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Definition of Foreshadowing
Foreshadowing is a literary device in which authors hint at plot developments that don't actually occur until later in the story. Foreshadowing can be achieved directly or indirectly, by making... read full definition
Foreshadowing is a literary device in which authors hint at plot developments that don't actually occur until later in the story. Foreshadowing can be achieved... read full definition
Foreshadowing is a literary device in which authors hint at plot developments that don't actually occur until later in the... read full definition
Prologue
Explanation and Analysis—A Small Act of Kindness:
In the novel’s prologue, Schindler performs a small act of kindness that foreshadows the grand, heroic gestures he’ll make as the novel unfolds:
So, this winter night, it is both early days and late days for Herr Schindler’s practical engagement in the salvage of certain human lives. He is in deep […] But he does not know yet how much it will really cost. Though he has spent a fortune already, he does not know the extent of payments still to be made.
Not to stretch belief so early, the story begins with a quotidian act of kindness—a kiss, a soft voice, a bar of chocolate.
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Chapter 1
Explanation and Analysis—Schindler’s Parents:
Chapter 1 of the novel flashes back to Schindler's childhood, offering a detailed description of his family and upbringing that foreshadows his future in many ways:
Unlock with LitCharts A+Oskar’s mother, Louisa, practiced her faith with energy, her clothes redolent all Sunday of the incense burned in clouds at High Mass in the Church of St. Maurice. Hans Schindler was the sort of husband who drives a woman to religion. He liked cognac; he liked coffeehouses. A redolence of brandy-warm breath, good tobacco, and confirmed earthiness came from the direction of that good monarchist, Mr. Hans Schindler.
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Chapter 7
Explanation and Analysis—Business with Crooks:
Early in their working relationship, Stern offers Schindler a piece of business advice that foreshadows how he will navigate the dangers of the Nazi regime:
Unlock with LitCharts A+Stern commented—as a philosophic principle—that there were times when the only people left to do business with were crooks.
Schindler laughed at that—a wide, toothy, almost rustic laugh. “Thank you very much, my friend,” he told Stern.
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Chapter 12
Explanation and Analysis—Czurda’s Warning:
In Chapter 12, Schindler is imprisoned after kissing a Jewish woman at his birthday celebration. Rolf Czurda, a Nazi official and acquaintance from the Cracow social scene, sets Schindler free, but not before issuing a chilling warning that foreshadows the nature and scope of the Holocaust:
Unlock with LitCharts A+But when the limousine was ready, engine running, at the bottom of the main steps, and Schindler, glancing at the blank windows above him, wanted a sign from that other republic, the realm of torture, of unconditional imprisonment—the hell beyond bars of those who had no pots and pans to barter—Rolf Czurda detained him by the elbow.
“Jokes aside, Oskar, my dear fellow. You’d be a fool if you got a real taste for some little Jewish skirt. They don’t have a future, Oskar. That’s not just old-fashioned Jew-hate talking, I assure you. It’s policy.”
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