Why use foreshadow?

[Dark Muse]

I have often wondered as a literacy device what purpose does the use of foreshadow really serve, when often it is not recognized as such until after the conclusion of the story?

Now to be clear I am not actually criticizing the use of foreshadow. I myself find it quite interesting and think it often makes for some very striking passages. But I am just curious, exactly how does it serve the author in the creation of the story, if foreshadow is not known to be such until the outcome is revealed, as well this does sound like a tad bit of an oxymoron.

[JBI]

It adds to the sense of development. The narrative structure is progressive, and foreshadowing allows for smoother progress.

Personally though, the books I prefer have very little plot, so foreshadowing isn't really that essential, though character traits are hinted at, to create some sort of progressive feeling.

Generally a sense of coherency is desireable, and a sense of continuity is desirable as well, so authors will forshadow, or flash back, in order to create a sense that the motives and events aren't simply coming out of nowhere.

[armenian]

something cool to come across in a re-read:D

[Tallon]

I suppose some outcomes may be too shocking without some foreshadow. May be hard to believe or appear to be a deux ex machina.

[Dark Muse]

It adds to the sense of development. The narrative structure is progressive, and foreshadowing allows for smoother progress.

Personally though, the books I prefer have very little plot, so foreshadowing isn't really that essential, though character traits are hinted at, to create some sort of progressive feeling.

Generally a sense of coherency is desireable, and a sense of continuity is desirable as well, so authors will forshadow, or flash back, in order to create a sense that the motives and events aren't simply coming out of nowhere.

I have not thought of it that way before. But yes, that does indeed make sense, and I can see where foreshadow works in helping to develope the story along, as well as in some way thread everything together.

[JBI]

There is also the artificial sense of suspense attached, particularly important in serialized books, where the author had to keep the reader absorbed enough to buy the next installment.

[Jozanny]

I will chime in here from the aspect of being a working writer. In my literary stories, I sometimes do not know what will happen for awhile until my characters take on their own ontological reality, and in one piece I have, about a student and her teacher, it was important in my opening exposition to make the reader feel my sense of the student's house, in a stream of consciousness description which slowly evolves into the first person voice of the teacher, since I sort of like narrative fluidity--but for some reason the detail of the sleeping brother dreaming in comic books colors was important, and it only became clear later to me why, as the brother does something bad at the end of the story.

A good writer makes this seem easy, but it just sometimes happens that foreshadowing isn't intentional until an author is several drafts in, and an astute reader would remember the detail of the brother when the events driving the story occur later.

[mayneverhave]

I have often wondered as a literacy device what purpose does the use of foreshadow really serve, when often it is not recognized as such until after the conclusion of the story?

Now to be clear I am not actually criticizing the use of foreshadow. I myself find it quite interesting and think it often makes for some very striking passages. But I am just curious, exactly how does it serve the author in the creation of the story, if foreshadow is not known to be such until the outcome is revealed, as well this does sound like a tad bit of an oxymoron.

I'm of the opinion that a work should be looked at in its entirety - not a very farfetched idea. I don't care for surprises, or knowing the ending ahead of time. Often I will learn of the novel's entire plot before I read it, therefore allowing me to understand techniques like forshadowing on the first reading.

I realize I'm in the miniority (probably) on this, but I feel a given work should be looked at with the entire plot (which is often secondary to the writing itself) already in mind. When analyzing a work or writing a critical essay, an essayist is not interested in explaining to the reader the plot of the work. He assumes the reader has already read or familiarized himself with the story. Instead, we focus on the work's components and how they contribute to the whole.

Arguments against forshadowing, therefore, are irrelavent when the work is already read.

[Tallon]

I'm of the opinion that a work should be looked at in its entirety - not a very farfetched idea. I don't care for surprises, or knowing the ending ahead of time. Often I will learn of the novel's entire plot before I read it, therefore allowing me to understand techniques like forshadowing on the first reading.

I realize I'm in the miniority (probably) on this, but I feel a given work should be looked at with the entire plot (which is often secondary to the writing itself) already in mind. When analyzing a work or writing a critical essay, an essayist is not interested in explaining to the reader the plot of the work. He assumes the reader has already read or familiarized himself with the story. Instead, we focus on the work's components and how they contribute to the whole.

Arguments against forshadowing, therefore, are irrelavent when the work is already read.

That seems like a very serious method of reading, doesn't it somewhat take the pleasure out of it?

[Virgil]

Lots of good thoughts here. I think coherency is what I think the most fitting reason.

[kelby_lake]

I like foreshadowing when it's done cleverly. It adds drama and brings the book full-circle. Works well in Macbeth.

[Dark Muse]

Perhaps they should just call it something else like maybe Aftershadow would be more accurate LOL

[mayneverhave]

That seems like a very serious method of reading, doesn't it somewhat take the pleasure out of it?

Not necessarily. Plot is really irrelavent to me. We can all read on wikipedia that Cordelia is going to die at the end of King Lear but the pleasure we derive from the play is not from necessarily knowing this, but from the execution of it - reading the language.

