What is foreshadowing and how does it affect reader expectations?

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Foreshadowing is a literary device that places hints about future events in the story. It affects reader expectations by priming us to anticipate what might happen, creating anticipation and tension as those hints unfold later. Clues can be direct statements, symbolic details, or mood shifts, and when the hinted events occur, the payoff feels more satisfying because readers recognize the setup. It also guides how we interpret earlier scenes, since the hints shed new light on what came before.