Slaughterhouse Five- epithet and foreshadow

"Billy and Lazzaro and poor old Edgar Derby crossed the prison yard to the theater now." PAGE 143

This quote provides an example of an epithet connected with Edgar Derby.  Rather than just being called by his name, the narrator connects these adjectives to the character.  The poor refers to how he will die.  The narrator knows while the characters themselves do not.  The old refers to his relative age.  He is not actually that old, but in comparison to the other soldiers he is.  The narrator continues to refer to Derby as poor and old no matter what is going on.  The epithet also provides an example of foreshadowing.  He is called poor because he will die by a firing squad in Dresden.  The reader knows that early on, from the first time he is introduced.  Derby however does not know how he will die so he goes on as if he will live.  The epithet continually reminds the reader of what is to come.  The reader knows that he is going to die and how he is going to die, but it does not happen until long after the reader knows.  Finally, in the last few pages of the novel, Derby dies just as was described in the beginning.  His death was foreshadowed repeated until it happened.