Foreshadowing is the planting of clues or hints that prepare the audience for later events. It creates expectation and, in retrospect, a sense of inevitability.

A loaded gun shown in the first act, a casual remark that later proves prophetic, a shift in weather that mirrors coming trouble—all are forms of foreshadowing. The device can be subtle or overt. Too heavy a hand makes the story predictable; too light a touch leaves the later event feeling unprepared. Skilled writers calibrate the signals so that first-time readers feel suspense while returning readers notice how carefully the ground was laid.

Foreshadowing works in tandem with suspense and surprise. It does not eliminate surprise; it makes the surprise feel earned. In tragedy it contributes to the sense of fate; in mystery it plays fair with the reader by providing the necessary clues. The best foreshadowing is often recognized only after the foreshadowed event has occurred.

A detail that quietly points forward to what is coming is an instance of foreshadowing.