Examples Of Foreshadowing In The 1800s

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In the 1800s, America was controlled by slavery. It was eventually abolished after the 13th amendment in 1865. Still, it took a lot of effects for this to be including slave revolutions, the civil war, and eventually for the 13th correction to come ratified. Because of these events, there were differences between the 1970s and the 1800s. These events cause pressure and tension between the characters because if it wasn’t for these events, slavery could still live, and Dana and Rufus would not have had as numerous problems. From the 1800s to the 1970s, the movement to abolish slavery in America gained strength, led by free Black people such as Frederick Douglass and white supporters such as William Lloyd Garrison, founder of the radical newspaper …show more content…

Butler uses foreshadowing to expand the significance of the historical timeline between the 1810s and the 1970s, so the reader can understand how time travel impacts Dana. Foreshadowing can be defined as a warning or indication of a future event. For example, if someone feels like something is wrong with someone, and there is, that indicates an event that will happen in the future. In the story, Butler also uses foreshadowing on page 121, Rufus states “He is going to pay.” (Butler,121) Butler uses foreshadowing in this quote to show that white people have the power to punish slaves. Rufus knows that once Isaac is caught, he’s done for. But how does the literary feature “Foreshadowing”, signify the difference in the historical timeline between the 1810s and the 1970s? The year 1810 was a period much different than the 1970s, which is why Rufus says certain things and is allowed to do certain things that he would not be allowed to in the 1970s. Although people from the 1970s experienced racism, it was not as severe as threatening them, hitting them, and starving them to death. Early in the book, on page 80, Dana is frightened for Kevin, because she thinks Kevin will go into the 1800s, so she stays very close to him. This event is foreshadowing what happens when Kevin gets stuck in Maryland for 5 years. This foreshadowing signifies the difference in the historical timeline, because of how Dana reacts when she fears Kevin will be sent to the 1800s. Dana understands the difference in history, and the cruelty of the 1800s, therefore, she does not want Kevin to go to the 1800s which causes her to freak out and causes tension. Another example of foreshadowing in Kindred is when Luke, a person they met briefly, warns them about tom Weylin and his evil ways. This event foreshadows when Tom Weylin and Dana start having problems, and Tom is cruel and Evil toward Dana. There is significance to this foreshadowing because it proves that the historical