Vocabulary for Literature
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The time order of events in a story
Key words: First, Next, Then, Finally
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Read “Medical School” on the next page.
Then put the 7 sentences in time order.
What really happened first?
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When a character remembers something
from the past, it is called a flashback.
It is like a memory.
A flashback can be as short as a few
sentences in a story, or a whole story can be a
flashback.
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Toy Story Example
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Shrek Example
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"You're getting it. Good girl!"
Anya cheered as she ran beside
her little sister. Anya smiled,
remembering when her dad had
taught her to ride a bike. She
could still see him running
beside her, even when he didn't
need to anymore! He'd always
been so protective. But now, he
was gone and she alone had to
take care of the family. "I still
need you, Dad," she whispered.
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Flashbacks can give you
information about a character
to help you figure out his/her
reasons for doing things.
Our example would help you
understand why Anya might turn
down a chance to go to a college
far away from home, even
though that was her dream.
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Foreshadowing gives readers clues about
what might happen later in a story.
Being able to recognize a foreshadowing
moment in a story can help you make good
predictions.
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Even as a little kid, no one had to tell you that
when Mrs. Rabbit told Peter, "Don't go into
Mr. MacGregor's garden," he'd go – and get
into trouble!
The author's words foreshadowed danger.
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Lion King Example
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How many examples of foreshadowing can
you find?
Jaws Example
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I looked at the speedometer. Paul was driving
even faster. "Please slow down," I said. "We're
coming to a really bad curve in the road!" But he
didn't slow down and the snow was drifting
higher and higher. I could hardly see the road!
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Foreshadowing "sets up" future
events so you're prepared for
them and they make sense.
You might not know why the
author mentions something until
later in the story.
In our example, the author
mentions snowdrifts—maybe the
car will hit a snowdrift that stops
the vehicle from going over a
cliff!
FLASHBACK
FORESHADOWING
1.
Sarah closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It was exactly a
year ago today that she stood in this very same spot, trying to do
the very same thing. “How could I be doing this?” Sarah thought
to herself. She took a deep breath and recalled that
embarrassing and humiliating time.
She had sung on stage a million times, but, for some reason, that
night was different. As she gazed out in the into the crowd, she
saw them. They never came, yet there they were. Sarah’s breath
had quickened and her heart began to beat a mile a minute. “I
can’t do this,” she mumbled as she fled the stage.
And now, exactly a year later, Sarah stood, ready to head out on
stage. She hoped she was ready.
2. Robinson Crusoe (paraphrased excerpt)
Daniel Defoe
Being the third son of the family, and not bred to any trade, my head began
to be filled very early with rambling thoughts. My father, who was very
ancient, had given me a competent share of learning, as far as house
education a country free school generally go, and designed me for the law,
but I would be satisfied with nothing but going out to sea. My inclination to
this led me so strongly against the will, nay, the commands, of my father,
and against all the entreaties and persuasions of my mother and other
friends, that there seemed to be something fatal in that propension of
nature tending directly to the life of misery which was to befall me.
The author uses the reaction of Robinson Crusoe’s family and friends to give
the reader hints of what may happen in the story.
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3. The dark storm clouds rolled across the lake
and Rebecca couldn’t help but shiver. The
ominous feeling the black clouds gave her made
her pull her wool coat closely around her. She
started walking faster and faster, hoping that
whatever was coming would pass quickly and
wouldn’t hurt too badly.
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Sometimes writers use Flashbacks and
foreshadowing to build suspense.
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Suspense: a growing tension or excitement as
you read a story or a watch a movie.
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What are good indicators (aka clues) of
suspense?
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A prediction is a reasonable guess about what
will happen over the course of a story.
 What do I already know about the setting and
plot?
 On the basis of their words and actions, what
might characters do in the future? What events
might result?