Flashback
A writer uses flashback to explain a part of the story that happened before the actual story started.
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TO THE STORY NOW
To explain something
about a character
“I know old crazy Mrs. Dennis is the one to watch out for.” Eric
leaned in closer and his voice dropped to a whisper. “Last
summer, I saw her outside in her front yard and she gave me the
most evil look I’ve ever seen in my whole life. It made me cold.
And you know what? My mom’s flowers all died and they never
grew back… and that was a year ago.”
Eric is explaining to his friends how he
“knows” Mrs. Dennis is evil and he’s trying
to prove it by using his mom’s dead flowers as
proof.
To explain something
about the setting
What you have to understand about this house is that there was a
fire here 100 years ago. Mr. and Mrs. Blackburn lived in the
house at the time. Mrs. Blackburn walked into her garden one
night with her kerosene lamp since there was no electricity, and
everything caught on fire. The house was practically destroyed
and Mrs. Blackburn was never seen again. We think her ghost
still haunts this house and these grounds.
To explain something
about the conflict
This wasn’t the first time Jason had been in trouble for not doing
his homework. He remembered last year at his old school how he
just couldn’t remember to start his homework after school and
how it always seemed like his parents and teachers loved him
when he did remember and hated him when he forgot. Couldn’t
they just love him for himself? Why couldn’t they ever forgive
him?
To explain something
about a family
Emerson’s mom forgot her birthday last year when the new baby
was born. Why would it be such a big deal for Emerson to forget
this year? Last year Emerson came home from school so excited
about the surprise present she just knew would be waiting for her
only to find her mom and the new baby asleep in the messy
house. There was no smell of cake, no birthday candles, and no
surprise. Emerson wanted to feel like part of the family again, but
that baby took up all her mom’s time. Her family would never be
the same, it seemed.
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