Theme of Foreshadowing in Literature Essay Example

📌Category: Animal Farm, Books, Literature, Orwell, The Book Thief, Writers
📌Words: 1257
📌Pages: 5
📌Published: 20 February 2022

“Storytellers broaden our minds: engage, provoke, inspire, and ultimately, connect us.” (Redford). Adept authors keep the reader interested and fascinated. They use subtle details, powerful diction, and include the character’s viewpoint, description, reputation, and actions to interest the reader. Animal Farm by George Orwell, Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief, and The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani use foreshadowing, imagery, and characterization to enhance their stories and write riveting fiction. 

George Orwell implemented thoughtful foreshadowing throughout the book Animal Farm. For example, “It is for YOUR sake that we [the pigs] drink that milk and eat those apples.” (Orwell 18%). After the Battle of the Cowshed, a war between the farmers such as Mr. Jones and the milk boy and the animals for the animal’s rights, the pigs started to demand food, protection, and service from the rest of the barn animals because the pigs “saved” them from Mr. Jones. This quote explains that the pigs of the farm believe they are superior to other animals on the farm and that they should be treated like royalty. This purposeful foreshadowing hints that there is going to be tension between the pigs and the other farm animals later on in the story due to the control the pigs had over the animals of the farm. Later in the story, the author wrote, “The pigs did not actually work, but directed and supervised the others...” (Orwell 19%). This quote is significant because it shows how the pigs’ supremacy grew and continued to grow like an uncut weed. George Orwell wrote this to show the pigs sharing more similarities to humans. The pigs were praised for rebelling against dictatorship from humans, but then became tyrants in return and were becoming more aggressive. Additionally, “About this time, too, it was laid down as a rule that when a pig and any other animal met on the path, the other animal must stand aside: and also that all pigs, of whatever degree, were to have the privilege of wearing green ribbons on their tails on Sundays.” (Orwell 79%). George Orwell wrote this to foreshadow more change in events from an animal communist party to a human dictatorship. This sentence also shows how the actions of the pigs were starting to become human-like, the main plot of the story. George Orwell writes the foreshadowing in the revision to the rules that the pigs make, which enhances the novel because it shows a common thread throughout the book without revealing the entire plot. Furthermore, when the pigs etched on the wall, “ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS[.] [] Amazed, terrified, huddling together, the animals watched the long line of pigs march slowly round the yard. ” (Orwell 95%). This text foreshadows when the pigs finally inflict pain upon the animals and use whips to command them. This quote helps the reader understand the fear and danger the pigs inspired towards the animals. It also foreshadows the upcoming climax where the barn animals cannot tell the pigs and the farmers apart. Overall, George Orwell uses the writing, notoriety, and dialogue from the pigs to foreshadow the major events throughout Animal Farm.

Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief uses vivid imagery through descriptions of the settings, characters, and their emotions throughout the story. For example, “Somewhere in all the snow, she could see her broken heart, in two pieces. Each half was glowing, and beating under all that white” (Zusak 24). This example describes how the main protagonist, Liesel, was feeling when she was digging in the snow for her dead brother at his funeral. Liesel’s heart, her love, was broken in two and buried with her brother. The evocative and sorrowful image the author creates helps the reader connect to Liesel and deeply understand her feelings. Later on, Zusak writes, “Frau Diller was a sharp-edged woman with fat glasses and a nefarious glare.  She developed this evil look to discourage the very idea of stealing from her shop, which she occupied with soldierlike posture, a refrigerated voice, and even breath that smelled like ‘heil Hitler’. The shop itself was white and cold, and completely bloodless.  The small house compressed beside it shivered with a little more severity than the other buildings on Himmel Street.” (Zusak 355). The author uses this imagery to tell the reader about Frau Diller’s reputation and how her Nazi beliefs affect her store and herself. In addition, the author writes, “Traces of bread crumbs were in the creases of his overalls. Paint-speckled hands made their way across the buttons and raked over the keys, or held on to a note for a while. His arms worked the bellows, giving the instrument the air it needed to breathe.” (Zusak 355). This quote creates a homely setting through the description of him playing the accordion with care. Zusak depicts Hans Hubermann, a skillful accordionist and painter playing his accordion. The author uses imagery to create a detailed scene that lays subtle hints at Hans’s demeanor, skill, and job. To conclude, Markus Zusak is a skilled writer who uses descriptive imagery throughout The Book Thief.

Veera Hiranandani uses reputation, action and viewpoint to show incredible characterization and understanding of the main character in The Night Diary. For example, Hiranandani writes, “‘That’s not true,’ [Nisha] said, and put [her] hand on [Amil’s] shoulder.” (Hiranandani 6%). Nisha is very kind and wants everyone to get along. When her brother Amil fights with her dad, she tries to comfort both of them. Hiranandani writes this enriching characterization so that the reader can clearly connect to Nisha’s character because her actions explain what she wants as a person and how her thinking influences her actions. For instance, “It feels scary to talk, because once the words are out, you can’t put them back in. But if you write words and they don’t come out the way you want them to, you can erase them and start over...” (Hiranandani 8%). Nisha is a twelve-year-old girl from India during the 1947 partition of India and Pakistan. Nisha is incredibly shy and timid and has a fear of hurting people with her words. Hiranandani writes this sentence in Nisha’s viewpoint to show how deeply introverted and timid she is which allows the reader to have insight into her thinking and emotions. Additionally, “Sometimes I like to hold on to my upsets, like if I let them go I’m admitting they weren’t that important.” (Hiranandani 36%). This quote shows how Nisha holds grudges because she thinks that if she doesn’t it isn’t important. Hiranandani masterfully wrote this to show how Nisha can’t let go of anger as well as connect it to her mother’s death. Nisha writes to her mother in her diary every day to never forget her and never forget anything anybody has done to wrong her, but over time she learns to let go. Hiranandani’s writing in Nisha’s viewpoint helps the reader see Nisha’s character develop as a character and how her mind slowly evolves and how she changes. Furthermore, “He [Papa] reads it and tells me I don’t have to be so brave anymore. I am so stunned, I drop my pencil.” (Hiranandani 88%). Her father recognizes the courage and bravery she showed throughout the story even though she didn’t talk. Nisha is humble and never thought of herself as courageous and brave, which isn’t realistic. Hiranandani’s writing helps give the reader an understanding of her reputation to others and shows how the outside world thinks of her. In summary, Veera Hiranandani enhances The Night Diary by using rich characterization.

Overall, foreshadowing, imagery, and characterization in Animal Farm by George Orwell, Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief, and The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani leave the reader inspired and engaged throughout the story. These three proficient authors use storytelling tools to weave a carefully crafted story that captivates the reader from page one to the last word. Accomplished storytellers use literary devices to engage and inspire the reader with selective use of great imagery, characterization, and foreshadowing to augment their stories and connect us to the characters. “Storytelling helps us [connect] and understand each other, and inspire young readers to write.” (Spacey).

+
x
Remember! This is just a sample.

You can order a custom paper by our expert writers

Order now
By clicking “Receive Essay”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement. We will occasionally send you account related emails.