At the beginning of "Young Goodman Brown," Brown's wife says, "Pray tarry with me this night, dear husband, of all nights in the year" (1). This statement is an example of
A. irony.
B. ambiguity.
C. foreshadowing.
D. satire.
Why did she want him to stay with her THAT particular night? That will answer that question.
To determine the correct answer to this question, we need to analyze the given statement and understand its literary significance in the context of the story "Young Goodman Brown".
To do this, we first need to understand the definitions of the terms provided as possible options: irony, ambiguity, foreshadowing, and satire.
- Irony: This is a literary device where the intended meaning is different from the literal or surface meaning. It often involves a contrast between what is expected and what actually happens.
- Ambiguity: In literature, ambiguity refers to situations, characters, or phrases that have multiple possible meanings or interpretations.
- Foreshadowing: This is a literary technique where the author gives a hint or clue about events that will occur later in the story.
- Satire: Satire is an approach used in literature to ridicule human folly or vices, often through the use of humor or irony.
Now, let's examine the statement made by Brown's wife: "Pray tarry with me this night, dear husband, of all nights in the year" (1).
This statement sets up a tone of urgency and importance, as Brown's wife specifically mentions that this night is significant among all nights in the year. This suggests that something significant or unusual might happen on this particular night. The wife's plea for Brown to stay with her is a form of foreshadowing because it hints at future events.
Therefore, the correct answer is C. Foreshadowing, as the wife's statement anticipates and hints at events that will unfold throughout the story.