![]() ![]() One of the most common types of foreshadowing is known as Chekhov’s Gun and comes from the famous playwright’s oft-quoted writing advice: This incident foreshadows Lenny’s killing of Curley’s wife later in the story. He reminds him that when he used to keep mice to pet them, he always accidentally killed them when he stroked them. There are many fine examples of foreshadowing in John Steinbeck’s masterful short novel Of Mice and Men.įor example, early in the story, George scolds Lenny for keeping a dead mouse in his pocket. It can create a suspenseful atmosphere and motivate the reader to continue reading to discover what happens. While the flashback looks backward, foreshadowing hints at things yet to come in a story.įoreshadowing can create anticipation and expectation in a story. FORESHADOWINGįORESHADOWING DEFINITION: WHAT IS FORESHADOWING? A fantastic example of flashbacks being used to great effect is in the movie The Usual Suspects, where most of the story is told by Kevin Spacey’s character in the form of flashbacks until the final scene of the movie reveals him to be the dark force that is Keyser Söze. This structural device can allow the writer to withhold pertinent pieces of information from the reader (or viewer) to reveal at suitably dramatic moments, thereby increasing the impact of the narrative.įlashbacks are particularly common in movies. In a flashback, the writer reveals to the reader something that happened before the present moment in the narration.įlashbacks are often used to bring context to current events in a story. FLASHBACKįLASHBACK DEFINITION: WHAT IS A FLASHBACK? Students can share and discuss their findings at the end of the week. These allusions may appear in speech, print, or any form of popular culture. Challenge students to list all the allusions they come across over a period of a week. ![]() In this activity, tell students they’re going to hunt the allusions. Likewise, Nike alludes to the Greek goddess of victory. For example, the logo of Starbucks alludes to the siren of Greek mythology. While allusions are prevalent in works of literature, we also see them used widely in our everyday speech and the broader world around us.Īdvertisements are a particularly rich source of everyday allusions. This is done to provide context or give depth.īecause the success of this device depends on the reader’s familiarity with the text referred to, allusions are usually made to the most widely known texts, which, in the case of English, include the Bible and the poems and plays of William Shakespeare. ALLUSIONĪn allusion is when the writer refers to the events or characters from another story. Now, ask the students to discuss in smaller groups what they think the hidden meaning of each fable is. The story serves as the upper layer, and a deeper layer below represents the more profound meaning.Īesop’s fables also provide well-known examples of allegory.Īsk students about some of Aesop’s well-known stories ( The Hare and the Tortoise, The Lion and the Mouse, etc.). ![]() Scratching beneath the surface reveals it is also a searing critique of Russian communism in the 20th century.Īs mentioned, there are two layers in an allegory. Unsurprisingly, we commonly see this device used in political, philosophical, or religious contexts.Īt face value, George Orwell’s Animal Farm is a straightforward fable with animals as the main characters. ![]() Writing an allegory involves climbing down the ladder of abstraction to bring clarity to abstract ideas by tying them to the characters and events of a story.Īllegories are often used to express controversial or even dangerous opinions as they allow the writer to create some distance between themselves and the ideas being discussed.Īllegories use people/animals, places, and events as symbols of other people or ideas. ALLEGORYĪn allegory is when the characters and events of a story are used to convey a deeper hidden meaning, often either moral or political. These are the types of literary devices you can easily fit into a broad range of writing styles once understood.
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