The past can tell a lot about someone 's life and personality. In literature the use of flashback gives insight to both the characters as well as the plot of the story. Both Neil Gaiman’s “How to talk to Girls at Parties” and Edgar Allen Poe’s “ The Cask of Amontillado” show examples of using this literary device and how it affects the story. Not only does the use of flashback give insight to the character’s background and motivation ,but also affects both stories in tone and characterization. Neil Gaiman’s short story takes place thirty years in the past. Gaiman uses flashback to create tone and suspense. The story begins with two young friends on the way to a party together. However, Gaiman causes the reader to question what will happen later on by interrupting the story saying, “I’ve not seen Vic for thirty years. I’m not sure that I would know what to say to him if I did” (228). Both Enn and Vic were great friends; however, Enn stating in the future that him and Vic have not talked or seen each other in thirty years shows that something in the story has caused this riff between them. The application of flashback causes the reader to question what in the story has caused this and gives a sense of uncertainty. This example of flashback also acts as foreshadowing towards the plot. What will happen? How did it change their friendship? Gaiman uses words in past tense such as “ in my memory” (230) and “back then”(233) . The use of these words and diction used gives the
The story “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” by Ambrose Bierce uses techniques such as flashback and ethos, or emotion, to show that life isn’t as fair as some believe. Bierce uses flashback when Peyton Farquhar, the main character of the story, is being hanged. His
Memories are important, they are a personal record of our past experiences, and could be called the history book for our life. In the poem "The Heroes You Had as a Girl", author Bronwen Wallace tells the story of a woman who meets her high school hero later in her life, reflects on her memories of him, and ultimately decides not to talk to him. The effect that this topic has on everyone is the knowledge that we can be captivated and let our memories control us, and by knowing that our memories hold that much power, it may make it more mentally efficient to make accurate, and personal decisions in a fraction of the time. The topic and overall meaning that this idea holds convey a message that resonates with the idea that memories are in fact the central hub of our decision making. People remembering memories can affect their perspective on their lives to such an extent, that they prefer to immerse their mind in their past memories rather than the current reality.
Fitzgerald implements a first party narrative through Nick Caraway’s recollection of the events of the plot in order to effectively demonstrate the scarring, yet beneficial, effects of memories on the current mindset of individuals. The story is of Nick’s past, whose memories are
Memory is used as a powerful conduit into the past; childhood experiences held in the subconscious illuminate an adult’s perception. Harwood uses tense shifts throughout her poetry to emphasise and indicate the interweaving and connection the past and the present hold. By allowing this examination of the childhood memories, Harwood identifies that their significance is that of an everlasting memory that will dominate over time’s continuity and the inevitability of death.
A main theme of this book, is the importance of living in the present, instead of dwelling on the past. Many of the characters in this novel carried a nostalgic perspective on life, and it influenced their attitude towards the present. It was very common for the characters to tell stories from their past. Jim often relates incidents in the present, to things that happened to him in the past. Jim is not the only one focusing on the past, however. For example, Peter, one of the Russian immigrants, has a very romanticized idea of the past, which causes him to have a depressed attitude towards the present. Jim observed this on one particular meeting, “Once, while [Peter] was looking at Ántonia, he sighed and told us that if he had stayed at home in Russia perhaps by this time he would have had a pretty daughter of his own to cook and keep house for him.” Peter allowed the idea of ‘what if I had...’ to interfere with his future. Because of the adults "what if" attitude, the teens of this novel have a sense of urgency in their lives. They witness how nostalgic the adults, and they themselves, are becoming, and come to a realization. The good days are the first to pass, and the most fleeting. Jim takes this as an excuse to be nostalgic on the past, a past he was not even there to witness. He looked at the wilderness of his new home, and fantasized about how wonderful it’s past was, “Beyond the pond, on the slope that climbed to the cornfield, there was, faintly marked in the grass, a great circle where the Indians used to ride. Jake and Otto were sure that when they galloped round that ring the Indians tortured prisoners, bound to a stake in the centre; but grandfather thought they merely ran races or trained horses there. […] The old figure stirred me as it had never done before.” Jim looks at the past with wonderment - it is a place that was much more ideal than his present. Unlike him,
Edgar Allan Poe is a writer who uses many types of writing techniques in his short stories and poems. As a child, his parents died when he was three years old, and once he grew up, he attended two colleges and was kicked out of both. He lost his editing job due to his heavy drinking. These unlikely events show why he writes the way he does today but the one event that caused his darkness to show was when his wife died. Poe is a literary genius because of his ability to use many different literary styles. Edgar Allan Poe creates an atmosphere of fear in “The Cask of Amontillado” through the setting, imagery, and characterization.
