green. The people of the village began to gather in the square, between the post office and the bank, around ten o'clock; in some towns there were so many people that the lottery took two days and had to be started on June 26th. But in this village, where there were only about three hundred people, the whole lottery took less than two hours, so it could begin at ten o'clock in the morning and still be through in time to allow the villagers to get home for noon dinner.

Do you see how simply naming the lottery gives it significance and raises questions? Jackson makes a mystery of the lottery but sets it amid prosaic detail so that it stands out all the more.

I feel like “The Lottery” was a clear inspiration for Suzanne Collins when she wrote The Hunger Games. Like Jackson, Collins mentions the Reaping in the first paragraph of the story, and our senses warn us she’s not talking about a simple farm harvest. When she names the Cornucopia, we intuit that it will play a significant role in upcoming events.

And of course, the very title The Hunger Games names and foreshadows an ominous experience ahead.

The Reaping isn't just any event—it's the whole arena driving the main plot line.

3. Details in Dialogue

Weave foreshadowing into dialogue between characters or put it in a viewpoint character’s inner monologue as they puzzle through a problem or worry about a future event. Use this method to influence the reader’s thoughts and foreshadow important story points.

This can be as simple as a statement like: “George is coming home tomorrow.” Or, “I’ll call you when that package arrives.”

You might also couch it in a threat: “You’re going to wish you never said that.” Or, “Someone ought to shoot you for what you’ve done.”

The Hunger Games contains many examples of foreshadowing delivered in dialogue. One of these occurs when Gale, speaking about the twelve districts, says,

“It’s to the Capitol’s advantage to have us divided among ourselves.”

Like the mockingjay pin, Katniss’ experience of plants and berries repeatedly comes into play. One of the most potent instances occurs near the end of the novel when Peeta has gathered a handful of berries, waking a memory in Katniss:

My father’s voice comes back to me. “Not these, Katniss. Never these. They’re nightlock. You’ll be dead before they reach your stomach.”

This bit of memory immediately saves her and Peeta and foreshadows their future salvation as well.

4. Mirror Moments

This is an effective foreshadowing tool you often see when a story is framed by “bookends,” meaning that events at the very beginning foreshadow the climactic scene, maybe resulting in failure up front and the reversed, mirror image of success in the end.

But you can use it on a smaller scale as well—in a flashback, a flash-forward, or by holding up a mirror to reflect and foreshadow something happening in the story. Sometimes it starts with a smaller image whose reflection grows.

In The Hunger Games, Katniss recalls a significant memory when she was starving, discouraged, and about to give up:

Young Peeta, the baker’s son, burns a couple loaves of bread and throws them to Katniss, earning himself a beating but providing a turning point in her life. He sacrificed for her then, foreshadowing that he will sacrifice for her again. As many times as it takes.

Worth mentioning, also, is the obligatory recounting on Reaping day of the rebellion that spawned the beginning of the Hunger Games. This foreshadows the uprising that will eventually bring an end to the barbaric practice.

5. Narrator Reveal

This can range anywhere from having the point of view character state outright that something in particular is going to happen, to the POV character making a partial revelation that raises more questions than it answers. In either case, readers hang on to see how events unfold.

For example, one of the witches in Shakespeare’s MacBeth tells us early on: “By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.” A piece of direct foreshadowing letting us know that evil is on the way.

I can think of several instances of this in The Hunger Games:

As the Everdeen family prepares to attend the reaping, Katniss thinks about how difficult this must be for Prim—her first time. She comforts herself with this thought: She’s about as safe as she can get, since she’s only entered once.

Oh, the irony!

The beautiful thing about this example is the way Collins twists it for dramatic tension. She lets readers know that Katniss has her name in the glass ball twenty times, and Gale forty-two times, making it clear the odds are not in their favor.

Because we instinctively know the way story works, we already know Katniss is going to the games. But Collins throws a curve ball when she has Effie Trinket draw Prim’s name instead. This adds a nice twist, both to the story and to our hearts as we see Katniss sacrifice herself for her sister. Great character reveal.

Near the end of the story, Katniss reflects on the bloodthirsty nature of the games and vows she’ll never let her children’s names go into the ball. At the time, she believes that’s because she’ll never have any children, but it foreshadows another path to the same result.

6. Character Traits

One way you can foreshadow a conflict is by developing your main character and giving the reader glimpses of how that character is on a collision course with an opposing force. Of course, this applies to secondary characters as well.

In The Godfather, Sonny Corleone’s aggressive behavior foreshadows future events in the movie as his lack of restraint leads to dire consequences, including his own death.

In The Wizard of Oz, many of the characters’ traits are foreshadowed in the beginning and brought to fruition as the story unfolds. For example, Miss Gulch is clearly portrayed as a witch, farmhand Zeke encourages Dorothy to be brave, and Hickory insists that someday they’ll erect a statue of him, foreshadowing their roles in the land of Oz.

In The Hunger Games, when Katniss and Peeta first arrive in the Capitol, Effie compliments their table manners, remarking with disgust that past tributes had no manners and ate with their hands. At which point Katniss drops her fork, eats with her fingers, and wipes them on the tablecloth, signifying her rebellion against the Capitol.

We also come to know that Katniss is not the forgiving type and that she will fight to the bitter end for what she perceives as justice.

It’s foreshadowed in the development of her character.

7. Character Relationships

Let interactions between characters point toward a certain conclusion, foreshadowing future events.

This brings to mind the beginning of The Matrix , when Neo’s jerk of a boss comes down hard on him, accusing Neo of thinking the rules don’t apply to him, that he’s special, that he must make a choice.

In Psycho, we’re treated to a foreshadowing of the true relationship Norman Bates has with his mother when he assures Marion Crane that his mother is “as harmless as one of those stuffed birds,” referring to a bit of taxidermy.

Batman’s future relationship with the Joker is foreshadowed in Batman Begins when Lieutenant Gordon shows him a playing card left by the new menace in Gotham City and says, “Take this guy—armed robbery, double homicide, and a taste for the theatrical. Like you. Leaves a calling card.”

In The Hunger Games, Katniss’s fierce love and protective attitude toward her sister foreshadow her volunteering as tribute in Prim’s place. And we know Peeta will put Katniss’s safety before his own in every circumstance. This bond foreshadows the relationship Katniss will have with the rebels, as a whole. They will protect her to the death.

8. Throwaway Details

Throwaway details are when your character does or says something that seems inconsequential in the moment, but in hindsight gains greater significance. Not a lot of attention is called to it, but readers may page back to that moment and say, “Aha! Now I see what it meant.”

This is seen in The Hunger Games when Peeta casually admits:

“I do the cakes,” meaning that he does the cake decorating in the family bakery. This foreshadows his skill at camouflage which comes in handy later in the story. And then there’s Katniss’s remark early in the story: “Plants are tricky. Many are edible, but one false mouthful and you’re dead.” This foreshadows more than one event to come, including the climactic berry moment.

9. Symbolism

Symbolism can provide an artful and powerful means of indirect foreshadowing. You might include something in your story that alludes to future events, or suggests what might happen, in an indirect manner.

When Andy Dufresne ends up in prison in The Shawshank Redemption, the prison warden comes to visit him in his cell. Spotting Andy’s Bible, the warden nods approvingly, admonishing him that, “Salvation lies within.” At the end of the movie, we discover that Andy’s salvation truly did lie within, as he’d hollowed out the pages of the good book to conceal the rock hammer with which he dug his tunnel to freedom.

There’s a lot of symbolic foreshadowing in The Hunger Games.

We’ve already mentioned the mockingjay pin and the bread Peeta threw to Katniss, signifying his sacrifice and her survival. But there’s also the dandelion Katniss saw sprouting through a crack beside the burnt bread. To her, it was a sign of hope, a good omen that meant she could make it. A few more examples include the Cornucopia full of valuable goods, yet in reality a deadly trap. Like the Capitol itself. And the melody Rue taught the mockingjays to signify the end of the day. That tune would someday signify the end of the Capitol.

10. Surprising but Inevitable

This method involves a series of subtle hints that a reader may, or may not, pick up on. Either way, after the foreshadowed event occurs, they’re able to flip back through the pages and see the indicators that made it feel surprising yet inevitable. Like Chekhov's gun.

In the movie Jaws, Chief Brody trips over a scuba tank on board the Orca and Hooper warns him that they’re combustible. Quint remarks: “Yeah, that’s real fine expensive gear you brought out here, Mr. Hooper. ‘Course, I don’t know what that bastard shark’s gonna do with it. Might eat it I suppose.” This points down a logical path to the shark’s eventual destruction.

There’s a scene in The Hunger Games where Katniss has to impress the Gamemakers but they pay her little mind, focused more on the feast laid before them—including a roast pig with an apple in its mouth. Infuriated, she sends an arrow straight into the apple, skewering it against the wall and riveting their attention.

This foreshadows a pivotal later scene where she must destroy the food stores of her rivals. This time her arrows send down a whole rain of apples, setting off a series of explosives, vaporizing the feast.

Foreshadowing is About Setup

Remember, a great deal of foreshadowing registers on a subconscious level with the reader. Sometimes it happens that way for the writer, too. Don’t discount the power of your own subconscious when describing a setting or developing a relationship.

This is as true for short stories as it is for novels, TV shows, films (Darth Vader, anyone?), or even a series like J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books—which literally set up major plot points for book seven in book one.

Adding the literary technique of foreshadowing to your writer’s toolbox is important for any writer hoping to write engaging plots without obnoxiously convenient plot twists.

Using the ten clever foreshadowing methods in this post will help you do just that.

How about you? Do you love catching on to a bit of foreshadowing in the stories you read or watch? Tell us about it in the comments .

Look at your story in progress. Consider how you can use one or more of the techniques we covered in the article and write a scene with foreshadowing. If you prefer, you can borrow one of these prompts:

• Kieren is in the forest, hunting the fox who attacked his sister.
• Penelope realizes her neighbor Stan has been stalking her.
• Jennifer plans a solo trip into the wilderness.

Remember to build foreshadowing into the scene. If you’d like to share your work in the comments, you might also include a short explanation about what your foreshadowing signifies.

Write for fifteen minutes , and when you’re finished, post in the Pro Practice Workshop and be sure to lend a word of encouragement or helpful critique for your fellow writers!

Joslyn Chase

Any day where she can send readers to the edge of their seats, prickling with suspense and chewing their fingernails to the nub, is a good day for Joslyn. Pick up her latest thriller, Steadman's Blind , an explosive read that will keep you turning pages to the end. No Rest: 14 Tales of Chilling Suspense , Joslyn's latest collection of short suspense, is available for free at joslynchase.com .

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Blog • Perfecting your Craft

Posted on Oct 23, 2018

Foreshadowing Explained: Definition, Tips, and Examples

Foreshadowing is a literary device in which an author gives readers hints about what will happen later in the story. Foreshadowing is often used in the early stages of a novel or at the start of a chapter, as it can subtlety create tension and set readers' expectations regarding how the story will unfold. For instance, a mystery novel might use foreshadowing in an early chapter by mentioning something that seems inconsequential — but is actually a clue...

By the end of this article, writers will know the secret to crafting gripping page-turners.

See? You know something is about to happen, but you don’t yet know how it will come about — and it’s the “how” that matters. The “how” is what bridges the beginning of your story to the end or, in this case, the introduction to the conclusion. The “how” is the information that readers want, and foreshadowing promises to eventually give it to them.

Now that we’ve hopefully piqued your interest with our own dose of foreshadowing, let’s talk about why this literary device is such a key tool in an author’s arsenal.

Types of foreshadowing

There are as many ways to foreshadow as there are stories to tell, so the possibilities are endless. But head to the library, and you’ll likely find two broad categories of foretelling in novels: direct and indirect.

• Direct foreshadowing occurs when an outcome is directly hinted at or indicated. It gives readers a nugget of information, prompting them to want more.
• Indirect foreshadowing occurs when an outcome is indirectly hinted at or indicted. It subtly nods at a future event but is typically only apparent to readers after that outcome or event has occurred.

Pretty straightforward, right? Now let’s see a few examples of the former in action.

Direct foreshadowing 

1. the narrator.

We witnessed this example in the introduction of this very post. In a nutshell: the person telling the story provides readers with key information but leaves out context or other details.

Take this opening line from Lauren Oliver’s Before I Fall :

“They say that just before you die your whole life flashes before your eyes, but that’s not how it happened for me.”

What we know: The narrator is dead.

What we want to know:  How did they die? 

The key to this kind of foretelling is to include information that is crucial to the story . What it must leave out is how it’s key to the story. Think of it as a personal invitation from the narrator to the reader to keep reading.

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Literary Devices Cheatsheet

Master these 40+ devices to level up your writing skills.

2. The Pre-Scene

A gift shared among people who have the uncanny ability to predict the endings of stories is an eye for the “pre-scene.”

These scenes show something that will play an important role in the future — and they usually play out as a brief, toned-down version of the main event.

For example, in the first half of Of Mice and Men , Carlson is convinced that an old dog should be put down so that it can have a quick death and end its suffering. He complies, ensuring the process is as painless as possible, prompting Candy to confide in George:

“I oughtta of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn't oughtta of let no stranger shoot my dog.”

What we know: The dog’s death is important.

What we want to know: Why is this significant, and when will we find out?

At the end of the novel, when a murderous lynch mob is on the hunt for Lennie, George begins talking to Lennie about the farm they will one day own, painting a peaceful picture. Then, in a scene that echoes Carlson’s putting an end to the dog’s suffering, George kills Lennie — believing it’s much more merciful to go at the hands of a friend.

3. The Name Drop

If someone told you, “Tomorrow I’m going to my friend’s house,” you likely wouldn’t think much of it. But if someone told you, “Tomorrow I’m going to Reedsy Mansion,” you’d probably want to know more.

