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Definition of Foreshadowing
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... read full 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... read full definition
Foreshadowing is a literary device in which authors hint at plot developments that don't actually occur until later in the... read full definition
Act 1
Explanation and Analysis—Praise:
When Pegeen first meets Christy in Act 1, her praise foreshadows the reactions of the other village girls to Christy's presence:
PEGEEN. Wasn’t I telling you, and you a fine, handsome young fellow with a noble brow?
CHRISTY. with a flash of delighted surprise.—Is it me?
Although Christy is "surprise[d]" by Pegeen's praise, he soon learns that his reputation as a "playboy" has made him very popular with the village girls. In Act 2, four girls visit Widow Quin's house and make Christy breakfast while he tells the story of how he killed his father. Christy's initial surprise at Pegeen's praise morphs into enjoyment and self-aggrandizement as Widow Quin tells him, "let you tell us your story." Despite the violence of his story, the girls call it "grand" and "lovely," praising both his actions and his storytelling. The moment of foreshadowing in the pub suggests the future growth of Christy's self-confidence and the positive feedback he will receive from other characters. Pegeen is just one of many girls that come to admire Christy. Her conversation with him also develops the themes of heroism and the power of language, as she and the other villagers appreciate the bravery it took to kill his father as well as the language with which he tells the story.
Related Themes:
