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An Example Of Foreshadowing In 'The Leap'

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1. An example of foreshadowing in “The Leap” occurs when the narrator recalls her mother telling her that she would “be amazed at how many things a person can do within the act of falling”. This foreshadows their leap from the fire. Erdrich builds suspense throughout the story through multiple references to falling and being saved leading to the expectation that something bad will happen to the narrator. Erdrich also creates suspense through her use of words, such as describing the storm which caused the death of Anna’s husband as a “deadly gale”. 2. An example of contrast in the story is that between the first time Anna makes a leap in order to protect the life of her unborn child, and the final leap in which Anna saves the narrator from the fire. During the first leap, Anna makes a decision in the attempt to allow her baby a full life; however, the child ends up dying only a few months later. In the final leap, Anna once again must rescue her child, and this time succeeds in allowing her child a long life. Erdrich is using contrast here to illustrate the importance in not letting past failures prevent her from taking a risk. If she had let fear of failure prevent her from taking that chance again, her child would have died. If she had let fear of failure …show more content…

During the first leap, Anna makes a decision in the attempt to allow her baby a full life; however, the child ends up dying only a few months later. In the final leap, “through the ice-dark air”, Anna once again must rescue her child, and this time succeeds in allowing her child a long life. Erdrich is using contrast here to illustrate the importance in not letting past failures prevent her from taking a risk. If she had let fear of failure prevent her from taking that chance again, her child would have

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