The Cask of Amontillado is the story of and envious man by the name of Montresor who has devised a plan to kill one of his long term friends Fortunato. Montresor devised this plan in the beginning of the story after Fortunato had pulled one joke to many while at a party surrounded by many of their close friends. Montresor while at the party remained calm however while still laughing and cheering with Fortunato he started to develop his plot to get his revenge on Fortunato. In the story Montresor while plotting his crime says, “I had to keep my true feelings to myself for not only must I punish but punish with impunity” (Poe). While Montresor plans the murder of Fortunato, Fortunato is simply enjoying life and his wealth. During carnival Montresor sees a drunk Fortunato and ceases his opportunity. A drunk Fortunato walks over to Montresor and gives him a friendly greeting. Montresor sees this as an opportunity to take Fortunato away from the festivities by using both his weakness for wine and his pride against him. Montresor does this by tricking Fortunato into thinking that he had recently brought a cask of Amontillado and he needed Luchesi to distinguish if it was actually Amontillado. Fortunato, who feels that he is the best wine tester in all of Italy quickly replies, “Luchesi cannot tell Amontillado from Sherry” (Poe) . Montresor knowing the pride and arrogance of Fortunato then says, “"And yet some fools will have it that his taste is a match for your own." (Poe) . That
A person’s past life is really important because it shapes the individual to be the kind of person he/she will be in the future. No matter how much we try, we can’t rid ourselves of our past nor can we run away from it. It’s embedded in our memories and will always remain to do so. In the short story “Xmas”, by Russell Banks, we meet the protagonist, Gregory Dodd who tries to run away from his past and avoid it. Eventually, the reader will learn what the consequences of such an action can lead to. Through the epiphany that the protagonist, Gregory Dodd, undergoes, Banks illustrates the consequences of avoiding one’s past; the nature of the epiphany is defined by the car collision, and ultimately leads Gregory to a wakeup call and a deeper self-realization, leaving him with some heavy thinking to do about his life. The forces that contribute to intensifying the moment of epiphany are seen in the plot and symbolism.
The way Davidson uses imagery and intricacy to reveal Marianne’s past life through her stories will engulf one into the novel and make one feel like they are truly in the century in question. As Marianne tells her stories, the emotion from her and the man pours off the pages and the reader is all but helpless to surrender to feeling sympathy and fret for the characters. The flashbacks are so seamlessly inserted into the text that the reader will sometimes lose track of which world he or she is in, the modern one, or the 14th century. Davidson also considers historical continuity in the stories that are told, and because of this the reader will not only be lost in the story, but also gain a wealth of knowledge about ancient religion, forgotten traditions, and origin of literature from all of Davidson’s
In “Heroes” by Robert Cormier, Francis, the main character, is out on a mission to kill his enemy, Larry LaSalle. “Heroes” uses flashbacks consistently to develop the plot and keep the reader’s attention. If it were not in the story, the story would be bland and boring overall. Foreshadowing plays a huge role in the story and creates suspense throughout the book. For example, in the beginning of the book, Francis states, “Then I am filled up with guilt and shame, knowing that I have just prayed for the man I am going to kill.”
Many memories for young children involve a special individual who made specific events during their childhood, vividly stand out to them as adults. In “Tender Stranger” written by Phillip Lopate, a memory is told from the perspective of a young boy. He is on his way to school when he suddenly bumps into a lawyer on the street corner. In “Novella” written by Robert Hass, the memory is from a young girl who develops a friendship with an elderly gentleman who lives in a cabin deep in the woods. The young boy meets the lawyer on the busy sidewalk and never sees him again, while the young girl forms an extensive friendship as she and the elderly man visit often. The vivid childhood memories of these two relationships play a significant role in the character’s life, whether it was a short encounter or a long lasting friendship.
The lime featured in chapters eleven, twelve, and thirteen of Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman seems so misplaced it brings into speculation why it was in the book at all. The lime is first brought into the plot through Fat Charlie’s taxi driver who wants to prove to Charlie that limes really do grow on the island. The lime becomes the only luggage Charlie has with him and when Charlie goes out to look for Mrs. Higgler, several strangers ask if he is “the one with the lime,” some even proceed to ask if he would show it to them. When Charlie returns to the hotel, the lime is there waiting for him where he left it. He decides to take the lime with him the next time he goes out, which happens to be that night. He runs into Daisy in the hotel’s restaurant, and with the lime in his pocket, successfully grabs the attention of everyone in the room which in turn diverts the murderous Grahame Coats’ course of action. Later on, during a trip to a magical other-world, Charlie asks Dragon if he’s afraid of limes. The short conversation gets him out of trouble. By then Charlie doesn’t have the lime with him anymore, but what he does have is the green fedora his father gives him earlier on in that trip to the magical other-world. Both the lime and the fedora are green, but the lime more likely symbolizes Charlie’s own development of his father’s characteristics, compared to the fedora, which Charlie is able to wear proudly, showing how unashamed he has become of his father since
Through the use of flashbacks in the story the intended audience is able engage and link the motives behind the Brennan families move from Mumbilli to Coghill. Also, the flashbacks in the novel assist to strengthen Tom’s image and revel his pain and confusion along with his struggle to find his way back to the life he once knew, that he never thought would be taken away from him. Through weaving parts of the past into the present in the form of flashbacks, I was able to let the audience link the story together to compare Tom’s emotional state, investigate the ways that Australian individuals grow when they are taken out of their comfort and venture into new experiences.
Authors often break away from the traditional narrative format and formulate a story consisting of flashbacks to give the reader insight on information and events not previously given to us. As shown in Oscar Casares’ short story, Mrs. Perez, flashbacks are combined within the story of her life.
The Graveyard Book written by Neil Gaiman is a fictional book published in 2008. The setting in the beginning of the story is in a house in the middle of the night, but it very quickly transitions to a graveyard. Towards the end, the setting is all throughout the town, in which the house and graveyard are located. This book is written in the third person point of view. Having a third person point of view helps the author tell the story the way he wants to by not showing an emotional connection with the protagonist but still making the reader develop positive emotions toward the protagonist.