Also, knowing how things progress can be a motivating factor. Slugging through Anna Karenina, one might be motivated to finish it due to the fantastic ending.

[Tallon]

I often know the endings, but sometimes i like to not even read the blurb, it adds a little excitement. Oh, and thanks for ruining King Lear :D

[mayneverhave]

I often know the endings, but sometimes i like to not even read the blurb, it adds a little excitement. Oh, and thanks for ruining King Lear :D

Ah, my bad. What I meant to say was: Lear takes the throne again, Cordelia marries Edgar and everything is right with the world.

[Dark Muse]

Persoanlly I do not like to know what is going to happen ahead of time. That is what re-reading is for if one is so inclined.

But I love unknown and surrpsie endings, to me that is the fun of reading a story or a book, not knowing what is going to happen next and seeing where it takes you.

[JBI]

As for me, I don't care, because even if I don't know how it will end, I know it will end in 2 or 3 hours.

Plot, I like to think, is perhaps the weakest of the three elements of Plot, Character and Setting, and not very relevant to the book. Why and How I think are more important than what when it comes to reading. It isn't about what happens, but how it happens, why it happens, and in which way it happens.

[Tallon]

I agree with that, although it seems a curious thought. However, if the plot is absolute tosh it can make for uncomfortable reading. Plot is a lot more important in genre fiction than literary i guess.

[PabloQ]

As for me, I don't care, because even if I don't know how it will end, I know it will end in 2 or 3 hours.

Plot, I like to think, is perhaps the weakest of the three elements of Plot, Character and Setting, and not very relevant to the book. Why and How I think are more important than what when it comes to reading. It isn't about what happens, but how it happens, why it happens, and in which way it happens.

So are you saying how it happens, why it happens, and in which way it happens are not part of the plot? What are they -- character or setting?

[JBI]

No, they are part of style, and theme, more than plot. The plot is basically, x happens, then y, etc. The why, is something like "Because of the character's past, and inability to trust people, she ends up giving up on her chance at happiness, and remains misserable for the rest of her life" or something along those lines. The plot is, "Boy meets girl, Girl likes boy, boy likes girl, boy ends up calling off relationship, The End".

Why has to do more with character, how has to do with setting and delivery, and in what way is primarily delivery.

[Drkshadow03]

I have often wondered as a literacy device what purpose does the use of foreshadow really serve, when often it is not recognized as such until after the conclusion of the story?

Now to be clear I am not actually criticizing the use of foreshadow. I myself find it quite interesting and think it often makes for some very striking passages. But I am just curious, exactly how does it serve the author in the creation of the story, if foreshadow is not known to be such until the outcome is revealed, as well this does sound like a tad bit of an oxymoron.

I think foreshadowing let's the reader participate in the puzzle. It functions like clues in a mystery. Good foreshadowing often allows you to predict where a plot is going or might be going or what will happen between two characters or whatever (depending on the nature of the foreshadow). I think exactly what appeals to readers of mystery is the same thing foreshadowing plays on: the reader's ability to participate in the story and foresee possible resolutions or complications.

Foreshadowing adds a sense of inevitability to literature that further produces a sense of suspense because it plays on our hopes that things will turn out differently from what is being intimated will happen.

Foreshadowing could also be used for charactization, especially when the foreshadowing sentence falls within a character's viewpoint or thoughts.

I could probably keep going. I think foreshadowing can be used in many different ways, so it's purpose is hard to pin down.

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I fundamentally disagree with most people's opinions here about plot. I personally think we are taught to devalue plot too much. Looking at the major plot events of a story can be useful in determining theme. Looking at the minor events of the plot, the actions of a character, can tell us a lot about the character and help us figure out why they do what they do (after all, you can't always trust what characters say about themselves). This leads into the other significant problem with the comments I saw: it's not really all that easy to separate character from plot from theme. The events of the plot help determine conflict, which helps determine theme. The events of the plot also help us figure out the Why of the character. The Why of the character influences and controls the decisions they make, which further changes the course of the plot. What a particular author is trying to say will influence the sequence of events they choose that make up the plot.

Not to mention what differentiates textual fiction from visual art, what makes it a unique art form, is its ability for storytelling. Storytelling has value in and of itself.

I will grant, however, that JBI's comments make a lot more sense in regard to contemporary fiction, which does emphasize character and style over plot sometimes to its detriment.

[kelby_lake]

The theme should cause the characters which should cause the plot, I'd say. Unless you want to work out the theme afterwards.

[prendrelemick]

Also there is a long and deeply seated tradition of using this device in western literature. Look at the Iliad, and the death of Hector. The drama of the story becomes not what happens, but how and when.

[Jeremiah Jazzz]

I've always considered foreshadowing from a more psychological stand point. If a reader can identify the foreshadowing, then perhaps the reader can identify the aspects of the story in their own life, bringing in the original central themes of the story. Basically a form of relevance and relation. Just a thought.