Understanding the Significance of Flashbacks, Conflict, and Character Dynamics in Narratives

FLASHBACK- A NON LINEAR PLOT LINE A LITERARY OR CINEMATIC DEVICE IN WHICH AN EARLIER EVENT IS INSERTED INTO THE NORMAL CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER OF A NARRATIVE CAN YOU THINK OF ANY MOVIES WITH FLASHBACKS?

WHY USE FLASHBACK? THE USE OF A FLASHBACK IS TO CONVEY THE READER S INFORMATION REGARDING THE CHARACTER S BACKGROUND AND GIVE THEM AN IDEA OF THE CHARACTERS MOTIVES FOR DOING CERTAIN THINGS LATER IN THE STORY. THEREFORE, A FLASHBACK IN THE STORY DEEPENS INNER CONFLICT. IT PROVIDES STIMULUS FOR THE CONFLICT, DEEPENS THE TOUCHING EFFECTS AND ALLOWS THE READER TO SYMPATHIZE EVEN WITH THE VILLAIN. ANOTHER FUNCTION OF FLASHBACKS IN A NARRATIVE IS TO INCREASE TENSION. A MERE MENTION OF THE PAST EVENT MAKES READERS TO WISH TO KNOW THE SECRETS AND SO HE READS ON TO FIND OUT WHAT SECRET IS THAT SECRET TERRIBLE, WHICH PROVIDES THE MOTIVATION FOR THIS CONFLICT.

CONFLICT: 1 FIGHT, BATTLE, WAR; 2 A: COMPETITIVE OR OPPOSING ACTION OF INCOMPATIBLES : ANTAGONISTIC STATE OR ACTION (AS OF DIVERGENT IDEAS, INTERESTS, OR PERSONS) B: MENTAL STRUGGLE RESULTING FROM INCOMPATIBLE OR OPPOSING NEEDS, DRIVES, WISHES, OR EXTERNAL OR INTERNAL DEMANDS 3 THE OPPOSITION OF PERSONS OR FORCES THAT GIVES RISE TO THE DRAMATIC ACTION IN A DRAMA OR FICTION

CONFLICT: INTERNAL A STRUGGLE THAT TAKES PLACE IN A CHARACTER'S MIND IS CALLED INTERNAL CONFLICT. FOR EXAMPLE, A CHARACTER MAY HAVE TO DECIDE BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG OR BETWEEN TWO SOLUTIONS TO A PROBLEM. SOMETIMES, A CHARACTER MUST DEAL WITH HIS OR HER OWN MIXED FEELINGS OR EMOTIONS. CHARACTER VS. SELF

CONFLICT: EXTERNAL A STRUGGLE BETWEEN A CHARACTER AND AN OUTSIDE FORCE IS AN EXTERNAL CONFLICT. CHARACTERS MAY FACE SEVERAL TYPES OF OUTSIDE FORCES. THE OUTSIDE FORCE MAY BE ANOTHER CHARACTER. IT MAY BE THE COMMUNITY. THE OUTSIDE FORCE MAY ALSO BE FORCES OF NATURE. FOR EXAMPLE, A STORY MIGHT BE THE MAIN CHARACTER STRUGGLING AGAINST THE ARCTIC COLD.

TYPES OF EXTERNAL CONFLICT CHARACTER VS. CHARACTER (HARRY POTTER VS. VOLDEMORT) CHARACTER VS. NATURE (DOROTHY FROM THE WIZARD OF OZ VS. THE TWISTER) CHARACTER VS. SOCIETY (SHREK FROM SHREK ) CHARACTER VS. FATE/DEITY (PERCY JACKSON VS. KRONOS) CHARACTER VS. MONSTER ( KNIGHT VS. DRAGON)

SO THE DIFFERENCE IS AN INTERNAL CONFLICT IS JUST THAT A CONFLICT THAT TAKES PLACE INTERNALLY. THIS IS BETTER KNOWN AS CHARACTER VS. SELF. AN EXTERNAL CONFLICT IS A CONFLICT THAT CAN BE SEEN PHYSICALLY. WE KNOW EXTERNAL CONFLICTS AS CHARACTER VS. CHARACTER, CHARACTER VS. NATURE, AND CHARACTER VS. SOCIETY.

