Bridge to Terabithia: Guided Reading Question # 3

    Question # 3: Track anything that seems to foreshadow Leslie's death. As you read through those passages (there are at least three), think about why you think Paterson included them? Did you figure it out when you read it the first time? What wisdom can you gain as a person reading these lines now, knowing what happens?
 ******SPOILER ALERT*******

     Yes, I have tracked somethings that foreshadow Leslie's death, in Bridge to Terabithia. Leslie died when she crossed the creek to get to Terabithia on a rope, and the rope broke. She probably hit her head on something when she fell.. When Jess hears about this, he basically breaks down. He gets so angry at everything, even Leslie! After Leslie dies, Jess actually took all his paper and paints that Leslie gave him at Christmastime and flung them into the creek. He was so angry, but later he learned how to deal with Leslie's death, and he taught May Belle, his little sister, as Leslie has taught him. These are the things that foreshadow Leslie's death.

     One thing that I noticed that foreshadows Leslie's death is the display case holding a miniature scene of Indians disguised in buffalo skins scaring a herd of buffalo into stampeding over a cliff to their death with more Indians waiting below to butcher and skin them. I think Katherine Paterson included this foreshadow to re freshen and reintroduce the theme of death to the reader's brain. This foreshadow happened in the same chapter that Jess got the news of Leslie dying, only this was before Jess got the news. I did not figure this out the first time I read this book. The theme of death just slammed its way into the book when Leslie died the first time I read it.

     Another thing that I noticed that foreshadows Leslie's death is the conversation that took place after church about God's decision to damn you in hell if you don't believe the Bible. After Leslie says she doesn't believe the Bible, May Belle said: "But Leslie," she insisted. "What if you die? What's going to happen to you if you die?" I think Katherine Paterson included this because she wanted to introduce the theme of death, connected with Leslie. This foreshadows Leslie's death, because it is the first time in this book that the theme of death, connected with Leslie, is introduced. I did not figure that it was a foreshadow the first time I read it, but I figured out that it introduced the theme of death connected with Leslie.

     The third foreshadow that I noticed was this thought that Jess had: "Sometimes it seemed to him that his life was delicate as a dandelion. One little puff from any direction, and it was blown to bits." Not only is this an example of author's intrusion, but it also foreshadows Leslie's death. I say this, because when Leslie died, Jess basically broke down. Leslie was everything to Jess. She mentored him, let his imagination run free, and just gave him a good friend. But when Leslie died Jess gets angry at everything, even Leslie! Jess even denies that Leslie died!After Leslie dies, Jess actually took all his paper and paints that Leslie gave him at Christmastime and flung them into the creek. Jess was blown to bits. Even though later on he learns how to deal with it, and teaches May Belle as Leslie has taught him, he still broke down when he got the bad news. I think Katherine Paterson included this foreshadow to show what actually happened to Jess when Leslie died. This quote perfectly describes what happened to Jess when he heard that Leslie has died. I did not figure this out the first time I read this book. I had no idea that this quote foreshadows anything.
     The wisdom that I can gain as a person reading these lines now, knowing what happens, is that there is always a theme that is introduced before a conflict, major event, or the climax. Also, I gained knowledge that when you notice something, it usually resembles or foreshadows something on a bigger level later on.