Foreshadowing

Elements in the plot that create expectation or help to explain later developments are represented in dramatic monologue. These moments occur in boldface within the text of the play, functioning either as part of a larger dialogue or within a dramatic monologue. When the press discovers that Ellie is dating Jack, for example, Goldie turns to the audience mid-dialogue and says, "if it gets out, God knows what could happen." The warning to the audience proves true later in the play, when Jack is arrested for taking Ellie on a weekend getaway.

Mrs. Bachman's dramatic monologue also foreshadows the tragic events of the play's climax. White, pained, and haggard, she appears to the audience later in the play to express her sorrow over her daughter's involvement with Jack. She sends the audience a warning, stating, "I know what Black means . . . wait until it is your every other thought...