Similarly, by casually name-dropping a place, thing, or person in your story, you signify to readers that this entity is important.

See this example in action in the first installment of The Hunger Games:

“When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold. My fingers stretch out, seeking Prim’s warmth but finding only the rough canvas cover of the mattress. She must have had bad dreams and climbed in with our mother. Of course, she did. This is the day of the reaping.”

What we know: Something called the reaping is about to happen, and it’s nightmare-inducing.

What we want to know:  Well, what is the reaping?

The name drop can even be used right in the title: consider The Great Gatsby . The title introduces us to the name, the first few pages give us snippets of information about the man, but it’s not until the second chapter that we meet Gatsby.

4. The Prophecy

In the opening scene of Orson Welles’ A Touch of Evil , we witness the timer started on a bomb that gets placed into the trunk of a car. Seconds later, a couple gets into that very car and drives down a busy street for a full 3 minutes. Finally, the car drives off camera and we witness another young couple jump as the explosion occurs. 

While the explosion would have been a dramatic way to begin the movie on its own, by letting the audience know about the bomb in the trunk, Welles uses dramatic irony to create a scene rife with tension and suspense.

Initially, letting readers know that a specific dramatic event is going to happen might seem counterintuitive: isn’t it better to surprise readers? But by foreshadowing events through the use of prophecy, you keep readers on the edge of their seats and still leave lots of room for surprise.

Macbeth famously opens with the prophecies of the three witches:

"All hail, Macbeth, thou shalt be king hereafter! […] Lesser than Macbeth, and greater. Not so happy, yet much happier. Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none: So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo! Banquo and Macbeth, all hail!"

What we know: Macbeth will become king and that Banquo’s descendants will also be king.

What we want to know:  Will this actually happen? And if so, how?

This prophecy forms the basis for the rest of the story: Macbeth becoming power-mad and committing heinous acts in his fear of being usurped.

For more Macbeth-worthy suspense, check out our list of the best suspense books of all time .

5. The Prologue

Nothing kicks off a novel with an almost audible “dun dun DUNNN!” quite like a prologue.

Prologues are used for many reasons : to flashback or forward, show a point-of-view different than the narrative’s primary one, or set an otherworldly setting, to name a few.

One of its handiest purposes is to foreshadow. Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park begins with two prologues. The first one ends with the following lines:

"Parties to that settlement, including the distinguished scientific board of advisers, signed a nondisclosure agreement, and none will speak about what happened-but many of the principal figures in the "InGen incident" are not signatories, and were willing to discuss the remarkable events leading up to those final two days in August 1989 on a remote island off the west coast of Costa Rica."

What we know: That a company called InGen created a genetic crisis.

What we want to know:  What is this crisis? What effects did it have?

Direct foreshadowing is such an engaging literary device because it brings readers into the story and allows them to speculate.

But perhaps you don’t want a narrator prone to spilling the beans or you’re wary of writing a prologue that rings slightly of clickbait. For foretelling tools that are a little more subtle, look no further than these next few indirect foreshadowing examples.

Indirect foreshadowing 

6. the innocuous statement.

While the previous examples of foreshadowing could be said to be “hiding in plain sight,” sometimes it becomes a rhetorical device , used in a much subtler way — allowing the reader to go back and find the clues that are now only clear after the fact.

Consider this line spoken by Obi-Wan Kenobi to Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: Episode II :

"Why do I get the feeling, you will be the death of me?”

At the time of their utterance, these lines don’t seem like anything more than the lament of a tired mentor. Later in the series, these words perhaps ring in our ears when Anakin-turned-Darth-Vader does indeed kill Obi-Wan.

While this example of foreshadowing doesn’t propel readers to seek out more information right when it happens, it does have us wondering what other clues might have been dropped when we were none the wiser.

7. The Pathetic Fallacy

Pathetic fallacy is when human emotions are projected by non-human things — such as nature. And it can be a very effective tool.

Just think: would Wuthering Heights have been quite the same if the majority of the story took place on idyllic, sunny days? Probably not.

A chilling gust of wind or the sun breaking through heavy clouds can say a lot: the former can evoke a sense of foreboding while the latter can predict a positive changing of tides. In other words — let’s say it together — it can foreshadow.

In Great Expectations , wordsmith Charles Dickens uses the weather to demonstrate Pip’s growing angst:

"So furious had been the gusts, that high buildings in town had had the lead stripped off their roofs; and in the country, trees had been torn up, and sails of windmills carried away; and gloomy accounts had come in from the coast, of shipwreck and death."

8. The Symbol

A scene opening on a character coming across a raven will project a very different message than a scene opening on a character spotting a dove: one is typically an ominous symbol while the other generally references peace.

Because symbols take the form of recognizable visuals that represent a more abstract idea, they’re a great way to foreshadow by hinting at something without stating it outright.

Consider this excerpt from the opening of Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms :

"The leaves fell early that year."

The visual transition from fall to winter, and specifically the falling of leaves, is not an uncommon symbol of death. In this case, these six simple words symbolize the primary event of the novel: the early death of nurse Catherine Barkey. Its effectiveness lies in the fact that the symbol is instantly recognizable, but the significance it holds within the story unravels throughout.

9. Through metaphor and simile

Without veering into the distracting arena of purple prose , the way authors describe things can foretell hidden details.

Metaphors and similes are both figures of speech used to describe something by comparing it to another. The difference between the two is that while metaphors say “Thing A is Thing B,” similes say “Thing A is like Thing B.”

Both can be used as foreshadowing tools. In White Oleander by Janet Finch, Astrid continuously uses similes to compare her mother’s beauty to elements of danger:

"I climbed to the roof and easily spotted her blond hair like a white flame in the light of the three-quarter moon."

"Her beauty was like the edge of a very sharp knife."

As the story progresses, both danger and beauty become the two main aspects Astrid associates with her mother.

10. The Object

“If in Act One you have a pistol hanging on the wall, then it must fire in the last act.” So goes Anton Chekhov’s rule of storytelling : if you’re going to draw a reader’s attention to something, you must eventually explain why it was worth noticing. Otherwise, it should be removed.

You can also reverse-engineer this rule as a means of foreshadowing: if a major event will happen at some point in the story, you could allude to it earlier on in the story. One great way of doing this (as in Chekhov’s example) is by placing emphasis on an object.

The third book of the A Series of Unfortunate Events series begins with Mr. Poe giving the Baudelaire siblings some peppermints, forgetting they are allergic. These peppermints end up playing an important role later in the story, when the orphans use them to elicit an allergic reaction, thereby getting themselves out of a sticky situation.

“If you are allergic to a thing, it is best not to put that thing in your mouth, particularly if the thing is cats.” — Lemony Snicket

In Disney’s telling of Peter Pan , the catalyst for the whole story occurs when Peter literally chases his shadow into the Darling household. Similarly, foreshadowing can have your readers chasing the plot of your story.

Mastering the art of the foreshadow can benefit your writing by creating layers: it’s almost like you’re telling the story to readers in waves, eventually revealing to them the whole island they’ve been searching for. It creates an engaging and interactive narrative, allowing speculation while the story unfolds and then further reflection of all the clues upon completion.

Atiya Bokhary says:

13/04/2020 – 04:11

A very comprehensive article. I am reminded of two stories. One is, The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Conell. In the beginning of the story, two characters, both hunters, have a discussion on the feelings of the prey. One of them scoffs at the idea and stresses only on the joy and daring of the hunter only. In a turn of events, he is in the situation of the hunted being tracked by a ruthless hunter who wants to kill him for his sport. The other story is, The Lottery by Shirley Jacksonwhich has a many innocuous references to how the story will unfold but the reader does not notice them until the very end, when their significance becomes obvious.

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Literary Devices

Literary devices, terms, and elements, foreshadowing, definition of foreshadowing.

Foreshadowing is a literary device in which the author gives clues about events that will happen later in the story. Often these clues are fairly subtle so that they can only be noticed or fully understood upon a second reading. Foreshadowing can come in the form of descriptive detail, such as storm clouds on the horizon, bits of dialogue , and even in the names an author gives characters. For example, John Steinbeck based his novel East of Eden on the story of Cain and Abel, and named his characters Caleb and Aron to foreshadow their respective fates.

Common Examples of Foreshadowing

We use foreshadowing when we tell stories to friends all the time. For example, when trying to top another person’s story, have you ever used the phrase, “Well, if you thought was bad, wait until you hear this!” Or, if the story is a happier one, you might say, “Don’t worry, this gets better,” to signal to the listener that the outcome will be positive. Parents sometimes tell their children, “You’ll thank me for this later,” in the hopes of foreshadowing gratitude down the line.

Though the definition of foreshadowing as a literary device refers only to literature, in real life humans love to predict the future. There are many different ways that humans try to guess what’s in store. Some people like to look at astrological charts and Tarot cards, while others study weather models and try to play the stock market. As the future is unknowable, none of these methods is infallible (though everyone has their own biases about which of these is most trustworthy). Foreshadowing relates to our desire to know something about what the future holds.

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 or thwart.

Sometimes mystery writers like to use foreshadowing to give hints about what the answer to the mystery will be. On the other hand, mystery writers also know the reader will be looking for clues and will thus give a red herring instead to throw the reader off the chase.

Examples of Foreshadowing in Literature

BENVOLIO: Tut man, one fire burns out another’s burning. One pain is lessened by another’s anguish. Turn giddy, and be helped by backward turning. One desperate grief cures with another’s languish. Take thou some new infection to thy eye, And the rank poison of the old will die.

( Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare)

At this point in the play, Romeo is still completely in love with a character named Rosaline. His friend Benvolio advises him to fall in love with someone else—only then will Romeo be able to get over this all-consuming love. The last two lines foreshadow Romeo’s upcoming infatuation with Juliet and also his death. Though Benvolio uses the term “rank poison” to refer to Romeo’s love for Rosaline, drinking poison is also the manner in which Romeo will die at the end of the play, making this a very notable foreshadowing example.

And this I believe: that the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world. And this I would fight for: the freedom of the mind to take any direction it wishes, undirected.

( East of Eden by John Steinbeck)

This excerpt from John Steinbeck’s East of Eden foreshadows the importance of free will that will be an important theme throughout the novel. The narrator is an important voice in the novel, representing a moral compass that observes the story from the outside. Here the narrator sets up the idea that humans can choose between good and evil; the narrator’s faith in free will gives the reader some optimism that ultimately things will turn out well.

I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.

( To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee)

This excerpt from Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is one of the famous quotes from lawyer Atticus Finch. Atticus tells his children that courage does not come from bearing arms, but instead trying to do something noble even when the odds are against you. This quote foreshadows the main struggle of the novel as Atticus tries to defend Tom Robinson in the courtroom while knowing all along that his case has almost no hope. Atticus takes on Robinson’s case not because he thinks he will win, but because he thinks it’s the right thing to do.

FRODO: It’s a pity Bilbo didn’t kill [Gollum] when he had the chance. GANDALF: Pity? It was pity that stayed Bilbo’s hand. Many that die deserve life, and some that live deserve death. Can  you  give it to them, Frodo? Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. Even the very wise cannot see all ends. My heart tells me that Gollum has some part to play, for good or ill, before this is over. The pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many.

( The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien)

Gandalf is a wise figure in the trilogy of The Lord of the Rings , and has some prophetic powers. Frodo laments that the monstrous creature of Gollum is still alive to torment and obstruct him. However, Gandalf foreshadows an important role that Gollum will play. When Frodo finally brings the One Ring to Mount Doom, but finds himself unable to destroy it, as it has gained power over him. Only the struggle with Gollum leads to the destruction of the ring, an event that Frodo cannot foresee.

That was a long time ago, but it’s wrong what they say about the past, I’ve learned, about how you can bury it. Because the past claws its way out. Looking back now, I realize I have been peeking into that deserted alley for the last twenty-six years.

( The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini)

This example of foreshadowing comes from the beginning of Khaled Hosseini’s popular contemporary novel The Kite Runner . In this excerpt, the main character looks back to what happened many decades ago. Though the reader doesn’t yet know what happened in “that deserted alley,” Hosseini foreshadows that the event will stay with the protagonist and the consequences will haunt him.

Test Your Knowledge of Foreshadowing

1. Which of the following statements is the best foreshadowing definition? A. A clue that the author gives as to what is to come. B. A hint that leads the reader to make false assumptions. C. A flashback that illuminates the current events.

2. Consider the following quote from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet in which Juliet wants to find out more about Romeo:

JULIET: Go ask his name.—If he be married. My grave is like to be my wedding bed.

Why is this an example of foreshadowing? A. Romeo is actually already married, and Juliet will be broken-hearted because of that. B. Romeo and Juliet will fall in love, but they will both die in the end so in a sense Juliet’s grave really will be her wedding bed. C. Juliet will never find out Romeo’s name, and only wonder who he really is.

3. In Sophocles’s play Oedipus Rex there are many examples of foreshadowing. At one point in the play, Oedipus says to the blind Tiresius, “You’ve lost your power, stone-blind, stone-deaf – senses, eyes blind as stone!” Even if you don’t know the ending of the play, what would you guess the reason is that this is foreshadowing? A. At the end of the play, Oedipus is also blind and deaf, and has lost all his earlier power. B. Oedipus continues to get more and more powerful, while Tiresius remains blind and deaf. C. After this part of the play Oedipus realizes he’s been cruel, and he and Tiresius become good friends.

• Foreshadowing

Foreshadowing Definition

What is foreshadowing? Here’s a quick and simple definition:

Foreshadowing is a literary device in which authors hint at plot developments that don't actually occur until later in the story. Foreshadowing can be achieved directly or indirectly, by making explicit statements or leaving subtle clues about what will happen later in the text. The Russian author Anton Chekhov summarized foreshadowing when he wrote, "If you say in the first chapter that there is a rifle hanging on the wall, in the second or third chapter it absolutely must go off." The description of the gun on the wall, in other words, should foreshadow its later use.

