OTHER ELEMENTS

FORESHADOWING

There are several literary devices that pop up at various times in the story. One of the most prevalent ones is foreshadowing which frequently presents clues of something that will happen later in the novel. Some examples of foreshadowing include:

1. Jeannette sits down in her favorite room and looks around at the possessions that make the room such a comfort to her - a comfort except when she thinks about her mom and dad huddled on a sidewalk grate somewhere. This foreshadows the story of her life with neglectful parents.

2. When Rex Walls gambles, he prefers poker and pool. This foreshadows how he won the $80 at pool while Jeannette was being molested by the guy he beats and how he had enough money to buy the gold Cadillac.

3. There is a can of corn, which mysteriously disappears, when Rex brings home groceries one time. The disappearance of the corn foreshadows how Mom will hide food for herself even when her children are very hungry and have nothing to eat.

4. Billy Seels, a bully, tells Jeannette that if she won't be his girlfriend that she'll be sorry. Later, he brings a BB gun to their house and shoots at them until Jeannette scares him away with her Dad's gun.

5. Grandma Smith believes that Jeannette is going to grow up to be someone special. This foreshadows her fame on MSNBC.

6. When Dad goes cold turkey and stops drinking, Lori just says nothing will change, because he tried quitting alcohol before and it never lasted. Jeannette is sure it will this time, because it is his present to her. This all foreshadows that Lori is right when Dad later starts drinking again.

7. Even the air feels different in Welch. It is very still, heavier and thicker, and somehow darker. For some reason, it makes them all grow quiet. This foreshadows how unfortunate life will be while they live there.

8. Uncle Stanley won't stop kissing and hugging them when he first meets them which foreshadows his molestation of Jeannette.

9. Jeannette's teacher in Welch is mean-spirited and points out that people think they are so special that they don't need to have records to enroll in their school. This immediately makes the students laugh at her and become willing to turn on her. The tall black girl who is sitting behind Jeannette then stabs her in the back with a pencil.

10. Dad had warned the kids in the past that using kerosene could cause an explosion. This foreshadows what happens when Jeannette and Brian mix discarded chemicals at the dump.

11. Dinitia says that her mother has a new boyfriend who has moved in and the fit is a little tight. This foreshadows her pregnancy and her stabbing the man to death.

12. Jeannette feels deep guilt for what she believes is her failure of Maureen. She had promised to protect her when she carried the baby girl home after she was born. This foreshadows Maureen's mental breakdown.

13. Dad and Jeannette sit at the bar, and Dad orders two beers even though Jeannette has asked for a Sprite. This foreshadows that he is giving a signal to some guy there that Jeannette is old enough and available.