Authors use flashbacks in texts to reveal information about a character’s past. Flashbacks can provide some insight into a character’s motivation or details about the conflict. In this activity, students will identify examples of flashback and identify the author’s purpose for including them.
Marty lies about eating his sister’s chocolate. He gets all red and claims, “It was one of the worst days of my life.”
Marty remembers calling David Howard by his full name on two occasions: when David sat on a flowerpot Marty made for his mother, and when he caught Marty with his pants down in the bathroom.
Marty thinks back to the time he found a dead dog with a bullet through his head near Judd Traver’s house.
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Student Instructions
Create a storyboard illustrating different flashbacks and what they reveal about the story.
Introduce signal words that often indicate a flashback, such as “I remember,” “long ago,” or “back when.” Pointing out these cues helps students actively search for flashbacks in any story they read.
Pause when you spot a possible flashback in the text and think aloud about what makes it a flashback. This demonstrates your reasoning process and encourages students to apply the same strategies independently.
After identifying a flashback, ask students how it helps them understand a character's actions or feelings. Discussing these connections builds deeper comprehension and empathy for characters.
Have students create simple drawings or storyboards of flashbacks from different stories. This visual approach helps students recall details and better grasp the flashback’s impact on the narrative.
Organize small group or partner talks where students share examples of flashbacks and discuss why authors might choose to include them. Collaborative conversations foster critical thinking and deeper literary analysis.
A flashback is a storytelling device where the author interrupts the main narrative to show events from the past. In 'Shiloh', flashbacks reveal key moments from Marty’s past, helping readers understand his motivations and the story’s conflict.
Students can spot flashbacks in 'Shiloh' by looking for moments when Marty or other characters remember earlier events. Clues include phrases like “I remember when...” or sudden shifts to past experiences. Highlight these sections and discuss what they reveal about the characters.
The author uses flashbacks to reveal character motivations, provide backstory, and deepen the conflict. These glimpses into the past help readers connect with Marty’s feelings and the choices he makes in the story.
The best way to teach flashbacks with 'Shiloh' is to have students create storyboards showing each flashback and its purpose. Encourage students to illustrate scenes, describe what each flashback reveals, and discuss why the author included them.
Examples include Marty recalling lying about eating his sister’s chocolate and remembering finding a dead dog. These flashbacks show Marty’s guilt, sense of responsibility, and his feelings toward Judd Travers, deepening our understanding of his character.