Some additional key details about foreshadowing:

• Foreshadowing can be so subtle that it goes unnoticed, often until after the foreshadowed event comes to pass.
• Often foreshadowing serves to increase the sense of mystery rather than dispel it, by suggesting that some event might occur but not how it will come to pass.
• Foreshadowing is a useful tool for writers because it helps prepare readers for later scenes, builds a sense of suspense, and makes a work seem to have tied up "loose ends."

Foreshadowing Pronunciation

Here's how to pronounce foreshadowing: fore- shad -owe-ing

Types of Foreshadowing

Foreshadowing can take many different forms. Writers (or characters) may foreshadow later events by explicitly stating what will happen, or by making subtle suggestions about future plot developments. The most common types of foreshadowing are:

• Subtle foreshadowing: Oftentimes foreshadowing is so subtle that readers don't even notice that it has happened until later on in the story. For instance, a character might mention in passing that they work at a lab that specializes in making vaccinations, but this might not strike the reader as important until later, when a rare virus breaks out and threatens civilization, and this character suddenly becomes humanity's last hope.
• Partial or mysterious foreshadowing: Some forms of foreshadowing reveal only particular details about what will happen, which can then increase suspense or anticipation as the audience wonders how or why what has been foreshadowed will come to pass. For example, imagine a story that begins: "Being able to spit watermelon seeds was, I would one day learn, the greatest gift I'd ever been given." In such an example, the narrator's bizarre skill is explicitly indicated as relevant to future events, but the reader doesn't come away with a clear sense of how that skill will prove important.
• 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. Even though it explicitly reveals what will happen in the story, such foreshadowing can increase suspense as the audience now knows something the characters don't (which also means that this type of foreshadowing can create instances of dramatic irony ). In Romeo and Juliet , the direct foreshadowing also creates a sense of fate against which the characters must then struggle, whether knowingly or not.
• Red herrings: Sometimes, authors use what seems like foreshadowing to deliberately mislead readers about what will happen next. In these cases, what seems like foreshadowing are actually false clues. Such false clues are known as "red-herrings." Red herrings are especially common in mystery novels because they keep the reader guessing. One character might describe another character as highly suspicious, directing the reader's attention to that suspicious character's possible guilt, even if the character will later be shown to have done nothing wrong.

Foreshadowing vs. Flash-forwards

Foreshadowing is similar to, and often confused with, the use of "flash-forward." Also known as prolepsis , flash-forwards are a literary device in which a scene set in the future temporarily interrupts the primary, present-day narrative. Foreshadowing and flash-forwards seem to have a lot in common, since they both offer glimpses into the future, but they differ both structurally and in their purpose.

• Structure: Foreshadowing always occurs in the present moment of the narrative. In contrast, a flash-forward interrupts the chronology of the narrative by shifting it forward to a future point in time. Put another away: foreshadowing hints at what will come in the future, while flash-forwards show what happens in the future.
• Purpose: Foreshadowing provides the foundation for events that will occur later in the text, building up both anticipation for those events and helping a reader to interpret and understand those events once they happen. In contrast, flash-forwards, because they explicitly show future events, actually provide a lens for interpreting the events that came before them. In other words: foreshadowing helps an audience to get a glimpse of a narrative's future, but flash-forwards actually help the audience to interpret the narrative's present.

Foreshadowing Examples

Though foreshadowing can be found in many art forms, it is most prominent in narrative literature and film.

Foreshadowing Examples in Literature

Writers of fiction (and writers of epic poems that tell a story) use foreshadowing to direct their readers' attention to important details, to heighten suspense, and to bring their tales full circle.

Foreshadowing in William Shakespeare's Macbeth

In Act 1, Scene 2 of Macbeth , Shakespeare indirectly foreshadows Macbeth's traitorous rise to power when the King Duncan, the King of Scotland, gives Macbeth the new title of Thane of Cawdor after the previous Thane of Cawdor had conspired against the king (and been defeated by Macbeth). When Duncan decides to give the new title to Macbeth he says:

No more that thane of Cawdor shall deceive Our bosom interest: go pronounce his present death, And with his former title greet Macbeth .

These lines, spoken by Duncan, the King of Scotland, are highly ironic . Duncan has just rewarded Macbeth's loyalty by giving him a noble title that formerly belonged to the treasonous Cawdor. But Macbeth himself is about to successfully execute a plot to murder Duncan and steal his title as King of Scotland. So Duncan's words are an example of subtle foreshadowing in the sense that they cast Macbeth as the new Cawdor, who also had traitorous intentions toward the King.

Foreshadowing in John Milton's Paradise Lost

In this example from the start of Book One of Paradise Lost , Milton directly foreshadows man's fall from a state of innocence while invoking his poetic muse:

Of man's first disobedience, and the fruit Of that forbidden tree whose mortal taste Brought death into the World , and all our woe, With loss of Eden, till one greater Man Restore us, and regain the blissful Seat, Sing, Heavenly Muse, that, on the secret top Of Oreb, or of Sinai, didst inspire That Shepherd who first taught the chosen seed In the beginning how the heavens and earth Rose out of Chaos: or, if Sion hill Delight thee more, and Siloa’s brook that flowed Fast by the oracle of God, I thence Invoke thy aid to my adventrous song, That with no middle flight intends to soar Above the Aonian mount, while it pursues Things unattempted yet in prose or rhyme.

Here, Milton leaves little doubt about the fate of man. Man's relationship to God, formerly characterized by innocent obedience, is about to be altered for ever: Adam will be banished from the Garden of Eden for eating "the fruit of that forbidden tree." Because Milton's poem expands on the widely-known Biblical story of Adam and Eve, it is not important that he keep his poem's ending secret or only vaguely defined—since most people reading the poem likely already know how the story goes. Rather, Milton foreshadows man's fall from grace in order to establish the poem's solemn tone, signal his seriousness of purpose, and set the focus on how he tells the narrative in his poem (as opposed to what narrative he tells).

Foreshadowing in Of Mice and Men

In John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men , a character named Candy has a sheepdog that has grown old and sick. In the middle of the novella, another character named Carlson convinces Candy that the dog is suffering and should be put out of its misery. Candy allows Carlson to shoot the dog, but soon after expresses remorse. Candy's remorse isn't that he now thinks it was wrong to shoot the dog, but rather that he should have shot the dog himself.

This moment foreshadows the climax of the book, in which a character named George faces a difficult decision when he finds his friend Lennie's life in his hands: George can allow his friend to be brutally lynched by an angry mob for a murder Lennie committed by accident, or he can quickly kill Lennie himself—and save his friend from greater suffering. When the reader reaches this moment, suddenly the weight of that initial foreshadowing comes into play, and when George comforts and then shoots Lennie, the reader understands exactly why he does it because of the earlier moment with Candy's dog. In this case, the foreshadowing not only hints at what will happen, but also carries forward the emotion, themes, and character motivations at work in that previous scene so that they come crashing down in this later scene.

Foreshadowing Examples in Movies

Filmmakers use foreshadowing to prepare viewers for even the most surprising plot twists, and to redirect viewers' focus to important details of the plot.

Foreshadowing in Edgar Wright's Shaun of the Dead

Edgar Wright's 2004 zombie comedy begins with two friends (Shaun and Ed) fantasizing about the perfect night out while they dine together. By pure coincidence, everything that Ed mentions in his daydream corresponds to an obstacle the pair will face the next day, after the zombie apocalypse has broken out. For example, Ed imagines himself ordering a Bloody Mary, and the next day the two friends find themselves being chased by a zombie wearing a name tag that reads "Mary." Although Ed's ideas for a perfect night foreshadow the entire day, his references to future events are actually indirect. The image below shows Ed's various plans, and the events they indirectly foreshadow:

Foreshadowing in Wes Craven's Scream

Horror movies are notorious for their overuse of red herrings to maintain moviegoers' interest. In Wes Craven's Scream , the 1996 slasher classic that revitalized the American horror film genre, the police chief wears the same shoes as the killer. Although it turns out that the officer was not involved in the crime, this red herring diverts both characters' and viewers' attention from the true identity of the killer, heightening the suspense and sustaining the audience's interest.

Why Do Writers Use Foreshadowing?

On the most basic level, writers use foreshadowing to prepare their readers to understand the plot as it unfolds. But it can also:

• Encourage readers to focus on certain key details.
• Create a sense of surprise when subtle foreshadowing becomes clear after an event occurs.
• Create a sense of mystery or tension.
• Mislead readers, heightening their surprise at a work's end.
• Give scenes a special or subtle significance that not everyone will notice.
• Unite a work's beginning with its end.
• Create thematic connection between different parts of the text.
• Create a sense of fate within a story by revealing its ending, thus putting the focus on the character's struggles against that fate.

Other Helpful Foreshadowing Resources

• Wikipedia Page on Foreshadowing : A somewhat short discussion of foreshadowing. Nonetheless, there is an interesting bit on "sideshadowing," which is like a red-herring without the intent to deceive.
• Wikipedia Page on Red Herring : A bit heavy on the history of the idiom itself, but a good review of the device's defining features.
• Study.com's What is Foreshadowing Video : An excellent animated video on the device's history and function.
• Elements of Cinema Page on Foreshadowing : Despite its cinematic focus, this page discusses forms of foreshadowing that can be employed by writers as well. Features plenty of good examples from film.

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My child arrived just the other day

He came to the world in the usual way

But there were planes to catch, and bills to pay

He learned to walk while I was away

And he was talking ‘fore I knew it, and as he grew

He’d say “I’m gonna be like you, dad”

“You know I’m gonna be like you”

And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon Little boy blue and the man in the moon “When you coming home, dad?” “I don’t know when” But we’ll get together then You know we’ll have a good time then

My son turned ten just the other day He said, thanks for the ball, dad, come on let’s play Can you teach me to throw, I said-a, not today I got a lot to do, he said, that’s okay And he, he walked away, but his smile never dimmed It said, I’m gonna be like him, yeah You know I’m gonna be like him

Well, he came from college just the other day So much like a man I just had to say Son, I’m proud of you, can you sit for a while? He shook his head, and they said with a smile What I’d really like, dad, is to borrow the car keys See you later, can I have them please?

And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon Little boy blue and the man in the moon “When you coming home, son?” “I don’t know when” But we’ll get together then, dad You know we’ll have a good time then

I’ve long since retired, my son’s moved away I called him up just the other day I said, I’d like to see you if you don’t mind He said, I’d love to, dad, if I can find the time You see, my new job’s a hassle, and the kids have the flu But it’s sure nice talking to you, dad It’s been sure nice talking to you And as I hung up the phone, it occurred to me He’d grown up just like me My boy was just like me

And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon Little boy blue and the man in the moon “When you coming home, son?” “I don’t know when” But we’ll get together then, dad We’re gonna have a good time then

Foreshadowing in Movies 🎥

• The Avengers (2012), “That Man’s Playing Galaga” – Funny enough, most viewer’s thought this was just another moment of Tony Stark being obnoxiously observant. However, it was actually a moment foreshadowing the alien invasion of New York led by Loki.
• The Departed (2006), Martin Scorsese – The remarkable thing about Scorsese’s use of foreshadowing is that it has actually become a trademark of sorts. In his films, he likes to include an “X” somewhere in the shot to alert the audience of the character’s impending death. This film is no different. In one scene, an officer is talking on the phone while looking sideways toward the audience. In the background, the sunlight streaming through the windows has created a large “X” across the wall and filing cabinets. Sorry, man, but you’re not gonna be around much longer.
• The Sixth Sense (1999): This film is full of foreshadowing examples hinting at the fact that Cole’s psychiatrist is actually dead, but the two which stick out the most are 1.) No one interacts with or acknowledges Malcolm as he follows Cole around and 2.) Cole clearly states that the dead he interacts with do not know they are dead, suggesting that Malcolm is no different than the other ghosts Cole sees.

Visual Foreshadowing in Scorcese’s The Departed 📺

• “X” Marks the Spot

Related Literary Devices 👥

• Flashback – Commonly used in literature to explain a character’s backstory or lead up to current events, it is not the same thing as foreshadowing. The latter seeks to direct the reader’s focus to the future while flashbacks send the reader back in time to experience things already past (but may be related to the future).

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What Is Foreshadowing in Storytelling and How Does It Help the Reader?

Jennifer Jahn

Do you want to increase suspense in your writing? Build anticipation? Create a sense of foreboding? Provide some clues for your reader about what’s yet to come? Then foreshadowing is a literary device that can help you achieve just that.

What Is Foreshadowing?

The two types of foreshadowing, commonly confused techniques, include clues in your title, how to foreshadow in your writing, recap: foreshadowing techniques and examples.

Think of foreshadowing as leaving a trail of literary breadcrumbs. Your readers, if attentive, can collect them along the way, giving them a sense of “Ah, I knew that was coming!” when they reach the climax of your story.

As a writer, you want your reader to be invested in your tale, with your characters. By using foreshadowing as a narrative technique, you help to prepare them emotionally for what’s to come.

Whether that be a death, an accident, a strange encounter—most readers appreciate a bit of a heads-up before your big shocker.

And yet foreshadowing doesn’t necessarily have to prepare your reader for impending battle or doom. It is a popular literary device used across all genres, from crime, thriller, and mystery writing to romance, historical, and literary fiction. It can also be used in non-fiction writing.

Foreshadowing can help you make strange events appear more credible. So you’re not only helping your reader by increasing their anticipation, but you’re also helping yourself by making whatever event you have chosen to include more plausible for them to accept.

