Foreshadowing In Gathering Blue

Used in great magnitude throughout the novel, the inevitably important element of foreshadowing is used skillfully by the author to arouse a thought-provoking uncertainty within the reader. Foreshadowing, as presented in Gathering Blue, invigorates deep interest within the reader through ominous occurrences that only provide a slight hint of intimidating future events or betrayals that have potential to bring doom and misery. For only a slight hint is provided, the reader has considerable freedom to imagine what doom lays ahead, resulting in a gradual intensification of the novel’s suspense. The author writes, “Now she was all alone. Kira felt the aloneness, the uncertainty, and a great sadness.” (p.4), “Suddenly Kira realized with horror what the sound was. But now there was only silence.” (p.121), “He lowered the robe then, and she saw nothing more. Perhaps,

The plotline encircles and moves on the simple fact that Kira is an exceptionally talented weaver. In her futuristic community, being entitled the job of Robe-threader, Kira’s job, one with much significance in the community, is to refubish the intricate and strikingly vibrant Singer’s Robe. By using rich, vivid descriptions in the text, the author entirely conveys Kira’s feelings and the beauty in her work. Mentally, imagery permits the reader to feel all which is felt by the characters. The following exerts from the text demonstrate the preceding, “The deep blue was rich and even. The color of sky, of peace.” (p.119), “As the Singer moved toward the stage, the folds of the robe glistened in the torchlight; the colors of the threaded scenes glowed in their subtlety. Golds, light yellows deepening to vibrant orange, reds from the palest pink to the darkest crimson, greens, all shades, threaded in their intricate patterns, told the history of the world and its Ruin.”