Flashback Worksheets

Related ELA Standard: RL.9-10.5

Core Standard
Answer Keys Here

Flash backs are literary devices that authors use to look back at something that has occurred in the past. This will often help the author establish the background of a character or provide context for the audience on a choice the character made that may be outside of the norm. Flashbacks interpret the standard timeline of a story. It provides a bit of a rewind scene that pulls the audience away from the main narrative. Flashbacks are often presented in the form of dreams or as past memories that are emotional driven. Many well written stories have featured this technique and even centered around its use. These worksheets will help students learn more about this technique and how it has been successfully used in many different forms of literature.

Flashback Worksheets To Print:

True or False - We explore what students already know about this technique.

Meaning - Students are asked why this technique is used and how effective it is.

Finish the Sentences - Use words from the box to complete the sentences.

vs. Exposition - Compare and contrast the closely related concepts.

Use Your Story - Give 3 examples of when you have seen this used in any story regardless of the medium used.

Secrets - It can also be an effective way of revealing secrets that have been kept from the reader up until a certain point in the story.

Identification - This helps you analyze an entire story.

Coming Back? - We look at words or phrases that give us an indication that this technique is being used.

Major Points - Analyze a chronological series of events.

Composition - Write a short scene that includes this technique. Be sure to let your reader know that a flashback is taking place and when they have returned to the normal chronological timeline of the story.

Come Across - Look at works with several instances of this.

Scenario - Which of these scenarios match up well.

Why - What is the purpose of using this technique?

Write Your Own - Put this into action for yourself.

Placement - Write a paragraph using this technique and then explain where it started and ended.

What is a Flashback in a Story?

Have you ever wondered what a writer does when there's an absolute need to explain something vital to a narrative that occurred before the story began? They simply use a "Flashback" to go back in time. Not sure what is it? Just think of the word itself. A Flashback is when you flash back to the past. Or say it's a narrative device in which a story's chronological course is interrupted to convey information about a previous event to help readers better understand the present-day scenario.

 

The Origin of "Flashback"

 

Psychologist William James used the term "flashback" in his book The Principles of Psychology in 1890; however, it is important to note that the approach itself is far older than Homer's Odyssey—one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer, published in 1614. But, it was not until the early 1900s that the name "flashback" was used to refer to a narrative device, and the rest is history. Today, flashbacks are widespread in fictional media, found in almost every genre.

 

Occasional Vs. Structural Flashbacks


For the most part, flashbacks may be divided into two categories: occasional and structural. Occasional flashbacks are simply the ones that occasionally occur, even though they may appear once or twice but are not incorporated into the fundamental framework of the narrative. However, structural flashbacks occur throughout, serving the same purpose as load-bearing walls in terms of structure. The whole structure (or, more accurately, the entire plot) may crumble without flashbacks.

 

The Function of Flashbacks in Literature


Internal memory might be the real-life analog of the literary flashback. As we go about our everyday lives, we continually recall past events. Sometimes, as the title implies, it's only a flash of light. Other times, we may also dwell on a particular incident for a lengthy period, as in the case of depression. In short, it's something we all do daily.
When readers read a piece of literature with flashbacks, they automatically recognize that the character is not going back in time but physically experiencing their history. The Odyssey, The Five People You Meet in Heaven, Catcher in the Rye, To Kill A Mockingbird, A Separate Peace, and The Things They Carried are some of the notable examples of flashbacks in literature.


For example, Homer's The Odyssey employs flashbacks to frame the story of Odysseus' journeys throughout the world. All of the stories in books 9 through 12 are delivered in flashback. While at the palace of the Phaeacians, Odysseus narrates tales that demonstrate his courage and craftiness. This helps to portray Odysseus as a hero while also revealing how his previous experiences influence his present relationships with the people he encounters in the story.


Flashbacks are a narrative device that is sometimes misinterpreted. Not all stories can deal with the tonal change which occurs when the focus is diverted from the primary plot. This is one of the reasons why the conventional wisdom on flashbacks is "never use them – if your tale can be conveyed chronologically without breaking from the primary plot line." However, if your story calls for one, make the most out of it.