How much or how little you want your reader to be able to guess at is entirely up to you. Different types of foreshadowing can provide varying levels of insight into your story.

Some authors make it very obvious when they want you to become aware of something. Think Harry Potter’s aching scar—an indication of imminent confrontation with Voldemort. Other writers give only the most subtle hint at what’s yet to come.

Direct Foreshadowing

Direct foreshadowing is simply the most obvious way for an author to prepare the reader for an upcoming event in the narrative. This can be done through a prologue, a dialogue, a statement by the narrator, or through a prophecy.

One of the most famous literary examples of direct foreshadowing can be found in Shakespeare’s Macbeth .

The three witches make three prophecies; after the first comes true—that Macbeth will become a thane—the reader can expect the next two prophecies to become true as well, those predicting that Macbeth himself will become king and that Banquo’s sons will one day be kings too.

The witches’ appearances throughout the play lend credence to Shakespeare’s foreshadowing and create a sense of anticipation and narrative tension.

Indirect Foreshadowing

Indirect foreshadowing can take many shapes and forms. It can be purveyed by noting small changes in the environment, choosing a particular setting, including conversational remarks, or even mythical omens or superstitious beliefs.

In Bianca Marais’ Hum If You Don’t Know the Words , the protagonist Beauty is searching for her missing daughter. Having been anonymously warned to back off her search, Beauty starts noticing owls appearing around her in the evenings, at dusk to be precise.

She counts these appearances. After the second sighting, she wonders what the appearance of a third might indicate. Earlier in the text another protagonist, Robin, noted that bad things always happen in threes. What is the author trying to tell us here? Might tragedy strike after a third sighting?

The following are some literary devices that are commonly mistaken for foreshadowing. There is absolutely nothing wrong with using these in your writing. If anything, they can add context and suspense to your narration. Just be aware that they are different from foreshadowing.

Chekhov’s Gun

The author Anton Chekhov, when discussing the craft of writing, reportedly said that if there is a gun on the wall in Act 1, it must fire by the end of the play. In other words, no irrelevant elements should be placed in a text.

This simply means that if you choose to include and describe, say, a vase of flowers on the sideboard of your protagonist’s living room, this vase should play some type of role in your narration later on . Whether you use it to bash over an intruder’s head, or it gets toppled during an argument, or knocked over in a clumsy moment, it should reappear, otherwise don’t bother mentioning it in the first place.

Flashbacks and Flash-Forwards

Flashbacks and flash-forwards are scenes that interrupt the flow of the narrative to recount something that has happened in the past or to glimpse what will happen in the future.

Unlike foreshadowing, which is subtle and creates anticipation by dropping hints, a flashback or flash-forward increases suspense by making the reader question the how or why rather than the what —as that’s information they’ve already received.

Let’s take a look at an example.

The first chapter of C.L. Taylor’s thriller Sleep begins with the following: “If you’re reading this then I am no longer alive.”

The letter-writer then proceeds to give a list of names, presumably suspects, and notes the details of other people that can be contacted to provide further context. The second chapter then takes place three months earlier.

We already know that someone is going to die, we now know that the story will take place over the course of three months, and we know how many main players there will be. But the why and how are left unanswered. And thus our journey of discovery begins.

Red Herrings

A red herring is not foreshadowing.

Instead, this technique is used to distract or mislead the reader. Both Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie were infamous for their use of red herrings, planting clues in their stories that had nothing to do with the actual mystery to befuddle and confound their readers.

A simple and effective way of foreshadowing the plot of a novel and creating anticipation in your reader is by including it in the title of the book or a chapter. Look at some of the following titles and take a guess at what the book might be about:

• The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared
• The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
• The Other Black Girl
• My Sister the Serial Killer
• Murder on the Orient Express
• Eight Perfect Murders
• Death on the Nile
• The Return of Sherlock Holmes
• The Final Revival of Opal and Nev
• The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Now that you understand what exactly foreshadowing entails and why you should use it in your writing—remember, we want your readers to feel a sense of anticipation and suspense but also prepare them emotionally for what’s about to happen—what’s the best way to go about it?

Take Inspiration from the Screen

An easy way to think of foreshadowing is to examine how the technique is used in movies and TV shows. It is relatively easy to create an emotional response in viewers with the tools available on screen.

Consider the famous shark scene in Jaws . Before the actual shark attack takes place, we have Chief Brody looking anxiously out to sea. There’s a woman who starts screaming in the water, although it turns out that she’s just fooling around with her boyfriend. Next, that music starts up.

A shot of the murky water. Children’s feet churning up the sand. All this takes place in the couple of minutes before the actual attack, increasing our sense of anticipation and, in this case, giving us a sense of imminent danger—despite the fact that nothing has actually happened yet. We feel prepared for what’s coming next.

As authors we don’t have the same tools available to us to set a scene and create a certain atmosphere as screenwriters do, but there are plenty of literary techniques to help create an equally powerful scene of foreshadowing.

Foreshadowing Through Pacing

Think of that Jaws example again. Things start to happen very quickly just before the shark strikes. This is something we can mirror in our writing. Set your reader on edge by describing several actions or events in quick sequence so that they’re left feeling that something is going to happen—they’re just not sure what yet.

Pacing is important throughout your novel. ProWritingAid’s Pacing Report will show you where you’ve written several slower paced paragraphs in a row so you can vary them with some action or dialogue.

Check the pacing around your foreshadowing—are you varying your slower paced, descriptive foreshadowing with action or event based clues?

Foreshadowing Through Dialogue and Reactions

Let’s stick to the beach for a quick and easy illustration of this. Here we have Pete, Kay, and their two boys, out for a day on the beach.

The boys are playing in the sand while Kay is searching through their bags. She turns to Pete and tells him that she can’t find the boys’ armbands.

“Are you sure you packed them, Pete? I can’t find them anywhere,” she tells him anxiously.

She’s worried that despite the children’s recent swimming lessons, they shouldn’t be allowed in the water without their flotation aids.

“I don’t like the idea of them going in without their armbands. There are strong currents here.”

Pete wants to reassure his wife and tells her that the boys will be fine. The water is only shallow and they’ll keep a good eye on them. The boys have made some friends, a couple of years older, with whom they’re having a romp in the water.

At first, the boys’ parents watch their children attentively, calling out to them to be careful and not to go in too deeply, but soon they get distracted—Pete by looking at his phone, Kay because someone on the neighboring towel has started up a conversation with her.

What do you think might happen next? There are enough clues here to foreshadow something unexpected taking place. The focus on the missing armbands and admonitions not to go in too deeply combined with the wild playing with older friends might indicate that one of the children could be involved in a near-drowning accident.

We don’t know, but we’re getting a sense... Did you spot the signs?

Foreshadowing Through Settings and Symbolism

You can also create suspense in a subtle manner through settings and symbolism. One obvious and popular technique is to use the weather to foreshadow events.

A blue sky suddenly going dark, storm clouds moving in, the air feeling close and humid, thunder and lightning—these all help to build a sense of foreboding that something is about to change.

Equally, a sudden blue sky and emerging sunshine, birds twittering, and butterflies fluttering about are also helpful to set the scene and point towards a potentially positive change about to take place.

Let’s try another example.

Here’s Rachel, hurrying home. It’s dusk and the sky is quickly clouding over. She wonders aloud whether it’s about to start raining.

When she pulls out her phone to check the weather forecast, she realizes that her battery is dead. As she stumbles along the path, cursing herself for wearing such impractical shoes, she passes a cemetery on her left and notices a black cat that is sitting by the gate, seemingly keeping guard.

As she looks up, she discovers a red scarf that has become stuck in the branches of a nearby tree, slowly floating on the breeze.

We don’t know what’s going to happen to Rachel on her way home, but we sure don’t have a good feeling about it, do we?

That’s an overview of the elements and techniques you can use to help you foreshadow certain events in your writing.

Weather and dialogue as well as symbolism and setting can help build anticipation and create a sense of foreboding in these paragraphs. Readers can pick up on these and come to the conclusion that yes, something is probably about to develop.

A quick recap from our two examples above:

Character reactions:

• apprehension (Kay)
• distraction (Kay & Pete)
• haste (Rachel)
• self-doubt (Rachel)

Dialogue (external or internal)

• “I don’t like the idea of…”
• Rachel cursing herself
• water/dangerous currents
• deserted path
• black cats (evil omen)
• the color red
• a dead phone

Also keep in mind that the hints you drop do not necessarily mean that something has to happen right away. You could casually be leaving clues throughout the entire length of your narration, leading up to the grand finale of your book. Whichever tactic you choose to employ, make sure to tie up those loose ends to avoid confusing or misleading your readers.

So, that’s foreshadowing for you. Now off you go, leave those literary breadcrumbs to build that dramatic tension, increase anticipation, and keep your readers hooked.

And remember, the more subtle your hints, the greater the satisfaction when they can—or can’t—figure out what’s about to happen.

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• Literary Terms
• Foreshadowing
• Definition & Examples
• When & When & How to use Foreshadowing

I. What is Foreshadowing?

Foreshadowing  gives the audience hints or signs about the future. It suggests what is to come through imagery, language, and/or symbolism. It does not directly give away the outcome, but rather, suggests it.

II. Examples of Foreshadowing

To foreshadow an event in a story, the audience is given direct and/or subtle clues about what will happen. Imagine this scene:

A professionally dressed woman hurriedly leaves the house, slamming the front door. She frantically searches for her keys in the bottom of a giant purse while balancing a briefcase under her other arm. She finds her keys, gets in the car and begins backing out of the driveway, and then slams on the brakes. “I feel like I’m forgetting something,” she says. She shrugs and drives away.

With only this information, we can predict the outcome of this story—the woman has forgotten something important at home, and she probably won’t realize it until she needs it, perhaps at a meeting. Her clothing, behavior, and dialogue are all clues that work together to foreshadow what will happen in her future. Now, imagine the same situation, reenacted with slight differences:

A professionally dressed woman hurriedly leaves the house, slamming the front door. She frantically searches for her keys in the bottom of a giant purse while balancing a briefcase under her other arm. She finds her keys, gets in the car, and backs out of the driveway. As the car drives away, the camera moves back towards the front door and into the house, where a USB stick is sitting on a shelf next to the front door.

In this scene, the situation is the same, but the details are different. It shows us the USB stick, forgotten by the woman, which foreshadows a future conflict.

III. Types of Foreshadowing

There are many different techniques by which foreshadowing is employed. It can be used directly, indirectly, by prophecy, and through symbolism and omens.

a. Foreshadowing – Direct

Hinting at an outcome or event by openly (directly) suggesting what could happen.

b. Foreshadowing – Indirect (subtle)

Hinting at an outcome or event by leaving subtle (indirect) clues to the plotline.

c. Foreshadowing by Prophecy

A prophecy foreshadows a crucial event without revealing the details on how it will occur. In storytelling, as a general rule, a prophecy always comes true in one way or another, which makes it a very effective foreshadowing tool. Some of the most famous uses of foreshadowing through prophecy can be found in the Bible.

d. Foreshadowing through Symbolism and/or Omen

This uses minor or insignificant things as symbols that foreshadow something that will happen. For example, a crow is often an omen of death, thus, the appearance of a crow could foreshadow a character’s demise.

IV. Importance of Foreshadowing

Foreshadowing is used for many different purposes; however, its target is always the audience. It is a technique used to change the perception of the audience by providing them with more knowledge than to some or all of actual characters involved. Depending on how it is used, it can serve as an element for humor, fear, tension, excitement, suspicion or, most commonly, suspense and anticipation.

Furthermore, by revealing clues to the plotline, foreshadowing works as a tool to help the audience feel more invested in a story. It encourages them to develop personal opinions and predictions about the outcome, which in turn makes them more likely to continue watching, listening, or reading. Without the use of foreshadowing, the audience would rarely feel the desire to finish a story.

V. Examples of  Foreshadowing  in Literature

Some of the most famous examples of foreshadowing in literature can be found in Shakespeare’s works. Romeo and Juliet is brimming with lines that foreshadow future events in the play. For example, in the famous balcony scene, Romeo expresses that he wouldn’t mind being caught by Juliet’s guards, stating that,

life were better ended by their hate, / Than death prorogued, wanting of thy love.

In simple terms, Romeo would rather die than live his life without Juliet’s love. His words foreshadow Romeo and Juliet’s suicides, and the family conflict that precedes their deaths.

In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets , the students have an Herbology lesson with Professor Sprout, who begins by asking the class is they know what “Mandrakes” are, to which Hermione answers,

Mandrake, or Mandragora, is a powerful restorative…It is used to return people who have been transfigured our cursed back to their original state.

While Harry and his classmates attend many classes each day, Rowling specifically chooses to share this class with her readers. Professor Sprout’s lesson teaches them that one of the Mandrake’s healing properties can bring a cursed (or petrified) person back to their normal state. Rowling is hinting to the readers that the Mandrakes will be necessary later in the book, foreshadowing that a character (or characters ) will be cursed later in the story. Furthermore, it foreshadows that the monster from the Chamber of Secrets is a Basilisk, as this is a beast whose gaze can lead to a person becoming petrified.

In Chapter 7 of JRR Tolkien’s The Hobbit , Bilbo and the dwarves are soon to be entering the dark forest of Mirkwood. The character Beorn explicitly warns them, several times, not to leave the path in the forest. With his last words to the company, he repeats the warning:

[b]e good, take care of yourselves – and DON’T LEAVE THE PATH!

Tolkien’s choice to capitalize the words “DON’T LEAVE THE PATH” adds emphasis to the subject—drawing attention to the path makes it significant. The reader now knows that staying on the path will be crucial to the story’s plot, whether for good or for ill. However, the urgency of the warning suggests that danger inevitably awaits the Bilbo and the dwarves—most likely, of course, as a result of straying from the path.

