Which narrative device is a return to an earlier time to provide prior information?

• A. Symbolism
• B. Foreshadowing
• C. Flashback
• D. Irony

Answer: (C)

A flashback is a narrative device that goes back to an earlier time to provide background or prior information. It lets the reader see events from the past that shape current actions, motives, or relationships in the story. When a writer uses a flashback, the present moment is interrupted so the reader can understand why a character behaves a certain way or why a situation matters, based on something that happened before.

This fits the question because the goal is to reveal prior information by returning to a past moment. Symbolism uses objects or ideas to represent something beyond the literal meaning, not a time shift. Foreshadowing gives hints about what will happen later, not past events. Irony involves a contrast between what is expected and what actually occurs, again not about moving back in time. For example, a narrator recalling a childhood mistake to explain why they are cautious today is a flashback that makes the present seem clearer.