On Prolepsis, Robinson Crusoe

After our discussion about Defoe's use of prolepsis in Robinson Crusoe, I did a little more research on the topic - the fruits of which you can read about here. One definition I came across read "the representation of a thing as existing before it actually does or did so, as in he was a dead man before he entered" (Oxford American Dictionary). This example is what I would call a colloquial usage of prolepsis. In Robinson Crusoe, we have discussed examples of the literary form of prolepsis, the anticipation (e.g. his father's foreboding omen & the mention of the cannibals long before their arrival on the island).

It seems that we derive prolepsis from the greek word for anticipation, procatalepsis (see link for example: http://rhetoric.byu.edu/figures/p/procatalepsis.htm) and the device is related to other literary tools including foreshadowing and the flash-forward. But how are the implementations and effects different? Foreshadowing only hints at possible plot developments, allowing the author to hold the power to satisfy the intuition of the reader or not. Red-herrings hint at something unrelated, only to mislead the reader into assuming a different story line. Prolepses that go beyond just the mentioning of future events and actually show the reader what happens are called flash-forwards. So what good does it do an author to give away the plot ahead of time? How does this counter-intuitive device help a text? How can an author use this tool to engage readers and keep them reading?

While the implementation is similar to foreshadowing, the narrative power of prolepsis seems to grow in another way. The use of prolepsis is a bold method of plot disclosure. By giving away the plot (or part of the plot) ahead of time, the reader's focus must shift to another aspect of the novel. In fact, by use of prolepsis, the author forces this attention shift. It allows the author to highlight another aspect, whether its the message or religious overtones, or any ulterior motive the author has in mind. With Robinson Crusoe, we know what the plot is before we open the book. Now this 'spoiler' is maybe a product of it's relevance & popularity in our culture… but the book surely doesn't hide the direction of the plot once you start reading. By knowing the direction, the details become more important. The relationships between Crusoe and the captains of different nationalities, the slaves, and the cannibals become more important. The internal struggles he has with faith and ethics become more important. Prolepsis is one mechanism working in the novel that allows for a more overt focus on these hidden or subdued topics.

Another interesting use of prolepsis is Danny Boyle's movie 127 Hours. As you can see from the trailer below, pretty much the entire plot (which isn't terribly intricate) is given away in a free advertisement for the film. So then, why would people pay to see a movie of which they already know the end? The struggle Aron has with nature, with himself and his own mistakes. The means to the end become the focus.

127 hours trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlhLOWTnVoQ