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The Theme Of Forshadowing In Warren Leight's Nine Ten

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“Two days is eternity” is a statement given in the stage directions found in Warren Leight’s Nine Ten (Leight 865). This statement may seem to be a harmless remark made by an average person caught up in the hustle and bustle of today’s society. However, the readers soon find out that this statement is one of many instances of foreshadowing found in this drama. Along with foreshadowing, this play is filled with irony and a variety of stereotypical characters. Leight’s Nine Ten has in interesting storyline that is pushed along by multiple main characters who are drastically different from one another. John McCormack is the character in this story that by societies standards would be considered average. Sara Constantakis describes John by …show more content…

However, later in this story you find out that these details mean much more than just what occupations the characters hold. For example, John works on a high floor in his building that he describes by saying, “…I’m up so high, on a good day, you can see Europe” (Leight 862). Lyris’s brother, also works as a security guard in that building. Another way that Leight uses foreshadowing is in simple details within the character’s lives. Kearrie has a plane ticket for the following day, Leslie dates cops, and Nick reveals that he lives downtown. All of these things may seem irrelevant when they are brought up. However, in the end of the story, after the date is revealed, they add up to be very relevant. At the end of the story it is revealed to the readers that this story takes place on the day before the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. This information makes those minor irrelevant details important to the storyline. When these facts are put in to context, John working on a high floor, Lyris’s brother’s job, and Nick living downtown put them all in the middle of the attacks on the next day. Leight also frequently uses irony in Nine Ten. Throughout the story, the characters complain about how boring things in their lives are. John complains about his monotonous everyday routine by saying, “Same office, same view” he continues by stating, “We take the same train to work. We have the same lunch” (Leight 865).

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