Flashback

A Flashback is a vivid and abrupt recollection of a past event, typically a traumatic one. It intrudes into the present moment, creating a sense of reliving the past experience, often accompanied by strong emotions, sensory details, and disorientation. Flashbacks can be triggered by various stimuli, such as sights, sounds, smells, or even thoughts that are reminiscent of the original event. They serve a complex role in memory and can manifest as integral parts of storytelling or as symptoms of psychological conditions like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In literature and film, flashbacks are techniques to reveal a character's backstory or provide context.

Flashback meaning with examples

• During the therapy session, Sarah unexpectedly experienced a vivid Flashback to the car accident she'd survived years ago. She felt the impact, heard the screeching tires, and smelled the burning rubber, reliving the terror as if it were happening again. Her therapist gently guided her through the experience, helping her process the trauma associated with the memory, easing the flashback.
• The old soldier, watching a fireworks display, was suddenly overwhelmed by a Flashback to a wartime bombing raid. The flashing lights and booming sounds brought back the intense fear and chaos. He found himself crouched on the ground, heart racing, forgetting for a moment where he was. His family quietly helped him to ground himself in the present and out of the flashback.
• The novel employed several flashbacks to reveal the protagonist's troubled childhood. The author used them to slowly build the character's motivations and actions in the present. Through these scattered glimpses into her past, the reader began to understand the complex layers that shaped her personality and the reason for her insecurities and mistrust.
• In the middle of the heated argument, John had a Flashback to a similar conflict with his father when he was a child. The feeling of helplessness and anger resurfaced instantly, clouding his ability to think rationally. He paused, took a breath, and struggled to separate his present anger from the past Flashback, focusing on how he wanted to proceed.