Foreshadowing is a literary device in which an author hints at what is coming later in the story. It helps the reader develop expectations about the upcoming events, and therefore, it of often used at the beginning of a story or chapter. It also creates an atmosphere of suspense, so that readers become more interested in it. Foreshadowing can be achieved through various means, such as character dialogues, plot events and changes in setting.
For example, in a story about a girl who fails to get a part in a play, a way to foreshadow the event would be through the character's thoughts. Perhaps she is very nervous and she is convinced she will fail before the audition, so that we know it is a very likely outcome that that will happen. Narration is another method. A narrator could tell you, before her audition, something about how "she did not know how disastrous that day would turn out to be," therefore implying that she will not get the part.