VI. Examples of  Foreshadowing  in Pop Culture

Storytellers often use foreshadowing to develop an air of foreboding . In the film The Twilight Saga: Eclipse , there is conflict between vampires and Quileute werewolves. But, Bella Swan is, who is in love with a vampire and best friends with a werewolf, is caught in the middle.

Throughout this scene, we can sense Bella’s growing anxiety as she hears the folktale. She hangs on every word, becoming more and more sullen as the story progresses. The tale discusses details connected to Bella and her way of thinking—her lack of magical powers, her willingness to die for her lover Edward, her quickness to sacrifice herself—all of these things are mirrored in the Quileute tale. Bella’s reaction lets the audience know that the story will be significant to the plotline. The scene foreshadows the climax of the film, when Bella, like the woman in the legend, cuts herself to distract the vampires and save Edward.

Foreshadowing is frequently used to raise tension and anticipation among the audience.

In The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring , the Fellowship are in a life-or-death situation: they need to choose a new path, and quickly, and their alternatives aren’t easy.

In this scene, Gimli is urging that they go through the Mines of Moria. His suggestion seems like the best option…however, we can see Gandalf’s fear as Saruman discloses that the dwarves awoke something evil in Moria, and we are shown an illustration of what he calls “shadow and flame.” When Frodo chooses Moria, it seems likely that we will meet this creature sometime in the near future. This is also an example of foreshadowing in which the audience shares the point of view of one character and not the others. In this case, we are sharing Gandalf’s point of view, and since he knows more about Moria than the rest of the Fellowship, we know more too. We now know, alongside Gandalf, that every step the Fellowship takes will lead closer to the danger that awaits.

VII. Related Terms

• Flash-forward

Flash-forwarding and foreshadowing are similar. However, a flash-forward shows what will actually happen in the future, while foreshadowing only hints at what will happen.

• Red Herring

A red herring misleads the audience, guiding them towards one outcome with the intention of hiding the actual outcome. In many murder mysteries, for example, the author leads the reader to believe that a certain character is the killer, taking away all suspicion away from the real killer.

Chekov’s Gun

Chekov’s Gun is a device used in drama and literature that requires every element of a story to be vital. The idea is that if there is a gun on the stage in one scene, it should be fired in a future scene. So, an object that seems insignificant may turn out to be a key element later on. For instance, in the above example of indirect foreshadowing, the pot holding the poisonous flower functions as “Chekov’s Gun”—it is crucial, yet unobvious.

VIII. Conclusion

In conclusion, foreshadowing is a very valuable tool in storytelling. Since it is a technique that can be used to instill almost any feeling in the audience—humor, tension, fear, anticipation—its use is almost always essential in the success of a story. Lastly, it gives the audience clues to the future without wholly revealing the plotline, which, in turn, encourages them to stick with the story and follow it until the end.

List of Terms

• Alliteration
• Amplification
• Anachronism
• Anthropomorphism
• Antonomasia
• APA Citation
• Aposiopesis
• Autobiography
• Bildungsroman
• Characterization
• Circumlocution
• Cliffhanger
• Comic Relief
• Connotation
• Deus ex machina
• Deuteragonist
• Doppelganger
• Double Entendre
• Dramatic irony
• Equivocation
• Extended Metaphor
• Figures of Speech
• Intertextuality
• Juxtaposition
• Literary Device
• Malapropism
• Onomatopoeia
• Parallelism
• Pathetic Fallacy
• Personification
• Point of View
• Polysyndeton
• Protagonist
• Rhetorical Device
• Rhetorical Question
• Science Fiction
• Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
• Synesthesia
• Turning Point
• Understatement
• Urban Legend
• Verisimilitude
• Essay Guide
• Cite This Website

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What is Foreshadowing? Definition, Types, Examples, and Tips

by Alex Cabal

Foreshadowing is a literary technique for building dramatic tension in a story. Clever and nuanced foreshadowing is artistry in writing. Writing foreshadowing into your plot events can keep a a reader’s attention and eager to turn the page to discover what happens next.

We’ll teach you how to use foreshadowing elements in your work to build anticipation, heighten suspense, and twist the audience’s expectations—plus, a few foreshadowing examples from literature to show you how it looks in practice.

What is foreshadowing?

Foreshadowing is a literary device that writers use to hint at future plot developments to come. This might be through a line of dialogue, a detail in the setting, or the mood conveyed during a particular scene. Foreshadowing helps build suspense and lays the groundwork for clever plot twists as your tale unfolds.

Foreshadowing in storytelling is often subtle and suggestive, using thematic elements like symbolism, mood, language, and characterization. This allows the writer to place covert signals and undertones throughout the story’s plot that keeps readers guessing. Small and illuminating whispers of foretelling can make a story feel clever, complex, and compelling, encouraging readers to try and anticipate what may happen.

Well-designed foreshadowing relies heavily on show vs. tell . Rather than explicitly revealing to readers exactly what’s about to happen, foreshadowing should hint , imply , and suggest a future event, allowing your readers to discover the implied meaning on their own.

The value of foreshadowing for your story

Foreshadowing serves a few key functions that play an integral role in making a scene more interesting, and contributes to the overall impact of the story.

A few key benefits of using this technique in your story include:

Developing reader expectations

Readers enjoy looking for hints that foretell the future, as it allows them to make predictions about what may happen. Using foreshadowing early on can hook a reader and keep them anxiously turning pages to satisfy their curiosity.

As the story progresses and comes to a finale, the reader learns that their deductions are proved correct; or, they may feel a sense of awe and surprise when they look back and see all the tiny details that led up to, and ultimately defined and foreshadowed, the story’s climax.

Building tension

In assembling these reader expectations—the feelings of anticipation, excitement, uncertainty, and even dread about impending trials that your main character is facing—the writer can also subtly build tension. Tension within a story heightens the drama and the stakes, and can increase a reader’s emotional connection and invested in the protagonist’s character development.

If a reader anticipates that something bad is going to happen later in the story, the excitement or worry they feel will keep them anxious to keep turning the page to find out if their predictions are correct, and to see how the hero will persevere.

Creating ambiance and atmosphere

Foreshadowing can also play a significant role in building the ambiance, atmosphere, and overall tone. It can imply a lot about how the story will ultimately feel, and—again—help set expectations for your readers.

If a story starts with a young protagonist and their innocent lover standing in a sunny field, and then lightning cracks across the sky as dark clouds form in the distance, the reader will likely anticipate that major turmoil is on the horizon.

Types of foreshadowing

Foreshadowing happens in two ways: directly and indirectly. Both of these are helpful in building suspense in a story in their own way.

Direct foreshadowing is when a story overtly suggests an event. This type of foreshadowing will typically occur in a prologue, in dialogue, or sometimes even prophetically. This is when the writer says to the reader, something important is going to happen!

Indirect foreshadowing is when a story leaves hints and clues throughout the narrative for the readers to follow. This might be in certain character traits, symbols, motifs, and language that communicates a bad feeling about the plot elements that are brewing.

Chekhov’s Gun

Chekhov’s Gun is a literary principle which dictates that “no story should make false promises.” According to this principle, if an element is introduced it needs to be necessary to the story and should come to some kind of resolution.

Anton Chekhov, the renowned Russian playwright and short story writer for whom this technique is named, described this principle by stating that “one must never place a loaded rifle on stage if it isn’t going to go off. It’s wrong to make promises you don’t mean to keep.”

The “gun” can be anything that is introduced with an air of importance, and that thus should directly develop the plot or characterization.

These usually takes place in the form of an actual prophecy that a hero may receive, or that a reader may become privy to without their knowledge. Prophecy is the most direct form of foreshadowing: the reader—and sometimes the protagonist—are told about outcomes of the future, and the story explores how the hero‘s choices lead up to the predicted outcome.

This is a favorite device of the fairy tale form; in Sleeping Beauty , for example, the fairy tale witch foretells that the princess will prick her finger and die in fifteen years.

Prophecies can also provide a unique and interesting twist by being left open-ended, vague, unclear, or positioned so that they may have multiple outcomes.

Flash-forwards and flashbacks

Flashbacks and flash-forwards are interruptions in the narrative timeline that allow a writer to show what has happened in the past, or something that will happen in the future. Showing things happening out of chronological order provide a way for the author to make note of or explore ideas, events, or characters in a way that wouldn’t naturally fit within the storyline.

A flashback or flash-forward in a story can be used to foreshadow the current timeline by referencing something from the past that could impact the current plot, or by subtly implying something pivotal for the future.

Symbolism and metaphor

Abstract and symbolic foreshadowing uses indirect symbols to suggest what happens next. This is more nuanced that direct foreshadowing methods like prophecy, and can be used to heighten ambiance and tone.

The example we mentioned earlier—the two young lovers standing in the field who experience a drastic change in the weather around them—is an example of abstract and symbolic foreshadowing. The peaceful, sunny environment reinforces the idea of their youthful innocence and love, while the chance in weather symbolically implies that the lovers are about to experience a change as well—and perhaps not for the better.

In real life, we look for symbolism and significance in everyday occurrences all the time. This means your readers are primed to pick it up within your narrative.

Fallacies and red herrings

While the principle of Chekhov’s Gun is to not make any false promises, a fallacy or red herring may do just that in an intentional effort to mislead the reader.

The purpose of fallacious foreshadowing, or using a red herring, is to intentionally muddle the story’s direction and throw the reader off so they don’t predict the climax. These misleading clues can make a story more exciting, and can set your readers up for feelings of surprise and shock when the true events unfold.

For example, a mystery novel about a stolen artifact may intentionally frame a character that seems obvious as the thief. While doing so, the author may also leave very subtle clues that the thief is someone else entirely. The framed person would be the red herring.

5 foreshadowing techniques and methods

Now that we know how to use literary devices to foreshadow events in a story, let’s look at five writing techniques that can be used to raise these questions and heighten suspense in your writing.

Your book’s title

The title of a story can be a foreshadowing tool itself, either directly or indirectly. Consider Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express . The title already reveals that a murder will occur, and even tells the reader beforehand where it’ll occur. Before the reader even begins the story, they’re already asking who will be murdered and who the murderer could be.

Another example of foreshadowing in a title is Edgar Allen Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher . This title not only tells us that the physical house will be destroyed, but hints at the destruction of the family that lives within it.

The setting of a story can also be used to foreshadow the events that will take place, and may indirectly provide clues for how the protagonist is feeling or will react to something. Common examples include the weather, the season, the state of repair or disrepair a setting might be in, or its history.

Consider the trope of the cowboy entering a town that is usually bustling with activity, but seemingly vacant until you hear the snap of window shutters closing as he walks by the buildings. Right from the first chapter, this setting foreshadows the antagonist’s appearance, and their challenging the cowboy to a duel. If the cowboy had arrived on a bustling day instead, the reader might not guess that a duel was about to occur.

Dialogue between characters is an excellent way to hint at future events in a story. This may appear as:

A recounting of a historical event or providing insight into another character’s personality, hinting at future events of the plot.

An offhand joke that implies some sort of deeper significance or forebodes an event.

Dialogue that showcases an aspect of a person—their personality, beliefs, or other characteristics—that sets them up for a realization that will change them.

Figurative language

Figurative language like similes and metaphors can be an excellent way to foreshadow an event within a story without having to make an explicit statement. A metaphor may be an object or moment with some other, deeper meaning, implying that something that happened to a particular character may happen to another.

Similes can be used as foreshadowing tools as well, especially in characterization and the use of archetypes. For example, a man that is described as handsome, clever, and sly as a fox, would give readers a sense that they may fulfill the role of a beguiling trickster.

Characterization

Other aspects of a your central cast can also present opportunities for foreshadowing. Their physical appearance and attire, their mannerisms and dialogue, and even their history can all be used to foretell events in the plot. For example, a character who often wears clothes that hide a certain aspect of their body may foreshadow the fact they’re concealing something.

3 foreshadowing tips for writers

Foreshadowing presents opportunities to write a complex and engaging story. Direct foreshadowing gives the readers immediate insight into what will occur, generating curiosity that is sustained for the duration of the story as they try to guess the path to the conclusion.

Indirect foreshadowing leaves a breadcrumb trail that the readers either pick up on and enjoys as they try to guess what’s in store, or provides an element of surprise for the readers as the story develops and they start to recognize all the signs that were left for them along the way.

But as enticing, exciting, and juicy as foreshadowing can be, this literary device should be approached with care. Too much foreshadowing causes the book to lose suspense or becomes uninteresting. Ineffective foreshadowing may fall flat and either do nothing for the story, or hinder it by sending confusing signals to your readers. Using this literary device successfully is all about finding the perfect balance.

To successfully include foreshadowing in your story, consider the following step-by-step process:

Start with a plan

An effective way to include foreshadowing is to have the overarching plot, including all the major events that your characters experience, planned out in advance. This will allow you to look for opportunities throughout the story to foreshadow, as you already know what will happen, and can hint at that.

Note, however, that foreshadowing can be refined during your second draft when you have a better understanding of your plot. Then you can get a better sense of whether or not it truly contributes to the reader’s experience.

Use careful placement and moderation

Carefully considered placement and judicious moderation of foreshadowing are the keys to doing it successfully. Introducing foreshadowing as early as possible gives time for the readers to enjoy the curiosity, suspense, and tension. Additionally, including foreshadowing in a natural cadence throughout the story keeps the reader engaged and turning pages with anticipation.

By sprinkling foreshadowing carefully throughout the story, the reader may excitedly return to the beginning to re-read all of the breadcrumbs they missed the first time around!

Use a beta reader

A common struggle for writers is the inability to see the story from a completely fresh perspective. As the writer, you already know what’s going to happen, so it can be difficult to gauge if your foreshadowing is doing its job.

