Literary device glossary

Neal Chapman
Literary device glossary #7

flashback: A literary or cinematic device in which an earlier event is inserted into the normal chronological order of a narrative.

Example: "The motive professed was his convection of its being owing to himself that Wickham's worthlessness had not been so well known, as to make it impossible for any young women of character to love or confide in him." (p.275 pride and prejudice)

Function: Darcy has acted very preoccupied, and distant. this has lead to Elizabeth not taking a liking to Darcy. at first she hates Darcy. than Elizabeth gets a letter from her uncle explaining that Darcy caught Wickham cheating on his sister, this is what lead Darcy to acting distant. After wickham gets married, he starts to act nicer. this is an example of flashback because it is a retelling of past events, that were not told previously told.  Darcy catching wickham is what lead to him acting the way he did, the flash back explains that to the reader to make the reader more understand why Darcy is acting this way.