LETS SEE IF YOU CAN TELL THE DIFFERENCE! FOR EACH CONFLICT, DETERMINE WHETHER IT IS INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL.

CONFLICT #1 JUDY IS IN LOVE. SHE IS FINDING WAYS TO TALK TO HER BOO AND SHE THINKS THINGS ARE GOING WELL. THEY TEXT EVERY DAY. ONE DAY SHE SEES HER BEST FRIEND AND BAE HUGGING! HOW COULD SHE?!?! JUDY SCREAMED AS SHE RAN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

CONFLICT #2 CAREN IS ABOUT TO FINISH HER LAST YEAR IN COLLEGE. SHE SPENT FOUR YEARS STUDYING PRE-PHYSICAL THERAPY AND IS NOW APPLYING FOR PHYSICAL THERAPY (PT) SCHOOL. RIGHT BEFORE SHE IS SUPPOSED TO RECEIVE HER ACCEPTANCE LETTER, HER BOYFRIEND PROPOSES AND TELLS HER HE WANTS TO SPEND THE REST OF HIS LIFE WITH HER. IF SHE MARRIES HIM, SHE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GO TO PT SCHOOL. IF SHE DOESN T MARRY HIM, SHE WILL MISS OUT ON THE LOVE OF HER LIFE. WHAT SHOULD I DO? CAREN WONDERED.

CONFLICT #3 JORGE LIVES TO PLAY BASKETBALL. RIGHT BEFORE THE TEAM IS ABOUT TO LEAVE FOR THEIR FIRST GAME, JORGE FEELS THE DESPERATE CALL OF NATURE. HE JUMPS OFF THE BUS, RUNS INTO THE SCHOOL, AND FINDS THE CLOSEST RESTROOM. WHEN HE COMES OUT OF THE SCHOOL TO REJOIN HIS TEAM, THE BUS IS GONE. HE PUTS HIS HAND WHERE HIS POCKET SHOULD BE TO RETRIEVE HIS CELL PHONE, ONLY TO FIND HIS UNIFORM SHORTS WITH NO POCKETS. ALL OF HIS STUFF, INCLUDING HIS PHONE, IS ON THE BUS WITH THE REST OF HIS TEAM. HOW WILL HE MAKE IT TO THE GAME?

BACK TO FLASHBACK REMEMBER FLASHBACK DEEPENS INTERNAL CONFLICT READ P. 26 EFFIE TRINKET ASKS FOR VOLUNTEERS BUT I HAVEN T AND I KNOW I NEVER WILL . WHAT S HAPPENING RIGHT BEFORE THIS FLASHBACK? CREATE A LIST ON YOUR PAPER OF WHAT IS GOING ON AND BE AS DETAILED AS POSSIBLE. LABEL ALL CONFLICT AS EITHER INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL.

FLASHBACK WHO IS THIS FLASHBACK ABOUT? IS THERE ANY EVIDENCE OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP BEFORE THIS SCENE? ON YOUR PAPER: WRITE DOWN ANY ACTIONS, WORDS, IMAGES, OR PHRASES THAT CONNECT KATNISS TO PEETA DURING THIS FLASHBACK (P. 26-33) WRITE DOWN ANY CONFLICT THAT IS OCCURRING DURING THE FLASHBACK (LABEL IT INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL)

ANSWER THE QUESTION IN 3-5 SENTENCES BELOW YOUR LIST OF CONFLICT AND CONNECTIONS: WHY DOES COLLINS PUT THIS FLASHBACK HERE, DURING THE REAPING? WHAT DOES SHE EXPLAIN TO THE READER BY PLACING IT HERE? HOW DOES IT DEEPEN INTERNAL CONFLICT?

NOW READ P. 49-52 ON YOUR OWN AND ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS: 1. WHEN KATNISS REALIZES THAT PEETA HAS BEEN ACTING OUT OF KINDNESS, SHE BECOMES ANXIOUS AND DISTURBED. WHY DOES THIS KNOWLEDGE DISTRESS HER, AND WHAT DECISION DOES SHE MAKE REGARDING IT? DESCRIBE THE SYMBOLIC ACTION SHE TAKES AFTER COMING TO HER DECISION. 2. WHY DID COLLINS PUT THIS FLASHBACK HERE, RIGHT AFTER SHE THREW AWAY THE GIFT FROM THE BAKER?