As a great novel, this text has many examples of
foreshadowing, however you have highlighted an excellent example in the dream that David
has, which foreshadows the ending of the novel and his arrival at Sealand. Another
example that is very poignant comes in Chapter 7. David's mother's sister, Aunt Harriet,
comes to visit with her new child, just as David's mother has just had Petra. However,
it is clear that unfortunately this child, like the two others she has had, is classed
as a "deviant". Harriet makes it clear what kind of position this leaves her
in:
"This is
the third time. They'll take my baby away again like they took the others. I can't stand
that - not again. Henry will turn me out, I think. He'll find another wife, who can give
him proper children. There'll be nothing - nothing in the world for me - nothing. I came
here hoping against hope for sympathy and help. Emily is the only person who can help
me. I - I can see now how foolish I was to hope at
all..."
What this event
foreshadows is the hardness of David's father and his mother in their harsh obedience to
the purity laws - even at the cost of turning away family to an uncertain fate. Just as
they turned away and rejected Harriet, so too will they turn away and reject their own
son and daughter. We learn at the end of the chapter that Harriet killed herself, and
presumably the baby, out of despair. This of course paints a terrible future for anyone
who is either deviant or trying to hide a deviant
individual.
If you want more examples of foreshadowing, you
might want to consider David's dream about his father sacrificing Sophie as he
sacrifices beasts. Hope this helps! Good luck.
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