FlashbackFlashbackWhat is a flashback?

DefinitionDefinition• Flashback: when an author refers back to

something that already took place in the story

HintHint• Now try breaking the word FLASHBACK apart.• FLASH: a quick glimpse.• BACK: a look back in the story at something that

previously happened

What is a Flashback?What is a Flashback?• A scene in a story that takes the reader back in

time to an event that happened before the story begano Can be a memoryo Can be a retelling by the narrator or a character

An Example…An Example…• And now you will see portions from the well

known children’s story Little Red Riding Hood.

Little Red Riding HoodLittle Red Riding HoodWhile she was walking through the woods, a wolf was walking past her. "I bet I could convince her to take the long way. Then I could get to her grandmother's house first and trick her into thinking that I was her grandma. That way I could have her and her grandma for a large feast,” he thought.

Little Red Riding HoodLittle Red Riding HoodThe wolf went up to Little Red Riding Hood and told her that he knew a shortcut. Little Red Riding Hood thought back to what her mother told her. “Don’t talk to any strangers and watch out for the wolf in the woods!” But it was too late, she had already listened to the wolf’s directions. Flashback

FlashbackFlashback• The underlined words is an example of flashback. Little Red Riding Hood is thinking back to something that happened earlier in the story.

• Stories generally follow a certain sequence of events. oFlashback can change sequence

and affect the order of events in plot.

• All stories have a settingoFlashbacks change the setting—at

least for a while.

Rose sat on a bench outside of the Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport, waiting for her grandmother. It was a warm day for November and she did not mind sitting outdoors. As she watched her Grandmother pull-up to the curb in her Oldsmobile, Rose’s mind drifted for a moment to another day, one in the past, when her grandfather had been driving that same car, at this same curb. He’d smiled at her as he pulled-up and squeezed her tightly before taking her bag into the trunk. He told her he had surprise for her at home. The surprise turned out to be a puppy, one that Rose still had and had brought home with her to Denver. Rose loved that puppy with all her heart-- mostly because it had been her grandfather who had given it to her. But, it was not him who was picking her up now.“Hello, darling!” Rose’s Grandmother called from the open window. Rose returned quickly from her reverie.“Grandma Bee! Hello!” she exclaimed as excitedly as possible and hopped into the car.

Short Example

• What is the flashback here?

• Based on what you read in this flashback, how do you think Rose is feeling about this trip?

• How does the setting change?

Now, the same story without the flashback…

Rose sat on a bench outside of the Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport, waiting for her grandmother. It was a warm day for November and she did not mind sitting outdoors. As she watched her Grandmother pull-up to the curb in her Oldsmobile, she missed her Grandfather. She had a lot of good memories about him.

“Hello, darling!” Rose’s Grandmother called from the open window. Rose returned quickly from her reverie.

“Grandma Bee! Hello!” she exclaimed as excitedly as possible and hopped into the car.

• How is the second excerpt (without flashback) different from the first?

• What does the flashback add to the story?

ReviewReview• When an author refers back to something that

has already happened in the story, it is calledFlashback