Thursday, February 9, 2012

Which line from "The Leap" foreshadows what happens during the storm?

Anna’s daughter narrates “The Leap” to tell the story of her mother’s life, which includes several examples of both literal and metaphorical “leaps of faith.”


Anna describes the weather on the day of the circus tent collapse in great detail by speaking about the collision of weather fronts and the resulting changes. The line that foreshadows what is to happen is as follows:



That afternoon, as the anticipation increased, as Mr. and Mrs. Avalon tied sparkling strips of cloth onto each other's face and as they puckered their lips in mock kisses, lips destined “never again to meet,” as one long breathless article put it, the wind rose, miles off, wrapped itself into a cone, and howled.



Both Avalons took a blind leap that day, but it was part of their act and neither expected anything to go awry. Because of the foreshadowing, the reader knows the couple will never be whole again, as their act is interrupted by the weather. As they flew through the air, lightning hits the pole holding up the circus tent. Harold Avalon, Anna’s husband, was killed in the accident, and Anna was injured. This tragic accident forever changes Anna’s life.

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