This is why it’s a good idea to collaborate with a beta reader—a person willing to read your story and provide feedback on what worked and what didn’t. At Scribophile, we just happen to specialize in getting feedback on your writing .

Examples of foreshadowing in literature

One of the best ways to become more familiar with a literary device is to read stories that have done it effectively. The following foreshadowing examples offer a great starting point to better understand how this literary device is used in practice.

Of Mice and Men , by John Steinbeck

John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men is a legendary example of foreshadowing. The novella is rife with suspenseful elements, and they greatly impact the emotional conclusion.

Here are some examples of foreshadowing in Of Mice and Men :

The death of Curley’s wife, and Lennie’s innocence despite having killed her, is foreshadowed by his accidental killing of the mice and the puppy with his heavy-handed over-petting.

Curley’s soft hands foreshadow how Lennie will eventually crush them—as he has crushed other soft and small things throughout the story.

George’s comments of being chased out of the last town they were in because Lennie wanted to touch the soft fabric of a women’s dress also foreshadow how Lennie will ultimately stroke Curley’s wife’s soft hair—leading to her death when he accidentally strangles her.

George’s comments about the difference in size between Curley’s small body and Lennie’s large one also foreshadow how Lennie will eventually harm Curley.

Candy’s confession to George that he wishes he had been the one to shoot his own dog rather than allow Carlson to do it foreshadows the eventual heartbreaking moment where George shoots Lennie.

Romeo and Juliet , by William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet is one of Shakespeare’s plays that most heavily relies on foreshadowing. It’s used to heighten tension in every scene, making the audience feel like the fate of the characters is inevitable and closing in on them.

Examples of foreshadowing in Romeo and Juliet include:

The prologue explicitly foreshadows that the star-crossed lovers will die.

Juliet’s nurse exposes the unlucky omens of Juliet’s childhood as a prediction that Juliet may have more unlucky moments to come.

Romeo predicts an “untimely death” and “consequences” that will occur from attending the Capulet’s ball, where he first meets Juliet.

Juliet has a vision of Romeo dead in a tomb.

The conflict between the Capulets and Montagues foreshadows the deaths of Mercutio and Tybalt.

“The Monkey’s Paw,” by W.W. Jacobs

W. W. Jacobs’ “The Monkey’s Paw” is a short story filled with foreshadowing. It has been adapted in many other forms of media since its publication in 1902.

Examples of foreshadowing in “The Monkey’s Paw” include:

Sergeant-Major Morris foreshadows the danger the paw can cause when he notes how the second man used his third wish to wish for death.

Sergeant-Major Morris directly foreshadows Mr. White’s inevitable danger when he explicitly warns him three times to leave the paw alone after Mr. White retrieves it from the fire.

Herbert’s vision of seeing the monkey face in the fire foreshadows the power and evil of the paw.

Should you use foreshadowing in your story?

Yes! Foreshadowing is a powerful literary device that can not only make stories highly engaging, but can also entice a reader to re-read each scene to find all of the hints they missed the first time.

It’s a literary device that takes time to master, and may require some revision to ensure that your breadcrumbs are just enough to keep the reader guessing—but not laid down with such a heavy hand that they spoil the ending. But when done right, it’s worth the attention to detail!

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foreshadowing

What is foreshadowing definition, usage, and literary examples, foreshadowing definition.

Foreshadowing  (for-SHA-doe-wing) is a literary technique used to hint at what will unfold in a story, such as future events, connections, or outcomes. Foreshadowing can be subtle or obvious, and often has an element of  irony  attached to it. A good rule of thumb is to look for:

• A joke about an unideal situation early on: “Wouldn’t it be funny if it rained the day of the big game?”
• A bold statement that tempts the universe: “I swear I’ll never work at a grocery store ever again!”
• An incongruous/suspicious detail that is pointed out for no apparent reason: a brief shot or offhanded mention of rat poison under the kitchen sink.

This term was first used in 1587 and is derived from the image of a shadow that telegraphs a person or object’s existence or imminent arrival.

Elements of Foreshadowing

Foreshadowing can occur anywhere in a story to help build tension. Common examples and techniques include:

• Ominous or fate-baiting dialogue, such as “We’ll see about that.” or “If he shows his face again, I’ll kill him!”
• A scene that sets up a future event, like the first chapter in  Reader Player One , wherein protagonist Wade  alludes  to winning the competition that drives the novel’s  plot
• A character feeling or expressing concern, dread, or worry
• Prophecies, like the witches telling  Macbeth  he will become king
• Symbolism, like a sudden shift in weather right before a pivotal scene
• The appearance of potentially dangerous objects, like a gun, knife, or a fraying rope bridge

Literary Devices Related to Foreshadowing

In addition to the elements above, there are standalone literary devices that correlate, but are not exclusively linked to, foreshadowing.

Red herring

A red herring is a deliberately misleading clue that distracts readers from the truth. This device is often used in genre fiction like  mysteries , and it is designed to make the story’s ending even more exciting and unexpected. In the Sherlock Holmes story  The Final Problem , the famed detective and Dr. Watson receive a note saying a woman at their hotel needs medical help. This is a red herring set up by their nemesis, Professor Moriarty, to separate the dynamic duo.

Foreshadowing, on the other hand, is inherently truthful because it directly points to the  narrative ’s outcome.

Flash-forward

Flash-forwards show the reader concrete scenes from the future in order to elucidate things that have already happened. This is the entire basis of the short-lived TV show  Flashforward , where a worldwide blackout caused people to see six months into the future. The episodes that follow showcase how those futures unfold (or are narrowly avoided).

Meanwhile, foreshadowing occurs in the present. It hints at what happens in the future, leaving the reader to wonder about the details.

The Purpose of Foreshadowing

When writers use foreshadowing, it is often to employ one or more of these three main functions.

Build Tension

Readers who catch on to foreshadowing will feel anticipation or dread about impending events. This crafted anxiety pushes readers to continue because they want to know if their guesses are correct. This teasing heightens the drama and the stakes, causing readers to become more emotionally involved in the story and characters.

Create Atmosphere or Ambiance

Typically, foreshadowing is used early on in a story (or chapter or scene) to allude to imminent scenarios. As such, this device sets the  tone . For example, “It was a dark and stormy night” foreshadows trouble, danger, and mayhem. This kind of foreshadowing is especially prevalent in genre fiction, like thrillers,  fantasy , or horror, where a flickering streetlight or howling wolf implies ominous times ahead.

Develop and Manage Readers’ Expectations

Readers are trained to look for  context  clues and hints in stories, so writers use foreshadowing to establish and guide readers’ expectations. Done correctly, foreshadowing can hook a reader in the story’s beginning, keep them interested as the plot progresses, and, in the end, provide a satisfying conclusion that rewards or delightfully upsets their predictions.

This is especially true in the mystery genre, where writers and readers are each playing a game. The writer uses foreshadowing to reveal the central mystery’s details and clues—but never the whole picture at once. Readers hope to pick up on these clues and arrive at the “whodunit” conclusion before the protagonist.

A common example of this type of foreshadowing is the Chekhov’s Gun theory; named after Russian writer Anton Chekhov, the theory posits that if there is a loaded gun on the wall in Chapter 1, it absolutely needs to go off within the next chapter or two. This concept is also related to the “Two Shoe Contract”: if you hear one shoe drop in the room above, you instinctively wait to hear the thud of the second shoe falling.

Foreshadowing in Visual Media

In movies and television, foreshadowing is referred to as “planting and payoff,” and it is necessary to help the audience suspend their disbelief. It occurs very early in the program and plausibly sets up later events.

Take  Columbo , a highly formulaic detective TV series that used foreshadowing in each episode. In Act 1, the murderer and victim are shown interacting. The victim does something to threaten the murderer’s interests (blackmail, denying a request for money or help, etc.), so the murderer kills them. In Act 2, Columbo is called to the scene, where he meets the murderer and then systematically annoys them into making mistakes. Finally, in Act 3, Columbo reveals the murderer. This was a successful formula because it piqued viewer’s interests early. Oftentimes, the audience was shown a tiny flaw in the murderer’s plan that paid off in the third-act reveal. Because Columbo always catches the bad guy, foreshadowing helps viewers stay interested by making the true mystery how he catches the crook.

Another example of foreshadowing is the opening credits of the 2012 James Bond film  Skyfall . The sequence is an amalgamation of images: Bond sinking into water, graveyards, a woman, a skull, daggers, and Chinese dragons. Each image corresponds to scenes, objects, and characters that are important to the narrative. Furthermore, the theme song  lyrics  foreshadow Bond and M’s partnership and their tragic last stand at Bond’s ancestral estate, the titular Skyfall.

Examples of Foreshadowing in Literature

1. Chris Colfer,  Struck by Lightning: The Carson Phillips Journal

The title of the book foreshadows its conclusion: teen protagonist Carson Phillips is struck and killed by lightning. The brilliance of this foreshadowing is that it is at once obvious and subtle. While overtly telegraphing the end, readers do not expect such a literal interpretation of the title—after all, how often does the titular character die?

2. J.K. Rowling, the  Harry Potter  series

Throughout the series, J.K. Rowling uses foreshadowing to hint at the outcomes of major and minor story arcs. Some cases of foreshadowing are contained within a single book, like when a mysterious, sentient diary is revealed to possess the spirit of Lord Voldemort in  The Chamber of Secrets , whereas other cases do not pay off until a book or two later in the series. An example of the latter begins in  Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix , when a prophecy about Harry and Lord Voldemort is revealed:

Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies… and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not… and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives…

This prophecy not only foreshadows the final battle between Harry and Voldemort but also contains a self-fulfilling prophecy. The line “the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal” indicates that Voldemort himself chose Harry as his triumphant nemesis. Harry’s schoolmate Neville Longbottom also fits the description “Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies,” but Voldemort decided Harry was the likelier candidate, thus setting in motion his own defeat.

3. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle,   “A Scandal in Bohemia”

In this story’s opening paragraph, Doyle uses foreshadowing to impress upon readers how important Irene Adler is to Holmes without immediately revealing why:

To Sherlock Holmes she is always  the  woman. I have seldom heard him mention her under any other name. In his eyes she eclipses and predominates the whole of her sex. It was not that he felt any emotion akin to love for Irene Adler.  All emotions, and that one particularly, were abhorrent to his cold, precise but admirably balanced mind. He was, I take it, the most perfect reasoning and observing machine that the world has seen, but as a lover he would have placed himself in a false position. […] And yet there was but one woman to him, and that woman was the late Irene Adler, of dubious and questionable memory.  [bolded for emphasis]

In the passage, a lot is revealed about Sherlock Holmes. He has no use for love and romance because he is a man of the mind who prefers observation and science. Yet, Irene Adler somehow got under his skin. Immediately, readers’ interests are piqued—especially with the final sentence revealing that Adler is dead. They know that, whoever she is, Adler will be of central importance to the story.

4. Charles Dickens,  Great Expectations

Dickens uses weather as an indicator of coming events. As protagonist Pip grows anxious about the status of his future, he notes the weather:

So furious had been the gusts, that high buildings in town had had the lead stripped off their roofs; and in the country, trees had been torn up, and sails of windmills carried away; and gloomy accounts had come in from the coast, of shipwreck and death.

This tumultuous weather foreshadows a major upheaval to come. Several pages later, Pip learns that his mysterious benefactor is not Miss Havisham, as he suspected, but the convict he helped escape when he was a young boy.

Further Resources on Foreshadowing

Author K. M. Weiland examines some common mistakes writers make when adding foreshadowing to a story—and provides tips for avoiding these pitfalls.

This  Writer’s Digest  article on foreshadowing is a must-read for those interested in film and television. Not only is there a section on the way prestige TV show  Breaking Bad  uses foreshadowing, there is also a section on flashbacks and flash-forwards.

Masterclass  has an excellent article on foreshadowing that covers basics and tips for using it in your own writing.

Related Terms

• Cliffhanger
• Self-fulfilling prophecy

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What is Foreshadowing? || Definition & Examples

"what is foreshadowing" a guide for english students and teachers.

View the full series: The Oregon State Guide to English Literary Terms

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What is Foreshadowing? Transcript (English and Spanish Subtitles Available in Video, Click HERE for Spanish Transcript)

By Evan Gottlieb , Oregon State University Professor of British Literature

2 September 2019

If you’ve ever read a novel that kept you wanting to find out what’s going to happen next, or watched a movie that drops ominous hints about the fate of one or more of its characters, then you’ve probably already experienced foreshadowing. “Foreshadowing” is a narrative device in which suggestions or warnings about events to come are dropped or planted.

Sometimes, foreshadowing is relatively obvious; other times, it can be more obscure or esoteric, especially when certain elements can only be recognized as foreshadowing after the fact , when readers have more information with which to contextualize and make sense of what happened earlier.

So foreshadowing takes advantage of the difference between two additional literary terms that, in conversation, are often used synonymously, but actually mean quite different things:  plot – which is the order of events in a narrative as they would take place linearly – and narrative , which is how those events are told or related.

When a piece of foreshadowing shows up early in the narrative, then, it hints at or gestures toward something that is going to take place later in the plot: usually not by giving away precisely what’s going to happen, but by dropping a hint or make an allusion to something that’s going to occur down the road, so to speak.

We’re being told about it now in the narrative, then, to heighten our anticipation and make us want to find out what’s going to happen. Foreshadowing can serve multiple purposes:

The most common purpose is to generate or increase narrative suspense or tension: this is why foreshadowing is often found at the end of chapters or sections, and why it’s a standard feature in genres that really rely on suspense, like the Gothic novel and the horror movie.

