Foreshadowing is a clue to readers about something in the later events. In The Necklace, the author uses it in the scene with a jeweler, Joanne. She quickly agrees to lend an expensive-looking piece of jewelry, which is a fake. The easiness of the jeweler is the clue to the necklace’s true nature.
Detailed answer:
Foreshadowing is a literary device that authors use to warn the reader about upcoming events. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, there are many ways of utilizing this trope. It can be a remark left by a character. Besides, it can be a dream of something happening, or a note in the description of objects and people. The goal of foreshadowing is the early introduction of an element, which at some point will be necessary.
The Necklace is a story about a woman who is preoccupied with her lifestyle. Madame Loisel is self-conscious because of the lack of money. When she and her husband get a chance to visit a ball, Madame Loisel seeks a dress and jewelry. Unable to afford such luxuries, she turns to her friend Jeanne to borrow an expensive-looking necklace. The story itself ends on a plot twist, which would not work without using the literary device. The easiness with which Jeanne agrees to lend the necklace is foreshadowing.
After the ball, Madame Loisel loses the necklace and cannot find it. She and her husband decide to buy a similar necklace and give it to Joanne instead. However, the price is so high that the spouses spend the next ten years living in poverty. Madame Loisel meets Joanne, who confesses that the necklace was a fraud. This explains why Joanne agreed so easily in the first place. By leaving a clue early in the story, de Maupassant prepares the audience for the revelation.
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