A classic example of this kind of foreshadowing can be found in Mary Shelley’s famous Gothic – and early science fiction – novel, Frankenstein , from 1818. When Victor Frankenstein is telling us about his childhood, for example, he is narrating from the vantage point of many years later – and so he knows more than we as readers do about what’s going to happen in the future.

At one point, for example, Victor alludes to how, during a family vacation when he was 13 years old, a rainy day forced them to stay indoors, and Victor found some old books of occult philosophy by the medieval mystic Cornelius Agrippa. After beginning to read them eagerly, he asks his father about them, but gets only an offhand dismissal. Victor then tells us:

“If, instead of this remark, my father had taken the pains to explain to me, that the principles of Agrippa had been entirely exploded, and that a modern system of science had been introduced . . . I should certainly have thrown Agrippa aside. . . . It is even possible, that the train of my ideas would never have received the fatal impulse that led to my ruin. But the cursory glance that my father had taken of my volume by no means assured me that he was acquainted with its contents; and I continued to read with the greatest pleasure.” (Broadview ed. p. 68)

foreshadowing_frankenstein.jpg

Here we have a very explicit bit of foreshadowing, something that clearly tells the reader to expect bad things to happen as a result of Victor’s early exposure to mystical treatises that don’t respect the boundaries and limitations of modern science (just as Victor will go on to transgress the boundaries of the possible by learning to reanimate dead matter).

But as I already mentioned, sometimes foreshadowing isn’t this obvious – sometimes it’s not something the narrator says, for example, but something that happens whose significance only becomes clear later:  

And there’s a good example of this just a few pages later in Shelley’s novel, when Victor – still narrating his childhood remembrances – recalls a memory of watching “a most violent and terrible thunder-storm” (Broadview edition p. 69):

“As I stood at the door, on a sudden I beheld a stream of fire issue from an old and beautiful oak, which stood about twenty yards from our house; as so soon as the dazzling light vanished, the oak had disappeared, and nothing remained but a blasted stump. . . . The catastrophe of this tree excited my extreme astonishment, and I eagerly inquired of my father the nature and origin of thunder and lightning. He replied, ‘Electricity’ . . .” (Broadview edition pp. 69-70)

foreshadowing_mary_shelley.jpg

Shelley’s original readers would likely not have known what to make of this scene, besides recognizing the sublimity of nature’s power. But several chapters later in the novel, when Victor finally undertakes his terrible act of creation, it is strongly hinted that the power behind it is the same power that devastated the oak of his childhood: electricity.

When Victor describes his plan to “infuse a speak of being into the lifeless thing that lay at my feet” (p. 84), then, readers can think back to that original lightning strike and recognize its clever foreshadowing in a way that only comes into focus later, in what Victor calls “my workshop of filthy creation.”

foreshadowing_frankenstein_ii.jpg

As with much foreshadowing, then, this is Mary Shelley’s way of telling readers, essentially, “Don’t say I didn’t warn you!”

Of course, foreshadowing is also frequently used in realist narratives too: any time a first-person narrator says something like “Little did I know that my decision to skip my morning coffee would come back to haunt me by mid-afternoon,” we’re in the realm of foreshadowing: even if all that’s being foreshadowed here is the fact that the narrator will fall asleep in an afternoon department meeting.

Note: this example is totally not based on personal experience!

Want to cite this?

MLA Citation: Gottlieb, Evan. "What is Foreshadowing?" Oregon State Guide to English Literary Terms, 2 Sept. 2019, Oregon State University, https://liberalarts.oregonstate.edu/wlf/what-foreshadowing . Accessed [insert date].

Further Resources for Teachers

Additional [Southern] Gothic stories that build foreshadowing into their narratives include Flannery O'Connor's "A Good Man is Hard to Find" and William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily."

Foreshadowing is also a staple feature of crime fiction stories, including Jorge Luis Borges's dazzling short story "Death and the Compass."

Writing Prompt: Identify one or two important recurring images or ideas in Borges's story. How might these ideas foreshadow Erik Lönnrot's unfortunate fate? What is the purpose of this foreshadowing?  What pleasures does this foreshadowing provide to first-time readers of the text? What pleasures might it provide for readers on the second go-around?

Interested in more video lessons? View the full series:

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Types of Foreshadowing (with Examples)

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What is Foreshadowing? Definition, Examples of Literary Foreshadowing

Home » The Writer’s Dictionary » What is Foreshadowing? Definition, Examples of Literary Foreshadowing

Foreshadowing definition: Foreshadowing is a literary term that occurs when an author provides hints or clues for future plot events.

What is Foreshadowing?

What does foreshadowing mean? Foreshadowing is exactly that—a (be)fore shadow of what is to come in the text.

Authors foreshadow future events when they provide hints in a plot to give clues to what will happen later in the text.

Foreshadowing occurs often in literature; however, it can occur in any storyline (such as a movie or television show).

Foreshadowing can occur through narration, dialogue, or setting. Foreshadowing can be subtle or overt.

It is the audience’s responsibility to recognize the clues the author provides.

Foreshadowing Examples:

• John: “I don’t think we should go in there, Luke.”
• Luke: “Why not, John? Are you afraid?”
• John: “It’s not that I’m afraid, it’s just that I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
• Luke: “What could possibly happen?”

In this exchange, John expresses a concern that Luke ignores. If John is correct and something bad does happen later in the text, this is an author’s use of foreshadowing.

Modern Examples of Foreshadowing

Throughout the series Rowling plants small clues to upcoming plot points.

A specific example occurs when Ollivander the wand-maker reveals that Harry’s wand and Voldemort’s wand are invariably linked because they are made of the same core.

This event foreshadows that Harry Potter and Voldemort share a sincere connection. The specific connection is not revealed until a later novel when the audience learns that Harry Potter is a horcrux for Voldemort.

What is the Purpose of Foreshadowing?

Sometimes readers do not recognize foreshadowing until the later event actually occurs. This is that “ah-ha” moment that seems to make a plot come full circle.

The author puts events in a specific order to unfold his plot and the reader experiences this as the author intended.

A writer will use foreshadowing to provide clues to events but not to reveal specifics of those events.

How to Create Foreshadowing

Similarly, foreshadowing should not reveal the specifics of the future events but should give clues to keep the reader guessing.

Revealing all future events would be pointless. The point is to keep the reader interested while he is “putting together a puzzle” with the text.

How Foreshadowing is Used in Literature

Foreshadowing in literature: In James Hurst’s short story, The Scarlet Ibis , death is a motif throughout the text that foreshadows the death of the character, Doodle.

Hurst foreshadows Doodle’s death on various occasions.

“The last graveyard flowers were blooming, and their smell drifted through our house, speaking softly the names of our dead.”

This example occurs in the opening line of the text. Hurst uses the setting to create a dark mood that foreshadows the death at the end of the story.

Foreshadowing in narration:

“They named him William Armstrong, which is like tying a big tail on a small kite. Such a name sounds good only on a tombstone.”

This example directly foreshadows Doodle’s (William Armstrong’s) death. It is, in fact, that name which ends up on a tombstone.

Foreshadowing in dialogue:

Roughly halfway through the text, Brother shows Doodle his coffin and forces him to touch it. Doodle responds,

“’Don’t leave me. Don’t leave me.”

This dialogue foreshadows Doodle’s death because Doodle says the lines again at the text’s conclusion. Doodle repeats these lines when he dies after Brother leaves him in the storm.

Summary: What Does Foreshadow Mean?

Define foreshadowing: The definition of foreshadowing is a hint or clue to future events in a storyline.

Authors use foreshadowing to provide insight but not to reveal specifics of the plot. Foreshadowing is a tool to keep readers interested.

If this article helped you understand the meaning of foreshadowing, you might enjoy our full list of literary terms .

8 foreshadowing laws: How to foreshadow right

What is foreshadowing? Generally, the term means a ‘warning or indication (of a future event)’ (OED). As a literary term, it means creating earlier scenes to build suspense, anticipation or understanding ahead of later plot developments. Learning how to foreshadow is a useful skill for creating well-structured writing. Here are 8 rules to foreshadow like a pro:

• Post author By Bridget McNulty
• 8 Comments on 8 foreshadowing laws: How to foreshadow right

What is foreshadowing? Generally, the term means a ‘warning or indication (of a future event)’ ( OED ). As a literary term, it means creating earlier scenes to build suspense, anticipation or understanding ahead of later plot developments. Learning how to foreshadow is a useful skill for creating well-structured writing. Here are 8 rules to foreshadow like a pro:

Rule 1: Make foreshadowing relevant

When planning the plot of your story or novel, make sure an incident needs foreshadowing before you include any.

Not every story event does need an early warning or clue it’s coming. Overusing foreshadowing can have an unintentionally comic effect. If you make a trivial event blown out of proportion, your writing assumes the melodramatic tone of a soap opera. Remember to save foreshadowing mostly for major events throughout your novel.

A good example of foreshadowing: The strange sounds Hogwarts’ students’ hear in the walls in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets , sounds that portend the monster they later discover.

What’s a bad example of foreshadowing? If, for example, a character’s eyes change colour or glow when something is about to happen. This is a cliche from the world of comic book superheroes.

Rule 2: Understand the purpose of foreshadowing

Foreshadowing shows a character’s action or an object and says ‘pay attention, this is important.’ We use this to build suspense or prepare readers for a turn of plot that would otherwise seem unlikely.

The purpose of your ‘forewarning’ will help you determine how to foreshadow in a chapter or scene. If you want to build suspense, your foreshadowing must be obvious enough for the reader to notice there is something going on.

For example, if you show your main character hiding a gun in his glove compartment, this foreshadows a violent event. The reader might ask, ‘Is he planning a hit? Is it for self-defence?’ These are pay-offs your plot can deliver later. You could even simply show your character hiding something , only later filling in the object’s identity. This is the fun of foreshadowing – you can be more or less obscure, depending on the amount of mystery you want to create .

If you are simply setting up a plot situation for later, and don’t want to create active suspense, your foreshadowing should be almost invisible to the reader. For example, you might describe your character browsing a job-hunting website in Chapter 1, to foreshadow a hostile, untenable work situation in a subsequent chapter.

Rule 3: Give the pay-off (like ‘Chekhov’s Gun’)

The brilliant playwright and short story author Anton Chekhov once said that if you introduce a gun in a story, it should go off at some point. Otherwise, it should not be there at all. This idea, known as ‘Chekhov’s Gun’ , is important for foreshadowing correctly.

There are exceptions, of course, to Chekhov’s advice. A novel has a bit more space to sprawl than either a short story or a play. It is not necessary for every element to have an important function at novel length.

However, the introduction of something major like a gun where it does not belong or a piece of shocking information (for example, a character discovering his colleague has committed fraud) needs to have a payoff later in the novel. Otherwise, the reader is likely to feel cheated and confused regarding what is significant and worth remembering and what is incidental.

Rule 4: Include plot foretelling at the outlining stage

Think about foreshadowing in terms of your structure. Whether you outline your novel in advance or not, you will probably need to think structurally to use this device effectively.

Your foreshadowing should occur far enough in advance to tip off the reader but not so far ahead that the reader forgets about it. If it does occur far ahead, include an occasional reminder of this significant plot point.

In David Lynch’s mystery series Twin Peaks , for example, he manages to sustain the audience’s curiosity about the identity of a killer who is not a member of the already-met cast by having the killer appear to characters in dreams and visions. These reminders keep the mystery of the killer’s identity alive, despite the show exploring many other subplots.

Having an overview of your story’s arc can help you decide where and how to introduce scenes or incidents that make us recall a significant, important earlier event.

If you don’t outline ahead of time, consider doing a reverse outline after finishing your first draft that just focuses on foreshadowing and the plot points your foreshadowing anticipates. Do you introduce foreshadowing early enough? Does it pay off? Don’t leave readers complaining ‘but what happened to x?’ (unless you want to puzzle and possibly infuriate readers on purpose).

Rule 5: Don’t overdo it

Getting foreshadowing right is all about using the right amount of emphasis. If you’re laying the groundwork, you don’t want to tip your hand to the reader too early. In fact, you want to plant suggestions that the reader registers at a near-subconscious level.

Ideally, when an event that will later prove significant occurs, the reader will be able to look back and see that the event was clearly foreshadowed even though she did not pick up on the clues. Often the best plot reveals combine surprise with inevitability. Of COURSE they were the killer , we say, even though there were other equally plausible candidates.

One way to ensure your forewarning isn’t too ham-fisted is to slip it into surrounding action or events. Perhaps character Pete is going over an insurance document when he notices something irregular, but he’s interrupted by a knock at the door and forgets about his discovery. Interruptions and changes of focus help to distract the reader from significant plot points (had the chapter ended with Pete’s discovery, readers would see the discovery as a weightier plot point and it would linger longer in their minds).

Rule 6: Make plot pay-offs fit their buildup

Make sure the pay-off in your plot fits the tone and mood of your foreshadowing. If you think back to movies you’ve seen and books you’ve read, you can probably remember examples where you’ve been let down by this. The story built until you expected something spectacular: a conspiracy unmasked, a great love revealed, a criminal brought to justice, an enormous secret finally told.

When what happens does not live up to these expectations the author has deliberately stoked, the disappointment can be crushing for the reader. It can, in fact, ruin the entire novel even if it has been satisfying up to that point. Even so, there are authors such as Kazuo Ishiguro who masterfully use anticlimax or bathos to thwart our expectations. Your leeway also depends on your genre – you can get away with more experimental and daring strokes in literary fiction than genre fiction where genre conventions (e.g. ‘the lovers unite’) are expected.

Rule 7: Use the revision stage to add or fix plot links

When you come to revising your draft, look for events that may need preceding shadows cast back through your narrative.

What events require foreshadowing? Plot events that would otherwise seem improbable, for one. If we know a character from the start of the book but he suddenly shoots up a mall in Chapter 7, it might read strangely if we have utterly no inclination of his violent potential.

Although shocking events have their place and can be effective, scattering a trail of crumbs through your story for readers to pick up or ignore will make your book one that rewards alert or repeat readings.

Rule 8: Get feedback on how you foreshadow your plot

Often you are so immersed in your fictional world and creative process that it’s difficult to get a more cohesive view of your story. To improve your foreshadowing, get feedback from others. You are likely so close to the story that plot points that make complete sense to you could confuse others.

Join Now Novel now to get feedback on your opening hook or a foreshadowing scene and improve your craft.

Related Posts:

• Foreshadowing in a sentence: Connecting story events
• Foreshadowing examples: How to tease plot developments
• Tags foreshadowing

By Bridget McNulty

Bridget McNulty is a published author, content strategist, writer, editor and speaker. She is the co-founder of two non-profits: Sweet Life Diabetes Community, South Africa's largest online diabetes community, and the Diabetes Alliance, a coalition of all the organisations working in diabetes in South Africa. She is also the co-founder of Now Novel: an online novel-writing course where she coaches aspiring writers to start - and finish! - their novels. Bridget believes in the power of storytelling to create meaningful change.

8 replies on “8 foreshadowing laws: How to foreshadow right”

Douglas Adams, in his fifth book, *Mostly Harmless*. Outstanding use of foreshadowing and pays off brilliantly.

Thanks for the recommendation, Dave. Hitchhiker’s Guide is great but I haven’t read that one yet.

My pleasure! It’s also a strong re-read for this very reason.

it’s been two years. have you read them yet?

The Adventures of the Princess and Mr. Whiffle: The Thing Beneath the Bed has great foreshadowing.

Thanks for the recommendation, Isaac!

[…] Bridget. “8 foreshadowing laws: How to foreshadow right”, nownovel, 2015, https://www.nownovel.com/blog/8-laws-foreshadowing/ […]

[…] course, this comes with an important warning: You must pay off your symbolism. This is a core tenant of Chekov’s Gun, and for good reason. If you foreshadow a symbol […]

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Craft the perfect creative writing prompt from Microsoft Designer's AI images

march 22, 2024

by Monica Jayasinghe

Hello, fellow educators! I recently discovered an exciting way to create engaging writing prompts for my students using AI and Microsoft Designer . The results were amazing, and I can't wait to share this fun and innovative approach with you!

Describing the Vision:

To get started, head over to Microsoft Designer . We'll use the power of AI to generate an image that will serve as the foundation for our writing prompt.

We'll use Image Creator , where you can describe the image you want to create. The goal is to generate an image that will capture your students' imagination and inspire them to write.

For this example, I entered the prompt, A spacecraft landing near a house, futuristic, mysterious.

Choose the image you want to work with

Once you select Generate , Microsoft Designer will provide you with a variety of AI-generated images. Since we're creating a writing prompt, look for an image that has space for adding instructions and is easy to read.

You'll be amazed by the number of options available! When you find an image you like, click on it and select Edit image .

Customize the image

After selecting your preferred image, it's time to customize it.

• Click on Resize in the top panel and adjust the dimensions to match a PowerPoint slide. This will ensure that the image fits perfectly when you're ready to present it to your students. You can also align the image anywhere on the page to create the perfect composition.
• In the box labeled AI tools , you'll see additional customization options. Consider playing with the filters to update the mood and color scheme of your image.

Add instructions and text

To make the writing prompt clear and easy to read, click on the existing text and customize it. To add a heading, click on Text in the left panel. The right panel will populate with even more ideas you can use.

In this example, I changed the color to white and added a story starter.

Engage your students

The possibilities for using AI-generated images as writing prompts are endless! Here are a few options:

Get inspired by the artwork

The most obvious way to use these images is as direct inspiration for student writing. Generate a bold, fantastical, emotional, or silly image and have students write a story about what's happening in the image.

Try this prompt: A whimsical classroom under the sea. The teacher is a wise old octopus. The classroom is decorated with shell desks and seaweed streamers .

Bring stories to life

Another great idea is to take an excerpt from a story you're reading in class and use the AI to generate an image that matches that specific part of the story. This will spark engaging discussions among your students and bring the story to life in a whole new way.

Bring units to life

Why stop at a story? You can also generate images that fit the theme of a unit you're working on, whether you're exploring weather patterns or reliving life on the Oregon Trail.

Consider setting aside some time each day or week for students to free write or journal. Kick off the writing session with an AI-generated image, then throw on some light classical music and let them write. Mix up the kind of images you show them, from lush landscapes to abstract pop art, and see what it inspires.

Try this prompt: An abstract painting in vivid colors

You can even include animated options. After you generate your image in Microsoft Designer, select the image and Create Design . In the right-hand panel that appears, you'll see several design options. Usually, one or more of these options will be animated. Select the animated option and add it to your PowerPoint!

Accessing your AI-generated images

One of the best features of Microsoft Designer is that all the images you create using AI are saved in the My Media section. This means you'll never lose your creations and can easily access them whenever you need them.

This feature enables educators to curate a collection of visuals for various writing themes, be it aliens, dragons, or any other imaginative scenario.

Wrapping up

Microsoft Designer is a game-changer for educators looking to inspire their students' creativity. The AI-generated images, customization options, and easy access to your creations make this a powerful tool for any classroom.

Head over to designer.microsoft.com today and start creating unforgettable writing prompts!

Related topics

Office of the Vice President for Research

Ovpr announces recipients of 2024 discovery and innovation awards.

The Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) is honoring 11 faculty and staff for their exceptional contributions to research, scholarship, and creative activity as part of the 2024 Discovery and Innovation Awards .

“ The winners represent the best and the brightest of our University of Iowa faculty and staff, who are making an impact across a range of disciplines,”  said Marty Scholtz, vice president for research. “Their research and scholarship enhance undergraduate and graduate education on campus, and their efforts to expand the frontiers of discovery betters our community, state, and world.”

The OVPR solicited nominations from across campus for the awards, which include: Scholar of the Year, Early Career Scholar of the Year, Leadership in Research, and awards that recognize achievement in communicating scholarship with public audiences, community engagement, arts and humanities, mentorship, research administration and safety. A campuswide event on April 30 will celebrate the winners.

Faculty Awards

Jun Wang , James E. Ashton Professor and interim departmental executive officer in the College of Engineering’s

 Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, is the 2024 Scholar of the Year . The award celebrates nationally recognized recent achievement in outstanding research, scholarship, and/or creative activities. 

Wang’s research centers on the development of novel remote sensing techniques to characterize aerosols and fires from space. He serves as the University of Iowa’s lead investigator on NASA’s TEMPO, Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring Pollution, which Time magazine named one of its best inventions of 2023. 

“Professor Wang's scholarly endeavors over the past two years stand out as a paradigm of excellence, serving as an exemplary model for both emerging and seasoned faculty members to aspire toward,” said Karim Abdel-Malek, professor of biomedical engineering and director of the Iowa Technology Institute.

James Byrne , assistant professor of radiation oncology in the Carver College of Medicine ( CCOM ), is the 2024 Early Career Scholar of the Year . The award honors assistant professors who are currently involved in research, scholarship, and/or creative activity and show promise of making a significant contribution to their field. 

As a physician scientist, Byrne continues to care for patients while developing novel biomedical therapies for cancer, finding inspiration in everything from latte foam to tardigrades. In his first two years as faculty at the UI, he has earned more that $2.5M in external research funding, including a K08 award from the NIH.

“Dr. Byrne’s scientific creativity stems from both an active and curious mind as well as his ability to bridge diverse fields from engineering to biology to medicine,” said Michael Henry, professor and interim director of the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center. “These interdisciplinary boundaries are where some of the most interesting and important work is happening today.”

Donna Santillan , research professor and director of the Division of Reproductive Science Research in the CCOM Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, received the Leadership in Research Award , which recognizes research and scholarly accomplishments throughout a career. 

While Santillan’s research has spanned across the field of reproductive science, she has a particular interest in the deadly diseases of pregnancy, including preeclampsia and its intergenerational effects. She designed and directs the Women’s Health Tissue Repository. Santillan’s work has been cited more than 2,700 times, and she has mentored 114 early career scientists and students, a testament to her expansive impact.

“Dr. Santillan has consistently demonstrated an unwavering commitment to fostering the professional and personal development of trainees in research, including myself,” said Banu Gumusoglu, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology. “Her mentorship extends beyond the confines of traditional academic settings, touching the lives of many aspiring trainees from high school through residency, clinical fellowship, and faculty levels.”

Stephen Warren , professor of history and American studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS), received the Distinguished Achievement in Publicly Engaged Research Award . The award recognizes an individual faculty member who has put addressing public needs and direct engagement with the public, in the service of improving quality of life through research, at the forefront of his or her academic activities.

A prolific scholar of Native American culture, Warren’s research has centered on the Shawnee people of Oklahoma for the past two decades. He has published four books and co-authored the most recent one , Replanting Cultures: Community-Engaged Scholarship in Indian Country, with Chief Benjamin Barnes of the Shawnee Tribe. 

“Over the last two decades, Professor Warren has established himself as a leading community-engaged scholar, and his achievements in research and publishing demonstrate that community engagement and strong scholarship are not mutually exclusive,” said Nick Benson, director of the Office of Community Engagement. “Professor Warren’s work serves as an inspiration for researchers at Iowa and nationally who seek not only to make a difference in academia, but also in our communities.”

Kaveh Akbar , associate professor of English in CLAS, received the Distinguished Achievement in Arts and Humanities Research Award . This award honors distinguished achievement in humanities scholarship and work in the creative, visual and performing arts. 

Akbar joined Iowa in 2022 to serve as the director of the English and creative writing major. In January, his new novel, Martyr!, was published to critical acclaim. Akbar previously published two prize-winning poetry collections and has served as poetry editor for The Nation  since 2021. 

“Akbar’s leadership in the profession and on campus continues: his transformative work in our department not only enriches the academic experiences of 700+ English and creative writing majors, but also enhances the profile of UI as ‘The Writing University,’” said Blaine Greteman, professor and departmental executive officer of the Department of English.

Cara Hamann , associate professor of epidemiology, received the Faculty Communicating ideas Award . This award recognizes excellence in communication about research and scholarship in the sciences and humanities and the study of creative, visual, and performing arts to a general audience directly or via print and electronic media.

Hamann has frequently shared her work on transportation issues, including teen driving, bike and scooter safety, and pedestrian safety, through peer-reviewed journals and extensive media outreach. Her recent op-ed, “The most deadly traffic policy you’ve never heard of leaves you vulnerable, too,” drew widespread attention to a legal loophole in crosswalk laws and appeared in more than 50 news outlets nationwide, including USA Today .

“Dr. Hamann’s work is not only academically rigorous but also accessible and impactful to a

wide audience,” said Diane Rohlman, associate dean for research in the College of Public Health. “Her ability to communicate with clarity, creativity, and passion coupled with her extensive media outreach, exemplifies how she utilizes multiple approaches to address transportation challenges impacting society.”

Bob McMurray , F. Wendell Miller Professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, and Caroline Clay , assistant professor of acting in the Department of Theatre Arts, were recipients of the Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) Distinguished Mentor Awards . The awards honors mentors’ dedication to making their students research experiences successful.

“I can’t imagine my research journey without Bob’s welcoming kindness, thriving lab community, and confident mentorship, and I am so deeply grateful for his impact on me,” said Hannah Franke, a psychology and linguistics major mentored by McMurray.

“I know I am far from the only student whose life has been impacted by Caroline Clay,” said Isabella Hohenadel, a second-year theatre arts major. “She deserves to be recognized of all of the wonderful work she does and how much she cares about us as students. I cannot think of anyone more deserving of recognition than her.”

Staff Awards

Angie Robertson , department administrator for CCOM’s Department of Microbiology and Immunology, received the Distinguished Research Administrator Award . The award recognizes staff members who performed exceptional service in support of research at the UI by exploring funding opportunities, assisting in grant proposal preparation, submission, post-award administration, and operational support. 

In addition to overseeing every aspect of daily operations for the department, Robertson manages nearly 100 research grants for the department and three longstanding NIH T32 training grants. 

“Angie plays a leading role in our department office, inspiring us to achieve all aspects of our missions ,” said Li Wu, professor and department chair. “She is innovative, collaborative, accountable, and respectful  in her daily work. She exceeds any expectations and sets a great example for staff members in the department.”

Min Zhu , research specialist in the Iowa Institute for Oral Health Research (IIOHR) within the College of Dentistry, received the Distinguished Research Professional Award . The award recognizes staff members who performed exceptional service in support of research at the UI by conducting experiments, collecting, and analyzing results and performing operational duties associated with a laboratory or research program. 

Zhu has worked as a lab bench scientist in the College of Dentistry since 2006, executing experimental work for grants and other research, working closely with IIOHR faculty members, overseeing lab maintenance and environmental health and safety efforts. 

“Beyond her research skills, Dr. Zhu has been an exceptional mentor and educator for my students and other junior researchers,” said Liu Hong, professor of prosthodontics. “Her kindness and willingness to share her knowledge have made her a beloved figure among them.”

Curtis Iberg , manager of sterilization services in the College of Dentistry, received the Innovation in Safety Award, which celebrates exceptional and ground-breaking innovations that advance safety at the UI. Iberg led a major renovation of the College of Dentistry’s instrument processing and sterilization area, with the aim of encouraging better workflow and support for future growth. 

“His innovations in workspace are a valuable asset to the greater University and demonstrates that the most important people to be involved in a space renovation are those that use the area because they can see how the facility can better function and how it can be designed for future needs,” said Kecia Leary, associate dean of clinics.